Wyoming Workplace Fatalities Inreased to 45 in 2023

The Research and Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reports that the number of occupational fatalities in Wyoming rose from 34 in 2022 to 45 in 2023. That’s an increase of 11 deaths, or 32.4%..

Variations in fatalities from year to year are, to some extent, the result of the random nature of work-related accidents.

Furthermore, they note that there isn’t a direct relationship between workplace fatalities and workplace safety.

For example, suicides and homicides that occur in the workplace are included as occupational fatalities.

Workplace fatalities are counted in the state where the injury occured, not necessarily the state or the state of death.

In 2023, 17 deaths occured in natural resources and mining. Of those, nine were reported in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; and eight took place in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction.

Across all industries, two-thirds of 2023 workplace deaths were the result of transportation incidents.

Transportation incidents include highway crashes, pedestrian vehicular incidents, aircraft incidents, and water vehicle incidents.

The fatality counts featured in their report are compiled by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program. It is a joint effort of the Research and Planning section and the Bureau of Labor Statistics and may not match those from other programs like OSHA because of differences in sccope and methodology.