Though deaths on the job remained about the same nationwide in 2015, New Jersey unexpectedly saw an increase of nearly 10% in fatalities in the workplace during the same time period. Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicated that 97 New Jersey residents died from work-related accidents, up from 87 a year earlier. Officials could not identify a single factor that contributed to the increase.

Here are some of the findings included in the BLS study:

• Violent deaths nearly doubled, from 11 in 2014 to 18 in 2015
• More than a third of the New Jersey deaths—37—were in motor vehicle accidents
• Falls from heights accounted for 24 workplace fatalities in 2015
• The construction industry experienced the largest number of deaths—22, and more than half of those (12) were of workers who fell from high elevations
• The occupation that saw the highest number of deaths was motor vehicle operator, with 15. This was also true with respect to work-related deaths nationwide.
• More than two-thirds of the workers who died across the country were Caucasian—that statistic was significantly lower in New Jersey, with only 54% of workplace fatalities involving white workers
• Men are far more likely to die in the workplace than women—nationally, 98% of job-related deaths are of men. In New Jersey, 94% of workplace fatalities are men
• There’s a lot less risk if you are self-employed—only 14% of deaths nationally were of people who worked for themselves
• 40% of the deaths in New Jersey involved workers over the age of 55, as compared to 35% across the country.

Contact Us

At Taylor & Boguski, we bring more than 70 years of combined legal experience to injured people throughout New Jersey. For a free initial consultation, contact our office online or call us at 856-200-8989.