Wyoming Outpaces More US States in Recording America’s Highest Workplace Fatality Rate

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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August 24, 2026 2:02 AM

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Wyoming tops America’s most dangerous states for workers, with a workplace fatality rate more than four times the national average, raising fresh questions about safety across high-risk industries.

Wyoming has emerged as the most dangerous US state for workers, according to the Worker Risk Index, with a score of 99.4 and a 2024 fatality rate of 13.9 deaths per 100,000 workers. The figure is more than four times the national rate of 3.3, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which recorded 5,070 fatal work injuries nationwide in 2024. The finding matters beyond employment policy because workplace safety can influence communities, business confidence, travel, tourism and the wider economic environment. Wyoming’s position also reflects a persistent pattern rather than a single unusual year.

Why Is Wyoming Facing Such High Worker Risk?

The answer is clear: Wyoming combines a very high current fatality rate with sustained exposure to industries where serious workplace incidents are more likely, including transportation, mining, agriculture and construction. The state recorded 37 fatal occupational injuries in 2024, although that was down from 45 in 2023, showing that the number of deaths can fluctuate even when the underlying risk remains elevated.

The supplied Worker Risk Index places Wyoming at 99.4, comfortably ahead of Mississippi at 89.8 and North Dakota at 84.7. Its five-year average fatality rate of 13.20 is also the highest among the top 10 states, reinforcing the argument that Wyoming’s ranking cannot simply be explained by one year’s results.

What Do the Top 10 Dangerous States Show?

The wider ranking reveals a pronounced regional and occupational divide across the United States. Wyoming leads, followed by Mississippi, North Dakota, Arkansas, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, West Virginia, Iowa and South Dakota, while the Northeast does not appear among the 10 highest-risk states in the supplied index.

BLS data broadly underline the occupational challenge behind these patterns: transportation and material-moving occupations recorded 1,391 fatal injuries nationally in 2024, while construction and extraction recorded 1,032 and farming, fishing and forestry had the highest major occupational fatality rate at 25.4 per 100,000 workers.

Why Does Wyoming’s Trend Matter?

Wyoming’s five-year average is particularly significant because it places the state in a different category from states experiencing a temporary deterioration. The supplied index shows the 2024 fatality rate sitting 0.74 points above Wyoming’s own five-year average, indicating that the latest result remains consistent with an already elevated long-term risk profile.

Official state data add important context because 51.4% of Wyoming’s workplace deaths in 2024 resulted from transportation incidents. That includes highway crashes and other transport-related incidents, making mobility and occupational safety an important consideration for businesses, communities and sectors connected to travel and tourism.

What Does This Mean for Travel and Tourism?

The ranking is not a tourism safety index, and visitors should not interpret it as evidence that Wyoming is unsafe for travel or tourism. Instead, it highlights the occupational risks faced by people working in industries that support the economy, including transport, construction, outdoor recreation, hospitality infrastructure and other activities that can indirectly support travel and tourism.

For the travel and tourism sector, the findings underline the importance of transport safety, employee training, emergency preparedness and responsible operating standards. Tourism businesses that depend on road transport, outdoor activities or remote locations can particularly benefit from strong safety procedures, while destinations can use workforce protection as part of broader sustainable tourism planning.

How Was the Worker Risk Score Calculated?

The supplied methodology calculates the Worker Risk Score using five components: current fatality rate, persistent fatality rate, occupational mix, recent trend and self-employment. The components are individually scaled to a 0–100 index before being weighted at 40%, 20%, 20%, 10% and 10%, respectively.

This approach is designed to prevent one statistic from dominating the overall ranking. It also attempts to distinguish between states where workplace fatalities are temporarily high and states where structural employment patterns create persistent exposure to dangerous occupations.

What Is the National Workplace Safety Picture?

The national picture is improving, even though the state-level differences remain substantial. The BLS reported 5,070 fatal work injuries in the United States in 2024, down 4% from 5,283 in 2023, while the national fatality rate declined from 3.5 to 3.3 per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers.

That improvement makes Wyoming’s position more striking because its 13.9 rate is more than four times the national figure. The contrast shows why national averages can conceal significant regional differences, particularly in states where high-risk industries represent a substantial part of the employment base.

“Workplace safety is ultimately about protecting the people who keep economies, communities, travel and tourism moving every day. The Wyoming findings are a powerful reminder that economic growth must go hand in hand with responsible employment practices, stronger safety standards, effective training and investment in resilient communities. Travel and tourism depend on millions of workers across transport, hospitality, construction, logistics and destination services, and their wellbeing should remain central to sustainable growth. At the same time, these statistics should encourage constructive action rather than fear. By identifying persistent risks, governments and businesses can improve prevention, strengthen infrastructure and create safer environments for workers and communities across America,” said Anup Kumar Keshan, Editor-in-Chief, Travel And Tour World.

What Should Happen Next?

The figures point towards targeted prevention rather than broad generalisation. States with high concentrations of transportation, agriculture, construction, mining and other hazardous occupations can focus on incident prevention, worker training, vehicle safety, protective equipment, emergency response and closer monitoring of recurring risks.

For travel and tourism, the same principle applies: safer transport networks, better-trained employees and stronger operating procedures can improve resilience while supporting visitor confidence. The goal should not be to discourage travel or tourism to Wyoming or other high-ranking states, but to ensure that the people delivering those experiences can work in safer conditions.A new study from Anidjar & Levine found that Wyoming is the most dangerous state in the country for workers. It scored 99.4 out of 100 on the firm’s new Worker Risk Index. Its 2024 fatality rate was 13.9 deaths per 100,000 workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wyoming the most dangerous state for workers?

The supplied Worker Risk Index ranks Wyoming first with a score of 99.4, while official BLS data confirm its 2024 fatality rate of 13.9 per 100,000 workers.

How many workplace deaths occurred in Wyoming in 2024?

Wyoming recorded 37 fatal occupational injuries in 2024, down from 45 in 2023.

What was the US workplace fatality rate in 2024?

The national fatal work injury rate was 3.3 fatalities per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers in 2024, with 5,070 deaths recorded.

Which industries contribute to higher workplace risk?

Transportation, construction, extraction, agriculture and other physically demanding sectors have comparatively high fatality rates nationally. BLS reported a 12.5 rate for transportation and material-moving occupations and 12.6 for construction and extraction in 2024.

Does Wyoming’s ranking mean it is unsafe for tourists?

No. A worker-risk ranking measures occupational fatalities rather than tourist safety, travel risk or tourism conditions, so it should not be interpreted as a destination safety warning.

Cause: Wyoming has a large presence of high-risk industries, while transportation incidents accounted for more than half of its workplace deaths in 2024. Answer: The state ranks first in the supplied Worker Risk Index because its current fatality rate, long-term average, occupational mix and recent trend combine to produce an exceptionally high score. Reason: Its 13.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers are more than four times the US rate of 3.3, while the five-year average remains exceptionally high. Therefore, the ranking reflects persistent occupational exposure rather than simply one unusually dangerous year, although annual fatality numbers can naturally fluctuate.

Wyoming’s position at the top of the Worker Risk Index exposes a significant workplace safety divide across America. Its 13.9 fatality rate in 2024 was dramatically higher than the national 3.3 rate, despite the state recording fewer deaths than in 2023. The five-year average reinforces the seriousness of the pattern, while transportation incidents remain a major contributor to workplace fatalities. The findings should not be confused with travel or tourism safety, but they offer an important lesson for industries supporting economic activity. Stronger prevention, training, infrastructure and worker protection can help create safer communities while supporting sustainable travel and tourism.