North Carolina workplace fatalities drop in 2021

March 2022 employment law letter

Authors:

Richard L. Rainey, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Struck-by incidents, which happen when workers come into forcible contact with a flying, falling, swinging, or rolling object, caused the largest number of non-COVID-19-related workplace deaths in the Tar Heel State last year, based on preliminary information released by the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL). The overall number of workplace fatalities not caused by the virus has decreased from the last few years.

By the numbers

There were 49 non-COVID-19-related work fatalities in 2021. The NCDOL also inspected 25 cases reported as virus-related deaths. The numbers compare favorably to:

2020, when there were 65 non-COVID-19-related fatalities and 26 deaths connected to the virus; and
The pre-COVID-19 year of 2019, which had 55 fatalities.

Affected industries

The services industry suffered the most work-related fatalities in 2021 with 24, two more than in 2020. Most of the deaths were caused by COVID-19. The construction industry had the second-highest number of work-related deaths with 15, a decrease of 12 from the previous year. Manufacturing had the third-highest number of work-related deaths with 10, five fewer than in 2020.

In addition, government had eight fatalities in 2021, a decrease from nine in 2020. There were six deaths in the transportation and public utility industry, an increase from five in the previous year.

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