Any career can pose a risk of injury to workers, but some occupations come with more hazards than the average office or restaurant job. All American workers should stay abreast of occupational injury trends. Such knowledge alerts you to possible workplace dangers.
Most people think occupations involving heavy physical labor or working at heights are the most dangerous. However, recent occupational fatality statistics for South Dakota indicate transportation jobs result in the most worker fatalities.
More worker fatality data
In 2020, 32 South Dakota employees perished from work injuries, an increase from 2019, which saw only 20 worker deaths. As mentioned above, fatalities struck transportation-related jobs the hardest, accounting for more than half of the total occupational fatalities.
Slips, trips and falls. About 20% of state work-related fatalities occurred in employee slip, trip and fall accidents. Examples include falling through a surface or opening and falling to a lower level.
Contact with equipment/objects. Physical contact with objects or equipment accounted for 19% of state worker fatalities. Examples of common accidents include getting struck by a heavy object or crushed in a structure or material collapse.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), at 41%, the natural resources and mining industry suffered the most occupational fatalities. At 25%, the construction industry experienced the second-highest number of worker deaths. Most other occupations in the state saw few, if any, fatal accidents.
Make sure you’re protected
Those injured on the job have a right to workers’ compensation benefits. If you have trouble filing your claim or learn it was denied, protect your rights by discovering how the state workers’ compensation program operates.