Washington state officials said this week that COVID-19 was responsible for about one-quarter of the 106 work-related deaths reported in Washington in 2021.
The numbers from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries show coronavirus was the leading cause of work-related deaths in the state for the second year in a row, The Seattle Times reported.
In 2021, 26 people died after contracting the coronavirus while in the workplace, which increased from 24 people in 2020.
In 2021, there were also: 22 construction-related deaths; 16 transportation and warehousing-related deaths; 14 public safety-related deaths; 11 agriculture-related deaths; and 10 worker deaths from falls.
The number of total workplace deaths declined from 119 deaths in 2020.
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The workers who died were health care workers, corrections officers, mechanics, orchard workers and police officers and ranged in age from 19 to 84, according to Labor & Industries.
“Even as we believe that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, we find ourselves looking back on another year where COVID was the leading cause of job-related deaths,” Labor & Industries director Joel Sacks said. “We all need to do everything in our power to ensure every worker goes home safe at the end of the day.”
©2022 Cox Media Group
