Worker deaths, injuries steadily decline

Safety in the workplace has come a long way since the early 1900s. 

In 1928, 19,000 people died from work-related injuries, compared with 5,147 deaths in 2017 — nearly a 73% drop in workplace deaths over a nearly 90-year period, according to the National Safety Council report Safety Technology 2020: Mapping Technology Solutions for Reducing Serious Injuries and Fatalities in the Workplace.

This sharp decline is attributed to worker protection laws, government oversight and safety training for workers.

The NSC says there is more to this picture. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported a 67% drop in injuries — from about nine to three injuries per 100 workers over the past 25 years. The rate of preventable fatalities, however, dropped only 26% during that same period. The conclusion was that if organizations could reduce the overall number of non-injury incidents, serious injuries and fatalities would be reduced as well.

An increasing number of organizations are employing technology, including wearables, drones and robotics, to prevent injuries and save lives. What’s more, advances in technology, such as the “internet of things”, have made it possible to monitor and analyze worker behavior in real time, helping to provide a safe work environment.