The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program conducted by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Office of Labor Market Information (LMI), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), reveals Colorado had 83 work-related fatalities in 2023. Nationally, a total of 5,283 workers died from a work-related injury in the U.S. in 2023, a 3.7 percent decrease from the 5,486 workers in 2022.
The figures, available on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, indicate work injuries involving transportation remained the most common cause of work-related deaths in Colorado in 2023. Some numbers below are not included in totals, because some data do not meet the BLS publication criteria.
2023 Census Profile
Major findings of the Census include:
- A total of 83 fatal occupational injuries were recorded in 2023, a 6.7 percent decrease from 89 in 2022.
- There were 69 deaths in 2023 involving wage and salary workers, down from 83 in 2022. Self-employed worker fatalities increased from six in 2022 to 14 in 2023.
- Transportation incidents were the leading cause of fatalities and up from the prior year by 6.1 percent. Transportation incidents increased from 33 in 2022 to 35 in 2023 and continue to lead all fatality events for at least the last 10 years.
- Falls, slips and trips are the second leading cause of fatalities in 2023. They accounted for 16 deaths and are up from 15 in 2022.
- Fatalities due to violence and other injuries by person or animals were down 22.2 percent over 2022. In 2023 there were 14 incidents and 2022 had 18 incidents.
- Contact with objects and equipment accounted for 12 deaths resulting in no percentage change from 2022 to 2023.
- Fatalities due to exposure to harmful substances or environments went down by one incident in 2023. There were seven incidents in 2022 and six in 2023.
Worker Demographics
Major findings of the Census include:
- Men accounted for 76 (91.6 percent) of the fatal work injuries, while women accounted for seven (8.4 percent).
- Women worker fatalities in 2023 are down from 2022. In 2022, there were eight and in 2023, there were seven.
- White (non-Hispanic) workers accounted for 49 (59 percent) of the fatalities. Black or African-American (non-Hispanic) workers account for eight (9.6 percent) of the fatalities. Hispanic or Latino workers accounted for 22 (26.5 percent) of the fatalities. American Indian or Alaska Native (non-Hispanic), Asian (non-Hispanic), and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) data is suppressed or there are no incidents reported and cannot be published.
Chart: 2023 Number of Fatalities by Age
Source: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.
Note: Data for age groups 24 years and younger are blank as there is no data reported or data does not meet publication criteria.
Industry Profile
- Fatal injuries in Trade, transportation, and utilities (33) lead in total deaths by industry, followed by Construction (15) and Professional and business services (7).
Occupation Profile
- Transportation incidents continue to be the leading cause of fatalities in the Transportation and material moving occupation with 29 fatalities.
- Rounding out the top three, Construction and extraction occupations saw 13 fatalities followed by Protective service occupations with 6 incidents.
Chart: 2023 versus 2022 Number of Fatalities by Occupational Group
Source: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.
Note: Data for age groups 24 years and younger are blank as there is no data reported or data does not meet publication criteria.
Program Background
In an effort to compile data that is as complete as possible, the CFOI program uses diverse sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. Source documents, such as death certificates, coroners’ reports, workers’ compensation claims, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports, and other 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 U.S.
2024 data will be publicly available in December 2025.
For additional information, please visit www.bls.gov/iif/ or cdle.colorado.gov/lmi under the CFOI program section.
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Resources Mentioned
Bureau of Labor Statistics website
Labor Market Information (LMI) Website