Little Rock – There were 79 work-related fatalities recorded in Arkansas in 2024. This data is
from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) conducted by the Arkansas Department of
Labor and Licensing, Division of Labor, OSH/CFOI Section, in cooperation with the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Worker Characteristics
- There were 79 fatal work injuries in 2024, down 14.1% from 92 in 2023.
- There were 71 deaths in 2024 involving wage and salary workers, down from 72 in 2023.
Self-employed worker fatalities accounted for eight (8), down from 14 in 2023. There were
two (2) fatal injuries among local and state government workers in 2024, down from six
(6) in 2023. One (1) was a local government worker, and one (1) was a state government
worker. - There were 72 men and seven (7) women that died in a work-related incident in 2024,
compared to 82 men and 10 women who died in 2023. - There were 21 fatalities in the 55 to 64 years old age group; 19 fatalities in the 45 to 54 age
group; 15 in the 35 to 44 age group; 11 fatalities that were 65 years of age or older; and 10
were in the 25 to 34 age group.
Fatal Event or Exposure
Fifty (50) or 63.3% of the 79 work-related fatal injuries in 2024 were the result of transportation
incidents.
- Work-related transportation fatality incidents were down from 52 in 2023 but still led all fatality events for the 31st year in a row.
- This includes 19 work-related deaths from roadway collision with another vehicle, up from
16 in 2023. Eleven (11) workers died from roadway collision with object other than
vehicle, down from 17 in 2023. There were six (6) deaths from roadway non-collision
incidents, up from five (5) in 2023. There were four (4) deaths from non-roadway vehicle
incidents. There were seven (7) workers killed in pedestrian vehicular incidents, down from
eight (8) in 2023. There were three (3) deaths from rail vehicle incidents.
Other Fatal Events or Exposures
- A total of seven (7) workers (8.9%) were fatally injured due to contact incidents in 2024, down from 11 in 2023. This total includes four (4) workers that were struck, caught, or compressed by running powered equipment.
- Falls, slips, and trips resulted in seven (7) work-related fatalities (8.9%) in 2024, down from 11 in 2023.
- There were seven (7) worker deaths (8.9%) due to exposure to harmful substances or environments in 2024, down from nine (9) in 2023. This includes three (3) workers that died from exposure to environmental heat – outdoor.
- There were eight (8) other work-related fatalities (10.1%) in 2024, down from nine (9) in 2023. This category includes violent acts, explosions and fires.
Industry
By industry, there were nine (9) fatal occupational injuries in private sector construction;
10 in manufacturing; nine (9) in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting; six (6) in retail
trade; 26 in transportation and warehousing; eight (8) in the administrative and support and
waste management and remediation services sector; one (1) in real estate and rental and
leasing sector; one (1) in leisure and hospitality; two (2) in other services (except public
administration); two (2) in health care and social assistance; one (1) in state government
highway, street, and bridge construction; and one (1) in local government police protection.
Occupation
There were 42 fatalities among transportation and material moving occupations, which
included 33 motor vehicle operators and nine (9) material moving workers; seven (7)
among construction trades workers; six (6) among farming, fishing, and forestry
occupations; four (4) among building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations;
three (3) among retail sales workers; two (2) among healthcare practitioners and technical
occupations; and two (2) among personal care and service occupations.
Nationally, a total of 5,070 workers died from a work-related injury in the United States in 2024,
a 4% decrease from the total of 5,283 deaths in 2023. A worker died every 104 minutes from a
work-related injury in 2024 compared to 99 minutes in 2023.
Note: Because of publication criteria, components may not add to totals.
Background of the Program
To compile data that is as complete as possible, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI)
uses diverse sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. Source documents, such
as death certificates, workers’ compensation reports, and Federal and State agency administrative
records are cross-referenced to gather key information about each workplace fatality, such as the
particular occupation and industry in which the fatality occurred, worker demographics, equipment
or machinery involved, and circumstances of the event. The CFOI program compiles the most
complete, verifiable count of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. For additional
information, please go to www.bls.gov/iif or www.labor.arkansas.gov.