West Virginia Among America’s Riskiest States for Workers as Travel and Tourism Face Safety Challenge

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 26, 2026 19:18 GMT+5:30

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West Virginia is among America’s riskiest states for workers, and its safety challenge now matters to travel and tourism, as transport, construction and outdoor jobs support the visitor economy.

West Virginia is among America’s riskiest states for workers, and its workplace safety challenge is drawing fresh attention across travel and tourism. The state recorded 40 workplace fatalities in 2024, with a fatality rate of 5.8 per 100,000 workers. That figure is significantly above the national rate of 3.3. Moreover, the state’s industries include occupations where physical and operational risks remain considerable. Therefore, travel businesses, tourism operators, transport companies and outdoor attractions cannot ignore workforce safety. As West Virginia seeks stronger visitor growth, safer workplaces can help protect employees, strengthen infrastructure, improve reliability and support a more resilient destination for travellers.

West Virginia ranks eighth nationally

West Virginia ranks eighth among the 10 US states with the highest workplace-risk scores, recording a risk score of 79.6 and 40 workplace fatalities in 2024, according to the Worker Risk Index from Anidjar & Levine. Its 2024 workplace fatality rate of 5.8 deaths per 100,000 workers was substantially above the national rate of 3.3, highlighting a safety challenge that extends beyond individual workplaces into the wider economy, including travel, tourism, transport and infrastructure.

Top 10 Most Dangerous States for Workers:

Why West Virginia’s position matters

West Virginia’s five-year average workplace fatality rate was 6.54 per 100,000 workers, meaning the state’s elevated risk is not simply a one-year development but part of a longer-running pattern that continues to distinguish it from safer parts of the country. Its five-year trend stood at 0.15, suggesting a modest upward movement against an already elevated baseline and reinforcing the need for sustained workplace-safety efforts rather than temporary responses.

The state’s economic history helps explain some of the exposure, with industries such as mining, construction, transportation, manufacturing and other physically demanding occupations contributing to the employment landscape and creating circumstances in which workers can face greater operational hazards. These industries also have an important connection with travel and tourism because roads, bridges, accommodation facilities, attractions, utilities and outdoor destinations all depend on workers whose jobs help keep visitor economies functioning.

Travel and tourism depend on safer workers

West Virginia has significant potential for nature-based travel and tourism, with mountains, forests, rivers, outdoor recreation and scenic communities forming an important part of its visitor appeal, but those experiences depend on workers maintaining roads, attractions, trails, accommodation and transport services safely and efficiently. A strong safety culture can therefore protect employees while also improving operational reliability for tourism businesses and creating a more resilient environment for visitors.

The connection is particularly important in rural and mountainous destinations, where difficult terrain, weather conditions, longer travel distances and limited access to emergency services can increase the consequences of workplace incidents and operational failures. For tourism operators, investment in employee training, protective equipment, transportation safety, emergency planning and infrastructure maintenance can support both workforce protection and the quality of the visitor experience.

West Virginia reflects a wider US divide

West Virginia’s eighth-place position sits within a broader pattern, with Wyoming, Mississippi, North Dakota, Arkansas, Montana, Alaska and Idaho ranking above it, while Iowa and South Dakota complete the top ten. The ten highest-risk states recorded an average fatality rate of 6.96 per 100,000 workers, compared with 2.17 among the ten lowest-risk states, illustrating how sharply workplace exposure can vary according to regional economic structures.

The figures also show why a national improvement in workplace safety does not necessarily mean every state is moving at the same pace, because the US recorded a fatality rate of 3.3 per 100,000 workers in 2024 while West Virginia remained considerably higher at 5.8. That difference makes state-level safety strategies particularly important for industries supporting travel and tourism, where reliable employees and infrastructure are essential to maintaining visitor confidence.

The tourism opportunity remains strong

West Virginia’s worker-risk ranking should not overshadow its tourism potential, because the same geography and industries that create operational challenges can also support adventure travel, outdoor recreation, heritage tourism, scenic road trips and nature-focused holidays. Instead, the findings provide a practical reason for tourism businesses, local authorities and infrastructure planners to place worker protection alongside destination marketing, investment and visitor development.

A safer tourism workforce can help destinations operate more consistently, reduce disruption and strengthen the communities that depend on visitor spending, particularly when tourism supports small businesses and seasonal employment across rural areas. For West Virginia, improving workplace safety can therefore become part of a broader economic resilience strategy that protects workers while supporting travel and tourism growth.

What the ranking ultimately shows

West Virginia’s 79.6 Worker Risk Score and 5.8 fatality rate place it among America’s higher-risk states, but the figures also provide a clear opportunity for action through stronger training, safer equipment, improved infrastructure and better risk management. For the travel and tourism sector, those measures can have benefits extending well beyond the workplace by supporting safer transport, more reliable attractions, stronger destination infrastructure and greater visitor confidence.

The central message is straightforward: West Virginia’s elevated workplace risk deserves attention, but it does not define the state’s tourism future, because targeted safety improvements can help protect employees while strengthening the foundations on which travel and tourism depend. As the state develops its outdoor, heritage and regional tourism economy, making workplace safety a core part of destination planning could help create a more sustainable and resilient visitor industry.

West Virginia’s elevated worker risk reflects its exposure to physically demanding industries, including construction, transportation, mining, manufacturing and infrastructure-related employment. Answer: The state ranks eighth among America’s ten highest-risk states, with a 79.6 Worker Risk Score and 5.8 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2024. Reason: This matters because travel and tourism depend on workers maintaining roads, attractions, accommodation, outdoor facilities and transport networks. Consequently, stronger safety training, equipment, emergency planning and infrastructure standards can reduce workplace exposure. For West Virginia, protecting workers can also strengthen tourism operations, destination resilience, visitor confidence and long-term economic performance.

West Virginia remains among America’s riskiest states for workers, while its travel and tourism industries face an important safety challenge. However, the ranking should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a verdict on the state’s tourism future. Better training, stronger infrastructure, improved equipment and effective emergency planning can reduce workplace exposure. Furthermore, safer employees support more dependable transport, attractions, accommodation and outdoor experiences. As West Virginia expands its visitor economy, workplace safety can become a competitive strength. Ultimately, protecting workers can help protect tourism businesses, strengthen destination resilience, improve visitor confidence and support sustainable travel growth across the state.