America’s History of Workplace Injuries
Conditions have changed for the better, but through the years and across various industries, US workplace history is littered with major disasters, both big and small. The United States has led the world in casualty rates. In fact, industries such as oil and gas have many types of oilfield accidents that regularly cause major catastrophic and fatal injuries.
Between 1911 and 1912, 1% of all ironworkers died on the job. During the push to raise skyscrapers in the 1920s, a worker died every 33 working hours.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that in the early 1920s, more than 30,000 fatalities happened in the workplace each year. Before 1920, more than 75,000 railroad workers died laying down tracks across America.
Workplace Disasters since 1900
Below is a timeline of the worst workplace accidents in U.S. History since 1900.
- January 10, 1860: Pemberton Mill Collapse in Lawrence, Massachusetts = 145 dead
- May 2, 1878: Washburn Mill Explosion in Minneapolis, Minnesota = 18 dead
- May 1, 1900: Scofield Mine Disaster in Scofield, Utah = 200 dead
- March 20, 1902: Grover Shoe Factory disaster in Brockton, Massachusetts = 58 dead
- May 19, 1902: Fraterville Mine Disaster in Coal Creek, Tennessee = 184 dead
- December 6, 1907: Monongah Mining Disaster in Monongah, West Virginia = 362 dead
- January 20, 1909: Chicago Wooden Crib Fire in Chicago, Illinois = 60 dead
- May 5, 1910: Palos No. 3 Mine Explosion in Palos, Alabama = 80 dead
- March 25, 1911: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City = 146 dead
- October 22, 1913: Stag Canon No. 2 Mine Explosion in Dawson, New Mexico = 263 dead
- June 8, 1917: Granite Mountain/Speculator Mine Disaster in Granite Mountain, Montana = 164 dead
- January 15, 1919: Great Molasses Flood in Boston, Massachusetts = 21 dead
- March 8, 1924: Castle Gate Mine Disaster in Castle Gate, Utah = 172 dead
- May 15, 1929: Cleveland Clinic Fire in Cleveland, Ohio = 123 dead
- 1930s: Hoover Dam Deaths in Boulder City, Nevada = 96 dead
- 1930–1935: Hawk’s Nest Tunnel Disaster in West Virginia = 476 confirmed dead
- May 7, 1935: South W-B Mine Hoisting Accident in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania = 7 dead
- July 17, 1944: Port Chicago Disaster in Port Chicago, California = 320 dead
- October 20, 1944: Cleveland East Ohio Gas Explosion in Cleveland, Ohio = 130 dead
- March 25, 1947: Centralia Mine Disaster in Centralia, Illinois = 111 dead
- April 16 and 17, 1947: Texas City Disaster in Texas City, Texas = 581 dead
- June 30, 1964:P. Baker Drilling Barge Accident in the Gulf of Mexico = 21 dead
- August 9, 1965: Titan II Missile Silo Fire in Searcy, Arkansas = 53 dead
- May 6, 1968: Saxsewell Mine Inundation in Nicholas County, West Virginia = 4 dead
- November 20, 1968: Farmington Mine Disaster in Farmington, West Virginia = 78 dead
- February 26, 1972: Buffalo Creek flood in Logan County, West Virginia = 125 dead
- April 27, 1978: Willow Island Tower Collapse in Willow Island, West Virginia = 51 dead
- July 23, 1984: Romeoville Petroleum Refinery Disaster in Romeoville, Illinois = 17 dead
- April 23, 1987: L’Ambiance Plaza Collapse in Bridgeport, Connecticut = 28 dead
- May 5, 1988: Louisiana Shell Explosion in Norco, Louisiana = 7 dead
- June 28, 1988: Bastian Plating Chemical Accident in Auburn, Indiana = 5 dead
- July 6, 1988: Piper Alpha Oil Rig Explosion in the North Sea = 167 dead
- October 23, 1989: Houston Ship Channel in Pasadena, Texas = 23 dead
- September 3, 1991: Imperial Foods Plant Fire in Hamlet, North Carolina = 25 dead
- March 23, 2005: British Petroleum Oil Refinery Explosion in Texas City, Texas = 15 dead
- May 20, 2006: Darby Mine Explosion in Holmes Mill, Kentucky = 5 dead
- February 7, 2008: Imperial Sugar Company Explosion in Port Wentworth, Georgia = 13 dead
- February 7, 2010: Kleen Energy Natural Gas Explosion in Middletown, Connecticut = 6 dead
- April 5, 2010: Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster in Montcoal, West Virginia = 29 dead
- April 20, 2010: Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico = 11 dead
- April 17, 2013: West Fertilizer Company Explosion in West, Texas = 15 dead
The Wagner Act
In 1935, the Wagner Act was passed into law, establishing the right of United States workers to participate in determining their wages, work hours, and working conditions. This act was seen as a balance of power and moving toward social justice, an essential move in a free and democratic society.
Despite the Wagner Act slowing down the carnage of the Industrial Revolution, more than a million Americans have died while on the job since the 1920s.
Even in the 1990s, more than 100 ironworkers were lost in workplace accidents each year.
According to National Safety Council (NSC) statistics, more than 14,000 American workers are killed, and 2.5 million are permanently injured in workplace accidents every year.
According to recent data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 2022 saw 5,486 fatal work injuries and more than 2.8 million workplace injuries. Another estimated 50,000 American workers die from illnesses related to occupational hazards annually.
Recent Workplace Injury Statistics
Over the years, almost every American industry has implemented new workplace regulations and safety initiatives. Even with these new measures, illness, injuries, and death continue to occur in the workplace.
After extensive research and analysis, the BLS has found that workplace fatalities are on the rise over the last few years. In 2022, a worker died every 96 minutes. Workplace fatalities were up 5.7% compared to 2021.
Certain industries with a higher risk of injuries also saw increases in fatalities and injuries in 2022. Transportation workers and material movers experienced 1,620 deaths in 2022. The construction industry lost 1,056 workers, which is an 11% increase from 2021.
The occupation running the highest chance of injury or illness was nursing assistants, with 370 injuries per every 10,000 full-time workers. But the highest number of on-the-job fatalities came from the agricultural, forestry, and fishing/hunting industries, with 23.4 fatalities per 100,000 employees.
In non-fatal workplace injuries, the most common were sprains, strains, and tares. The leading causes of these injuries are overexertion and slips, trips, and falls. Among the highest causes of injury were contact with objects and equipment. Combined, these causes account for 84% of all nonfatal work injuries.
In the United States, workplace injuries cost an estimated $250 billion annually.
Contact a Workplace Injury Attorney Today
Texas law states that every employer is required to keep its workers safe by providing safe workplaces with personal protective equipment and safety training with appropriate signage.
An injured worker has two years from the accident to file a lawsuit, but you should not wait to involve the skilled Texas workplace injury attorneys at Liggett Law Group. We can collect and preserve evidence that could be crucial in establishing liability to recover the compensation you need to heal.
Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation so we can delve into the details of your case and counsel you on the next steps.
An experienced Texas work injury lawyer can work to ensure your rights are protected, and you are compensated for any injuries you incur while at work.