The latest report California’s Department of Industrial Relations shows a drastic increase in fatal workplace injuries since 2014. There were 422 fatal injuries on the job in California in 2018, compared to 376 in 2017 and 2016, 388 in 2015, and 344 in 2014.
“Every death matters, and these workers who lost their lives on the job in California serve as a reminder that we need to do everything possible to keep workplaces safe,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Douglas Parker. “An increase in workplace fatalities is a serious concern for Cal/OSHA. We are analyzing the data to bolster and direct our enforcement and education efforts.”
Overall, California’s rate of fatal workplace incidents per 100,000 workers remains stable, with minor fluctuations since 2008. The state’s rate has consistently been lower than the national average. For 2018, the national fatal injury rate was 3.5 per 100,000 full-time workers, and California’s was just 2.3.
Of the 422 work-related fatalities in California in 2018, 155 of those resulted from transportation incidents and 62 from workplace homicides.
The data is from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), which is conducted annually in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tables reflecting final data for 2018 (and prior years’ final data) for California are posted online.