The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, is urging employers to be more active in adopting voluntary national consensus standards and implementing safety and health management systems in response to newly released fatality data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS reported that 5,333 fatal work injuries occurred in 2019, a 2 percent increase from the previous year’s total of 5,250 and the most on-the-job deaths since 2007. It is the fifth time in the past six years that fatal occupational injuries increased.

“With many safety advancements being readily available to employers nationwide, it’s troubling that we’re continuing to see higher numbers of worker fatalities,” said ASSP President Deborah Roy, M.P.H., RN, COHN-S, CSP, CIT, FASSP, FAAOHN. “Most occupational incidents are preventable given today’s technologies and proven safety and health strategies.”