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Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/oshhome.htm
USDL 00-236
FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT
Thursday, August 17, 2000
NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES, 1999
The number of fatal work injuries that occurred during 1999 was 6,023,
nearly the same as the previous year's total despite an increase in
employment, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries,
conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
Decreases in job-related deaths from homicides and electrocutions in
1999 were offset by increases from workers struck by falling objects or
caught in running machinery. Homicides fell from the second-leading
cause of fatal work injuries to the third, behind highway fatalities
and falls. Construction reported the largest number of fatal work
injuries for any industry and accounted for one-fifth of the fatality total.
Profiles of 1999 fatal work injuries
Highway crashes continued as the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities
during 1999, accounting for one-fourth of the fatal work injury total.
(See table 1 and chart 1.) The number of these fatalities increased slightly over
1998 to reach the highest level since the BLS fatality census began in 1992.
Slightly over two-fifths of the 1,491 victims of job-related highway
fatalities were employed as truck drivers.
In contrast to fatalities resulting from crashes that occurred on public
roadways, the number of workers killed in nonhighway crashes and
overturnings or killed after being struck by a vehicle declined from the
previous year. The number of workers killed in air, water, and rail
vehicle incidents during 1999 was about the same as in 1998.
In 1999, deaths resulting from on-the-job falls increased slightly to 717.
This increase, coupled with a decline in homicides, made falls the
second-leading cause of fatal work injuries for the first time since the
fatality census began in 1992. (See chart 2.) About half of the fatal falls
were from a roof, ladder, or scaffold, and slightly over half of the fatal falls
occurred in the construction industry.
Now the third-leading cause of on-the-job deaths, workplace homicides
fell to the lowest level since the fatality census' inception in 1992.
Job-related homicides totaled 645 in 1999, a 10 percent drop from the
1998 total and a 40 percent decline from the 1,080 homicides that occurred
in 1994, which had the highest count in the 8-year period. The drop
in homicides at work was most pronounced in retail trade, where homicides
fell by 51 percent from 1994. The following table shows counts of
workplace homicides for selected industries during 1994-99.
(Chart 1. and Chart 2. appear here in the printed version of the News Release.)
Industry 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
---------------------------- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Total homicides 1,080 1,034 927 860 714 645
Retail trade 530 422 437 395 286 260
Grocery stores 196 152 146 141 95 76
Eating and drinking places 135 121 135 109 69 94
Gasoline service stations 41 36 23 34 24 17
Taxicab 87 68 50 74 48 51
Detective and armored
car services 49 27 29 21 18 17
Police protection 65 61 45 61 50 41
Among the job-related homicides for which a motive could be ascertained
from the source documents, robbery continued to be the primary motive,
followed by violence by co-workers and customers or clients. Occupations
with high numbers of homicides include those that typically engage in
cash transactions or have valuables on hand, including managers of food
and lodging establishments, sales supervisors and proprietors, cashiers,
and taxicab drivers.
Workers struck by objects or equipment accounted for 10 percent of the
fatal work injuries in 1999. These types of injuries increased from the
previous year. Electrocutions accounted for 5 percent of the fatal
injuries and decreased by 17 percent from 1998. Contact with overhead
power lines accounted for about two-fifths of the electrocutions.
On average, about 17 workers were fatally injured each day during 1999.
Eighty-three percent of fatally injured workers died the day they were
injured; 97 percent died within 30 days. There were 235 multiple-fatality
incidents (incidents that resulted in two or more worker deaths), resulting
in 617 job-related deaths. Although this was a slight increase over the
227 multiple-fatality events reported for 1998, there was a more
substantial increase in the number of deaths resulting from these types of
incidents in 1999 than in the previous year, when 555 worker deaths occurred.
Occupation highlights (table 2 and chart 3):
* Occupations with large numbers of fatal injuries included truck drivers,
construction trades, and farm occupations.
* Fatal injuries to truck drivers were at their highest level in the
8-year period.
* Mechanics and repairers also reported a noticeable increase in fatal
work injuries over the previous year, reaching its highest level in
the 8-year period.
* In contrast, the number of fatalities in sales occupations fell to its
lowest level during the same period, primarily because of the drop in
homicides.
(Chart 3 appears here in the printed version of the News Release.)
Relative risk (tables 3 and 4):
A comparison of percent distributions of fatalities and employment can
be used to evaluate the relative risk of a job-related fatality for a
given industry or worker characteristic. For example, the construction
industry accounted for 20 percent of the fatality total, 3 times its
6 percent share of total employment. While employment can be used
to evaluate the relative risk of a fatal work injury, other measures,
such as hours worked, also can be used.
Industry highlights (table 3):
* Industry divisions with large numbers of fatalities relative to their
employment include agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction;
transportation and public utilities; and mining.
* Retail trade posted a substantial decline in the number of fatal work
injuries in 1999 over the previous year; transportation and public
utilities posted a substantial increase.
* A decline in fatal work injuries among government workers resulted in
the lowest levels during the 8-year period.
Demographic highlights (table 4):
* Men, the self-employed, and older workers suffered fatal injuries more
often than their employment shares would suggest. Differences in
the industries and occupations of these worker groups explain in part
their high relative risk of fatal injury on the job.
* Highway-related incidents were the leading cause of job-related
fatalities among both men and women. Homicides, which had been the
leading cause for women, were the second-leading cause in 1999. Falls
ranked second for men.
* Two-fifths of fatally injured workers under 18 years of age were
killed while doing farm work; another one-fifth were killed while working
for a retail trade establishment.
State highlights by major regional area (table 5):
* In general, the states with the largest number of persons employed have
the largest number of work-related fatalities. Four of the largest
states--California, Texas, Florida, and New York--accounted for over
one-fourth of the total fatalities in the U.S. Each state's and
region's industry mix, geographical features, age of population, and
other characteristics of the workforce must be considered when evaluating
state and region fatality profiles.
* In all four regions of the U.S.--Northeast, Midwest, South, and
West--highway motor vehicle incidents were the leading event for
occupational fatalities. In the Southern and Western states, the
second leading event was homicide. In the Northeast and Midwest states,
the second-leading events were falls to lower level and being struck by
an object, respectively.
* About 44 percent of the fatal occupational highway incidents and almost
half of the work-related homicides occurred in the South, which has
35 percent of total employment.
Background of the program
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational
safety and health statistics program, provides the most complete count
of fatal work injuries available because it uses diverse state and
federal data sources to identify, verify, and profile fatal work injuries.
Information about each workplace fatality (occupation and other worker
characteristics, equipment being used, and circumstances of the event)
is obtained by cross-referencing source documents, such as death
certificates, workers' compensation records, and reports to federal
and state agencies. This method assures counts are as complete and
accurate as possible.
This is the eighth year that the fatality census has been conducted
in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The BLS fatality
census is a federal/state cooperative venture in which costs are shared
equally. Additional state-specific data are available from the
participating state agencies listed in table 6.
Another BLS program, the Survey of Occupational Injuries and
Illnesses, profiles worker and case characteristics of nonfatal workplace
injuries and illnesses that result in lost worktime and presents frequency
counts and incidence rates by industry. Copies of the 1998 news release
on nonfatal injuries and illnesses are available from BLS by
calling (202) 691-6179 or by accessing the Website listed below.
Incidence rates for 1999 by industry will be published in December 2000,
and information on 1999 worker and case characteristics will be available
in April 2001. For additional data, access the BLS Internet site:
http://www.bls.gov/oshhome.htm. To request a copy of BLS Report 934, which
includes several articles and highlights 1997 fatality data, e-mail
your address to CFOIstaff@bls.gov or write to Bureau of Labor Statistics,
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Room 3180, Washington, DC 20212.
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1994-99
Event or exposure(1) Fatalities
1994-98 1998(2) 1999
Average Number Number Percent
Total 6,280 6,055 6,023 100
Transportation incidents 2,640 2,645 2,613 43
Highway 1,374 1,442 1,491 25
Collision between vehicles,
mobile equipment 662 707 711 12
Moving in same direction 113 120 129 2
Moving in opposite
directions, oncoming 240 272 269 4
Moving in intersection 136 143 160 3
Vehicle struck stationary
object or equipment 272 307 334 6
Noncollision 368 375 388 6
Jackknifed or
overturned--no collision 280 302 321 5
Nonhighway (farm, industrial
premises) 387 388 353 6
Overturned 215 217 206 3
Aircraft 304 224 227 4
Worker struck by a vehicle 382 413 377 6
Water vehicle 104 112 102 2
Rail vehicle 78 60 56 1
Assaults and violent acts 1,168 962 893 15
Homicides 923 714 645 11
Shooting 748 574 506 8
Stabbing 68 61 60 1
Other 107 79 79 1
Self-inflicted injuries 215 221 208 3
Contact with objects and
equipment 984 944 1,029 17
Struck by object 564 520 585 10
Struck by falling object 364 319 358 6
Struck by flying object 60 59 55 1
Caught in or compressed by
equipment or objects 281 266 302 5
Caught in running equipment
or machinery 148 129 163 3
Caught in or crushed in
collapsing materials 124 140 128 2
Falls 686 706 717 12
Fall to lower level 609 625 634 11
Fall from ladder 101 111 96 2
Fall from roof 146 157 153 3
Fall from scaffold 89 98 92 2
Fall on same level 53 51 66 1
Exposure to harmful substances
or environments 583 576 529 9
Contact with electric current 322 334 278 5
Contact with overhead
powerlines 136 153 124 2
Contact with temperature extremes 45 48 50 1
Exposure to caustic, noxious,
or allergenic substances 118 105 106 2
Inhalation of substance 66 48 55 1
Oxygen deficiency 96 87 93 2
Drowning, submersion 77 75 75 1
Fires and explosions 199 206 216 4
Other events or exposures(3) 21 16 26 -
1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification
Structures.
2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 4, 1999, reported a total of 6,026 fatal
work injuries for calendar year 1998. Since then, an additional 29
job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related
fatality count for 1998 to 6,055.
3 Includes the category "Bodily reaction and exertion."
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown
separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding.
Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or
that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in
cooperation with state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational
Injuries, 1994-99.
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and major event or
exposure, 1999
Occupation(1) Fatalities Major event or exposure(2)
(percent of total for occupation)
Number Percent Highway Homicide Struck by Fall to
object lower level
Total..................| 6,023 | 100 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 11
| | | | | |
Managerial and | | | | | |
professional specialty..| 597 | 10 | 24 | 19 | 4 | 7
Executive, | | | | | |
administrative, and | | | | | |
managerial...........| 371 | 6 | 22 | 26 | 5 | 8
Professional specialty.| 226 | 4 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 6
| | | | | |
Technical, sales, and | | | | | |
administrative support..| 610 | 10 | 27 | 32 | 2 | 3
Technicians and related| | | | | |
support occupations...| 158 | 3 | 16 | - | 3 | 3
Airplane pilots and | | | | | |
navigators..........| 94 | 2 | - | - | - | -
Sales occupations......| 356 | 6 | 28 | 49 | 2 | 2
Supervisors and | | | | | |
proprietors, sales | | | | | |
occupations.........| 140 | 2 | 13 | 62 | 4 | 2
Sales workers, retail| | | | | |
and personal | | | | | |
services............| 144 | 2 | 27 | 51 | - | -
Cashiers...........| 55 | 1 | - | 80 | - | -
Administrative support | | | | | |
occupations, including| | | | | |
clerical..............| 96 | 2 | 44 | 19 | - | 4
| | | | | |
Service occupations......| 468 | 8 | 20 | 33 | 1 | 9
Protective service | | | | | |
occupations...........| 261 | 4 | 26 | 32 | 1 | 3
Firefighting and fire| | | | | |
prevention | | | | | |
occupations, | | | | | |
including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 57 | 1 | 18 | - | - | 5
Police and | | | | | |
detectives, | | | | | |
including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 132 | 2 | 39 | 36 | - | -
Guards, including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 72 | 1 | 10 | 50 | - | 4
| | | | | |
Farming, forestry, and | | | | | |
fishing.................| 897 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 21 | 5
Farming operators and | | | | | |
managers..............| 362 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 3
Farmers, except | | | | | |
horticultural.......| 233 | 4 | 13 | - | 17 | 3
Managers, farms, | | | | | |
except horitcultural| 118 | 2 | 13 | - | 10 | 4
Other agricultural and | | | | | |
related occupations...| 335 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 8
Farm workers, | | | | | |
including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 206 | 3 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 4
Forestry and logging | | | | | |
occupations...........| 122 | 2 | 6 | - | 67 | 3
Timber cutting and | | | | | |
logging occupations.| 102 | 2 | 4 | - | 73 | 3
Fishers, hunters, and | | | | | |
trappers..............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | -
Fishers, including | | | | | |
vessel captains and | | | | | |
officers............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | -
| | | | | |
Precision production, | | | | | |
craft, and repair.......| 1,142 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 28
Mechanics and repairers| 353 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 13
Construction trades....| 633 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 39
Carpenters and | | | | | |
apprentices.........| 103 | 2 | 6 | - | 13 | 48
Electricians and | | | | | |
apprentices.........| 105 | 2 | 15 | - | 4 | 12
Painters.............| 38 | 1 | - | - | - | 68
Roofers..............| 59 | 1 | 5 | - | - | 85
Structural metal | | | | | |
workers.............| 43 | 1 | - | - | 19 | 77
| | | | | |
Operators, fabricators, | | | | | |
and laborers............| 2,194 | 36 | 37 | 5 | 10 | 8
Machine operators, | | | | | |
assemblers, and | | | | | |
inspectors............| 216 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 15
Transportation and | | | | | |
material moving | | | | | |
occupations...........| 1,320 | 22 | 56 | 6 | 7 | 2
Motor vehicle | | | | | |
operators...........| 1,063 | 18 | 67 | 8 | 5 | 2
Truck drivers......| 898 | 15 | 70 | 2 | 6 | 2
Driver-sales | | | | | |
workers...........| 42 | 1 | 79 | 10 | - | -
Taxicab drivers and| | | | | |
chauffeurs........| 74 | 1 | 28 | 69 | - | -
Material moving | | | | | |
equipment operators.| 205 | 3 | 14 | - | 14 | 5
Handlers, equipment | | | | | |
cleaners, helpers, and| | | | | |
laborers..............| 658 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 17
Construction laborers| 341 | 6 | 11 | - | 14 | 25
Laborers, except | | | | | |
construction........| 193 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 10
| | | | | |
Military.................| 80 | 1 | 24 | - | 4 | -
1 Based on the 1990 Occupational Classification System developed by the Bureau of the Census.
2 The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that occupational group.
3 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on
the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents occurring entirely off
the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents involving trains; and deaths to
pedestrians or other nonpassengers.
4 Resident armed forces.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages
may not add to totals because of rounding. There were 35 fatalities for which there was
insufficient information to determine an occupation classification. Dashes indicate less than 0.5
percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state and
federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1999
Fatalities Employment(2)
Industry SIC --------------------------------------- (in thousands)
Code(1) 1994-98 1998 1999 --------------------
Average (revised) Number Percent Number Percent
Total..................| | 6,280 | 6,055 | 6,023 | 100 | 134,666 | 100
| | | | | | |
Private industry.........| | 5,625 | 5,457 | 5,461 | 91 | 114,570 | 85
| | | | | | |
Agriculture, forestry | | | | | | |
and fishing...........| | 826 | 840 | 807 | 13 | 3,349 | 2
Agricultural | | | | | | |
production - crops..| 01 | 379 | 380 | 350 | 6 | 955 | 1
Agricultural | | | | | | |
production - | | | | | | |
livestock...........| 02 | 170 | 174 | 163 | 3 | 993 | 1
Agricultural services| 07 | 168 | 170 | 164 | 3 | 1,317 | 1
| | | | | | |
Mining.................| | 159 | 147 | 121 | 2 | 563 | -
Coal mining..........| 12 | 37 | 30 | 35 | 1 | 84 | -
Oil and gas | | | | | | |
extraction..........| 13 | 84 | 76 | 50 | 1 | 329 | -
| | | | | | |
Construction...........| | 1,082 | 1,174 | 1,190 | 20 | 8,479 | 6
General building | | | | | | |
contractors.........| 15 | 191 | 213 | 183 | 3 | - | -
Heavy construction, | | | | | | |
except building.....| 16 | 253 | 272 | 280 | 5 | - | -
Special trades | | | | | | |
contractors.........| 17 | 629 | 680 | 709 | 12 | - | -
| | | | | | |
Manufacturing..........| | 733 | 698 | 719 | 12 | 19,994 | 15
Food and kindred | | | | | | |
products............| 20 | 75 | 72 | 83 | 1 | 1,643 | 1
Lumber and wood | | | | | | |
products............| 24 | 191 | 172 | 190 | 3 | 824 | 1
| | | | | | |
Transportation and | | | | | | |
public utilities......| | 948 | 911 | 1,006 | 17 | 7,947 | 6
Local and interurban | | | | | | |
passenger | | | | | | |
transportation......| 41 | 100 | 85 | 102 | 2 | 593 | -
Trucking and | | | | | | |
warehousing.........| 42 | 528 | 564 | 605 | 10 | 2,679 | 2
Transportation by air| 45 | 90 | 74 | 74 | 1 | 864 | 1
Electric, gas, and | | | | | | |
sanitary services...| 49 | 88 | 83 | 86 | 1 | 1,029 | 1
| | | | | | |
Wholesale trade........| | 253 | 229 | 237 | 4 | 5,173 | 4
| | | | | | |
Retail trade...........| | 683 | 570 | 507 | 8 | 22,300 | 17
Food stores..........| 54 | 187 | 135 | 115 | 2 | 3,511 | 3
Automotive dealers | | | | | | |
and service stations| 55 | 116 | 120 | 82 | 1 | 2,238 | 2
Eating and drinking | | | | | | |
places..............| 58 | 155 | 107 | 145 | 2 | 6,718 | 5
| | | | | | |
Finance, insurance, and| | | | | | |
real estate...........| | 109 | 92 | 105 | 2 | 8,610 | 6
| | | | | | |
Services...............| | 773 | 763 | 732 | 12 | 38,240 | 28
Business services....| 73 | 203 | 196 | 161 | 3 | 6,756 | 5
Automotive repair, | | | | | | |
services, and | | | | | | |
parking.............| 75 | 111 | 133 | 132 | 2 | 1,576 | 2
| | | | | | |
Government...............| | 656 | 598 | 562 | 9 | 20,096 | 15
| | | | | | |
Federal (including | | | | | | |
resident armed forces)| | 204 | 162 | 147 | 2 | 4,427 | 3
State..................| | 126 | 136 | 108 | 2 | 5,237 | 4
Local..................| | 319 | 296 | 301 | 5 | 10,433 | 8
Police protection......| 9221 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 2 | - | -
1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.
2 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older from the Current Population Survey, 1999, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from the Department of Defense.
3 Includes fatalities to workers employed by government organizations regardless of industry.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. There were 37 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific industry classification, though a distinction between private sector and government was made for each. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1994-99.
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 1999
Characteristics Fatalities Employment
(in thousands)(1) Most frequent events(2)
Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total)
Total 6,023 100 134,666 100 Highway (25), falls (12)
Employee status
Wage and salary
workers 4,884 81 124,445 92 Highway (27), falls (13)
Self-employed(3) 1,139 19 10,221 8 Highway (14), homicides (14)
Sex
Men 5,582 93 72,457 54 Highway (24), falls (12)
Women 441 7 62,209 46 Highway (34), homicides (29)
Age(4)
Under 16 years 26 - - - Highway (35), nonhighway (19)
16 to 17 years 46 1 2,796 2 Highway (28), homicides (17)
18 to 19 years 122 2 4,494 3 Highway (26), struck by object (11)
20 to 24 years 450 7 13,242 10 Highway (26), homicides (11)
25 to 34 years 1,171 19 31,280 24 Highway (24), homicides (12)
35 to 44 years 1,499 25 36,983 28 Highway (24), falls (13)
45 to 54 years 1,326 22 28,671 21 Highway (25), homicides (12)
55 to 64 years 814 14 13,317 10 Highway (25), falls (14)
65 years and over 559 9 3,883 3 Highway (23), nonhighway (16)
Race
White 4,990 83 113,023 84 Highway (26), falls (12)
Black 626 10 15,284 11 Highway (23), homicides (19)
American Indian,
Aleut, Eskimo 57 1 - - Highway (18), falls (14)
Asian, Pacific
Islander 191 3 - - Homicides (46), highway (13)
Other or not
reported 159 3 - - Highway (20), falls and homicides (13)
Hispanic origin
Hispanic(5) 725 12 13,811 12 Highway (21), falls (16)
1 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, plus resident armed forces, from the Current Population Survey, 1999, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from the Department of Defense.
2 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms. "Nonhighway" includes transport-related deaths of vehicle occupants that occur or originate entirely off the roadway. Incidents involving trains and deaths to pedestrians or other nonpassengers are excluded from both categories.
3 Includes paid and unpaid family workers and may include owners of incorporated businesses or members of partnerships.
4 There were 10 fatalities for which age was not reported.
5 Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race.
NOTE: Totals may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.
Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 1999
Fatalities(1) Event or exposure(2)
(percent of state total for 1999)
Exposure
Contact to
State of injury Trans- Assaults with harmful Fires
1998 1999 portation and objects Falls sub and
(revised) in- violent and stances explosio-
cidents(3) acts(4) equipment or ns
environ-
ments
Total(5) 6,055 6,023 43 15 17 12 9 4
Northeast 853 756 36 18 15 17 8 5
Connecticut 57 38 34 34 13 11 - -
Maine 26 32 50 9 22 9 - -
Massachusetts 44 82 32 10 13 24 6 15
New Hampshire 23 14 36 21 - - - -
New Jersey 103 103 34 17 17 21 9 -
New York (incl. N.Y.C.) 243 241 30 25 12 18 11 2
New York City 94 120 13 44 8 22 8 3
Pennsylvania 235 221 41 12 18 15 5 7
Rhode Island 12 11 36 - - - 27 -
Vermont 16 14 43 29 - - - -
Midwest 1,340 1,417 44 12 20 11 9 4
Illinois 216 208 34 17 19 14 11 4
Indiana 155 171 46 15 16 12 7 3
Iowa 68 80 52 - 26 4 10 8
Kansas 98 81 49 5 23 12 6 -
Michigan 179 182 34 15 18 13 10 10
Minnesota 88 72 65 7 17 7 4 -
Missouri 145 164 48 11 19 10 10 3
Nebraska 56 65 51 9 26 6 - 5
North Dakota 24 22 36 - 41 - - -
Ohio 186 222 43 12 20 15 9 2
South Dakota 28 45 58 7 16 - 13 -
Wisconsin 97 105 45 11 22 10 10 3
South 2,619 2,565 44 15 16 11 10 3
Alabama 135 123 38 10 22 11 10 8
Arkansas 86 76 49 8 12 5 17 8
Delaware 11 14 36 29 - - - -
District of Columbia 13 14 21 21 - 36 - -
Florida 384 345 39 17 15 16 10 2
Georgia 202 229 44 17 16 10 9 3
Kentucky 117 120 49 14 18 8 7 3
Louisiana 159 141 39 9 26 8 16 4
Maryland 78 82 40 29 12 11 6 -
Mississippi 113 128 52 6 20 14 6 -
North Carolina 228 222 43 19 14 11 10 2
Oklahoma 75 99 44 14 13 11 12 5
South Carolina 111 139 53 16 9 9 8 6
Tennessee 150 154 49 12 18 8 8 4
Texas 523 468 44 15 15 12 12 3
Virginia 177 154 42 17 12 12 13 3
West Virginia 57 57 35 12 33 9 9 -
West 1,334 1,264 46 16 17 11 6 2
Alaska 43 42 74 7 12 - - -
Arizona 74 70 39 23 24 4 9 -
California 626 591 44 19 14 12 7 3
Colorado 77 98 47 18 15 10 5 4
Hawaii 12 32 28 56 - - - -
Idaho 51 43 44 9 23 12 7 -
Montana 58 49 45 10 29 6 - 6
Nevada 60 57 37 18 19 18 7 -
New Mexico 48 39 54 13 10 13 - -
Oregon 72 69 52 7 26 7 7 -
Utah 67 54 56 6 24 11 - -
Washington 113 88 49 9 19 15 7 -
Wyoming 33 32 56 - 28 9 - -
1 Includes other events and exposures such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately.
2 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures.
3 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatalities and fatalities to workers struck by vehicles.
4 Includes homicides, self-inflicted injuries, and animal attacks.
5 Includes 21 fatalities that occurred outside the territorial boundaries of the United States in 1999.
NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1998-99.
Table 6. CFOI participating state agencies and telephone numbers
State Agency Telephone number
Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3460
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (907) 465-4539
Arizona Industrial Commission of Arizona (602) 542-3739
Arkansas Department of Labor (501) 682-4542
California Department of Industrial Relations (415) 703-4757
Colorado Department of Public Health (303) 692-2173
Connecticut Labor Department (860) 566-4380
Delaware Department of Labor (302) 761-8223
District of Columbia Center for Health Statistics (202) 442-5922
Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security (850) 922-8953
Georgia Department of Labor (404) 656-2966
Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (808) 586-9001
Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090
Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 785-1873
Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668
Iowa Department of Labor Services (515) 281-5151
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (785) 296-1058
Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-3070
Louisiana Department of Labor (225) 342-3126
Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 624-6440
Maryland Division of Labor and Industry (410) 767-2356
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5628
Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (517) 322-5258
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (651) 296-3885
Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7400
Missouri Department of Health (573) 571-6155
Montana Department of Labor and Industry (406) 444-3297
Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547
Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 687-3298
New Hampshire Department of Public Health (603) 271-4647
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (609) 984-1863
New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (505) 827-4230
New York State Department of Health (518) 402-7900
New York City Department of Health (212) 788-4585
North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337
North Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (312) 353-7200
Ohio Department of Health (614) 466-4183
Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 528-1500
Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (503) 378-8254
Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548
Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 277-2812
South Carolina Department of Labor (803) 734-4298
South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (312) 353-7200
Tennessee Department of Labor and
Workforce Development (615) 741-1749
Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (512) 804-4651
Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823
Vermont Department of Labor and Industry (802) 828-2195
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (804) 786-6427
Washington Department of Labor and Industries (360) 902-5510
West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (608) 266-7850
Wyoming Bureau of Labor Statistics (816) 426-2483
TECHNICAL NOTES
Definitions
For a fatality to be included in the census, the decedent must have been
employed (that is working for pay, compensation, or profit) at the time of
the event, engaged in a legal work activity, or present at the site of the
incident as a requirement of his or her job. These criteria are generally
broader than those used by federal and state agencies administering
specific laws and regulations. (Fatalities that occur during a
person's commute to or from work are excluded from the census counts.)
Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 1999 that
resulted from traumatic occupational injuries. An injury is defined as
any intentional or unintentional wound or damage to the body resulting
from acute exposure to energy, such as heat, electricity, or kinetic
energy from a crash or from the absence of such essentials as heat or
oxygen caused by a specific event, incident, or series of events within
a single workday or shift. Included are open wounds, intracranial and
internal injuries, heatstroke, hypothermia, asphyxiations, acute
poisonings resulting from short-term exposures limited to the worker's
shift, suicides and homicides, and work injuries listed as underlying
or contributory causes of death.
Information on work-related fatal illnesses are not reported in the
BLS census and are excluded from the attached tables because the latency
period of many occupational illnesses and the difficulty of linking
illnesses to work make identification of a universe problematic. Partial
information on fatal occupational illnesses, compiled separately, is
available in BLS Report 934.
Measurement techniques and limitations
Data for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries are compiled from
various federal, state, and local administrative sources--including death
certificates, workers' compensation reports and claims, reports to
various regulatory agencies, medical examiner reports, and police
reports--as well as news reports. Diverse sources are used because studies
have shown that no single source captures all job-related fatalities.
Source documents are matched so that each fatality is counted only once.
To ensure that a fatality occurred while the decedent was at work,
information is verified from two or more independent source documents or
from a source document and a follow-up questionnaire. Approximately
30 data elements are collected, coded, and tabulated, including information
about the worker, the fatal incident, and the machinery or equipment
involved.
Identification and verification of work-related fatalities.
Because some state laws and regulations prohibit enumerators from
contacting the next-of-kin, it was not possible to independently
verify work relationship (whether a fatality is job related) for 102
fatal work injuries in 1999; however, the information on the initiating
source document for these cases was sufficient to determine that the
incident was likely to be job- related. Data for these fatalities, which
primarily affected self-employed workers, are included in the Census
of Fatal Occupational Injuries counts. An additional 19 fatalities
submitted by states were not included because the initiating source
document had insufficient information to determine work relationship,
which could not be verified by either an independent source document or
a follow-up questionnaire.
States may identify additional fatal work injuries after data collection
closeout for a reference year. In addition, other fatalities excluded
from the published count because of insufficient information to determine
work relationship may subsequently be verified as work related. States
have up to one year to update their initial published state counts.
This procedure ensures that fatality data are disseminated as quickly
as possible and that no legitimate case is excluded from the counts.
Thus, each year's report should be considered preliminary until the
next year's data are issued. Increases in the published counts
based on additional information have averaged less than 100 fatalities
per year or less than 1.5 percent of the total.
Federal/state agency coverage
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all
fatal work injuries, whether they are covered by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or
are outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison
between the BLS fatality census counts and those released by other
agencies should take into account the different coverage requirements and
definitions being used.
Several federal and state agencies have jurisdiction over workplace
safety and health. OSHA and affiliated agencies in states with approved
safety programs cover the largest portion of America's workers. However,
injuries and illnesses occurring in certain industries or activities such
as coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and highway, water, rail, and air
transportation, are excluded from OSHA coverage because they are
covered by other federal agencies, such as the Mine Safety and Health
Administration and various agencies within the Department of
Transportation. Fatalities occurring in activities regulated by federal
agencies other than OSHA accounted for about 16 percent of the fatal work
injuries in 1999.
Fatalities occurring among several other groups of workers are
generally not covered by any federal or state agencies. These groups
include self-employed and unpaid family workers, which accounted for
about 19 percent of the fatalities; laborers on small farms, accounting
for about 2 percent of the fatalities; and state and local government
employees in states without OSHA-approved safety programs, which
accounted for about 3 percent. (Approximately one-half of the states
have approved OSHA safety programs, which cover state and local
government employees.)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: BLS thanks the participating states for their efforts
in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work
injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state,
local, and private sector agencies that submitted source documents
used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation
Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health
Administration; the Employment Standards Administration (Federal Employees'
Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' divisions); the
Department of Energy; the National Association of Chiefs of
Police; United Steelworkers of America; state vital statistics
registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of
health, labor, and industries and workers' compensation agencies; state
and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1994-99
Event or exposure(1) Fatalities
1994-98 1998(2) 1999
Average Number Number Percent
Total 6,280 6,055 6,023 100
Transportation incidents 2,640 2,645 2,613 43
Highway 1,374 1,442 1,491 25
Collision between vehicles,
mobile equipment 662 707 711 12
Moving in same direction 113 120 129 2
Moving in opposite
directions, oncoming 240 272 269 4
Moving in intersection 136 143 160 3
Vehicle struck stationary
object or equipment 272 307 334 6
Noncollision 368 375 388 6
Jackknifed or
overturned--no collision 280 302 321 5
Nonhighway (farm, industrial
premises) 387 388 353 6
Overturned 215 217 206 3
Aircraft 304 224 227 4
Worker struck by a vehicle 382 413 377 6
Water vehicle 104 112 102 2
Rail vehicle 78 60 56 1
Assaults and violent acts 1,168 962 893 15
Homicides 923 714 645 11
Shooting 748 574 506 8
Stabbing 68 61 60 1
Other 107 79 79 1
Self-inflicted injuries 215 221 208 3
Contact with objects and
equipment 984 944 1,029 17
Struck by object 564 520 585 10
Struck by falling object 364 319 358 6
Struck by flying object 60 59 55 1
Caught in or compressed by
equipment or objects 281 266 302 5
Caught in running equipment
or machinery 148 129 163 3
Caught in or crushed in
collapsing materials 124 140 128 2
Falls 686 706 717 12
Fall to lower level 609 625 634 11
Fall from ladder 101 111 96 2
Fall from roof 146 157 153 3
Fall from scaffold 89 98 92 2
Fall on same level 53 51 66 1
Exposure to harmful substances
or environments 583 576 529 9
Contact with electric current 322 334 278 5
Contact with overhead
powerlines 136 153 124 2
Contact with temperature extremes 45 48 50 1
Exposure to caustic, noxious,
or allergenic substances 118 105 106 2
Inhalation of substance 66 48 55 1
Oxygen deficiency 96 87 93 2
Drowning, submersion 77 75 75 1
Fires and explosions 199 206 216 4
Other events or exposures(3) 21 16 26 -
1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification
Structures.
2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 4, 1999, reported a total of 6,026 fatal
work injuries for calendar year 1998. Since then, an additional 29
job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related
fatality count for 1998 to 6,055.
3 Includes the category "Bodily reaction and exertion."
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown
separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding.
Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or
that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in
cooperation with state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational
Injuries, 1994-99.
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and major event or
exposure, 1999
Occupation(1) Fatalities Major event or exposure(2)
(percent of total for occupation)
Number Percent Highway Homicide Struck by Fall to
object lower level
Total..................| 6,023 | 100 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 11
| | | | | |
Managerial and | | | | | |
professional specialty..| 597 | 10 | 24 | 19 | 4 | 7
Executive, | | | | | |
administrative, and | | | | | |
managerial...........| 371 | 6 | 22 | 26 | 5 | 8
Professional specialty.| 226 | 4 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 6
| | | | | |
Technical, sales, and | | | | | |
administrative support..| 610 | 10 | 27 | 32 | 2 | 3
Technicians and related| | | | | |
support occupations...| 158 | 3 | 16 | - | 3 | 3
Airplane pilots and | | | | | |
navigators..........| 94 | 2 | - | - | - | -
Sales occupations......| 356 | 6 | 28 | 49 | 2 | 2
Supervisors and | | | | | |
proprietors, sales | | | | | |
occupations.........| 140 | 2 | 13 | 62 | 4 | 2
Sales workers, retail| | | | | |
and personal | | | | | |
services............| 144 | 2 | 27 | 51 | - | -
Cashiers...........| 55 | 1 | - | 80 | - | -
Administrative support | | | | | |
occupations, including| | | | | |
clerical..............| 96 | 2 | 44 | 19 | - | 4
| | | | | |
Service occupations......| 468 | 8 | 20 | 33 | 1 | 9
Protective service | | | | | |
occupations...........| 261 | 4 | 26 | 32 | 1 | 3
Firefighting and fire| | | | | |
prevention | | | | | |
occupations, | | | | | |
including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 57 | 1 | 18 | - | - | 5
Police and | | | | | |
detectives, | | | | | |
including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 132 | 2 | 39 | 36 | - | -
Guards, including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 72 | 1 | 10 | 50 | - | 4
| | | | | |
Farming, forestry, and | | | | | |
fishing.................| 897 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 21 | 5
Farming operators and | | | | | |
managers..............| 362 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 3
Farmers, except | | | | | |
horticultural.......| 233 | 4 | 13 | - | 17 | 3
Managers, farms, | | | | | |
except horitcultural| 118 | 2 | 13 | - | 10 | 4
Other agricultural and | | | | | |
related occupations...| 335 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 8
Farm workers, | | | | | |
including | | | | | |
supervisors.........| 206 | 3 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 4
Forestry and logging | | | | | |
occupations...........| 122 | 2 | 6 | - | 67 | 3
Timber cutting and | | | | | |
logging occupations.| 102 | 2 | 4 | - | 73 | 3
Fishers, hunters, and | | | | | |
trappers..............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | -
Fishers, including | | | | | |
vessel captains and | | | | | |
officers............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | -
| | | | | |
Precision production, | | | | | |
craft, and repair.......| 1,142 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 28
Mechanics and repairers| 353 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 13
Construction trades....| 633 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 39
Carpenters and | | | | | |
apprentices.........| 103 | 2 | 6 | - | 13 | 48
Electricians and | | | | | |
apprentices.........| 105 | 2 | 15 | - | 4 | 12
Painters.............| 38 | 1 | - | - | - | 68
Roofers..............| 59 | 1 | 5 | - | - | 85
Structural metal | | | | | |
workers.............| 43 | 1 | - | - | 19 | 77
| | | | | |
Operators, fabricators, | | | | | |
and laborers............| 2,194 | 36 | 37 | 5 | 10 | 8
Machine operators, | | | | | |
assemblers, and | | | | | |
inspectors............| 216 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 15
Transportation and | | | | | |
material moving | | | | | |
occupations...........| 1,320 | 22 | 56 | 6 | 7 | 2
Motor vehicle | | | | | |
operators...........| 1,063 | 18 | 67 | 8 | 5 | 2
Truck drivers......| 898 | 15 | 70 | 2 | 6 | 2
Driver-sales | | | | | |
workers...........| 42 | 1 | 79 | 10 | - | -
Taxicab drivers and| | | | | |
chauffeurs........| 74 | 1 | 28 | 69 | - | -
Material moving | | | | | |
equipment operators.| 205 | 3 | 14 | - | 14 | 5
Handlers, equipment | | | | | |
cleaners, helpers, and| | | | | |
laborers..............| 658 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 17
Construction laborers| 341 | 6 | 11 | - | 14 | 25
Laborers, except | | | | | |
construction........| 193 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 10
| | | | | |
Military.................| 80 | 1 | 24 | - | 4 | -
1 Based on the 1990 Occupational Classification System developed by the Bureau of the Census.
2 The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that occupational group.
3 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on
the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents occurring entirely off
the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents involving trains; and deaths to
pedestrians or other nonpassengers.
4 Resident armed forces.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages
may not add to totals because of rounding. There were 35 fatalities for which there was
insufficient information to determine an occupation classification. Dashes indicate less than 0.5
percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state and
federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1999
Fatalities Employment(2)
Industry SIC --------------------------------------- (in thousands)
Code(1) 1994-98 1998 1999 --------------------
Average (revised) Number Percent Number Percent
Total..................| | 6,280 | 6,055 | 6,023 | 100 | 134,666 | 100
| | | | | | |
Private industry.........| | 5,625 | 5,457 | 5,461 | 91 | 114,570 | 85
| | | | | | |
Agriculture, forestry | | | | | | |
and fishing...........| | 826 | 840 | 807 | 13 | 3,349 | 2
Agricultural | | | | | | |
production - crops..| 01 | 379 | 380 | 350 | 6 | 955 | 1
Agricultural | | | | | | |
production - | | | | | | |
livestock...........| 02 | 170 | 174 | 163 | 3 | 993 | 1
Agricultural services| 07 | 168 | 170 | 164 | 3 | 1,317 | 1
| | | | | | |
Mining.................| | 159 | 147 | 121 | 2 | 563 | -
Coal mining..........| 12 | 37 | 30 | 35 | 1 | 84 | -
Oil and gas | | | | | | |
extraction..........| 13 | 84 | 76 | 50 | 1 | 329 | -
| | | | | | |
Construction...........| | 1,082 | 1,174 | 1,190 | 20 | 8,479 | 6
General building | | | | | | |
contractors.........| 15 | 191 | 213 | 183 | 3 | - | -
Heavy construction, | | | | | | |
except building.....| 16 | 253 | 272 | 280 | 5 | - | -
Special trades | | | | | | |
contractors.........| 17 | 629 | 680 | 709 | 12 | - | -
| | | | | | |
Manufacturing..........| | 733 | 698 | 719 | 12 | 19,994 | 15
Food and kindred | | | | | | |
products............| 20 | 75 | 72 | 83 | 1 | 1,643 | 1
Lumber and wood | | | | | | |
products............| 24 | 191 | 172 | 190 | 3 | 824 | 1
| | | | | | |
Transportation and | | | | | | |
public utilities......| | 948 | 911 | 1,006 | 17 | 7,947 | 6
Local and interurban | | | | | | |
passenger | | | | | | |
transportation......| 41 | 100 | 85 | 102 | 2 | 593 | -
Trucking and | | | | | | |
warehousing.........| 42 | 528 | 564 | 605 | 10 | 2,679 | 2
Transportation by air| 45 | 90 | 74 | 74 | 1 | 864 | 1
Electric, gas, and | | | | | | |
sanitary services...| 49 | 88 | 83 | 86 | 1 | 1,029 | 1
| | | | | | |
Wholesale trade........| | 253 | 229 | 237 | 4 | 5,173 | 4
| | | | | | |
Retail trade...........| | 683 | 570 | 507 | 8 | 22,300 | 17
Food stores..........| 54 | 187 | 135 | 115 | 2 | 3,511 | 3
Automotive dealers | | | | | | |
and service stations| 55 | 116 | 120 | 82 | 1 | 2,238 | 2
Eating and drinking | | | | | | |
places..............| 58 | 155 | 107 | 145 | 2 | 6,718 | 5
| | | | | | |
Finance, insurance, and| | | | | | |
real estate...........| | 109 | 92 | 105 | 2 | 8,610 | 6
| | | | | | |
Services...............| | 773 | 763 | 732 | 12 | 38,240 | 28
Business services....| 73 | 203 | 196 | 161 | 3 | 6,756 | 5
Automotive repair, | | | | | | |
services, and | | | | | | |
parking.............| 75 | 111 | 133 | 132 | 2 | 1,576 | 2
| | | | | | |
Government...............| | 656 | 598 | 562 | 9 | 20,096 | 15
| | | | | | |
Federal (including | | | | | | |
resident armed forces)| | 204 | 162 | 147 | 2 | 4,427 | 3
State..................| | 126 | 136 | 108 | 2 | 5,237 | 4
Local..................| | 319 | 296 | 301 | 5 | 10,433 | 8
Police protection......| 9221 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 2 | - | -
1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.
2 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older from
the Current Population Survey, 1999, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces
from the Department of Defense.
3 Includes fatalities to workers employed by government organizations regardless of
industry.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately.
Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. There were 37 fatalities
for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific industry
classification, though a distinction between private sector and government was made
for each. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that
do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with
state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1994-99.
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 1999
Characteristics Fatalities Employment
(in thousands)(1) Most frequent events(2)
Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total)
Total 6,023 100 134,666 100 Highway (25), falls (12)
Employee status
Wage and salary
workers 4,884 81 124,445 92 Highway (27), falls (13)
Self-employed(3) 1,139 19 10,221 8 Highway (14), homicides (14)
Sex
Men 5,582 93 72,457 54 Highway (24), falls (12)
Women 441 7 62,209 46 Highway (34), homicides (29)
Age(4)
Under 16 years 26 - - - Highway (35), nonhighway (19)
16 to 17 years 46 1 2,796 2 Highway (28), homicides (17)
18 to 19 years 122 2 4,494 3 Highway (26), struck by object (11)
20 to 24 years 450 7 13,242 10 Highway (26), homicides (11)
25 to 34 years 1,171 19 31,280 24 Highway (24), homicides (12)
35 to 44 years 1,499 25 36,983 28 Highway (24), falls (13)
45 to 54 years 1,326 22 28,671 21 Highway (25), homicides (12)
55 to 64 years 814 14 13,317 10 Highway (25), falls (14)
65 years and over 559 9 3,883 3 Highway (23), nonhighway (16)
Race
White 4,990 83 113,023 84 Highway (26), falls (12)
Black 626 10 15,284 11 Highway (23), homicides (19)
American Indian,
Aleut, Eskimo 57 1 - - Highway (18), falls (14)
Asian, Pacific
Islander 191 3 - - Homicides (46), highway (13)
Other or not
reported 159 3 - - Highway (20), falls and homicides (13)
Hispanic origin
Hispanic(5) 725 12 13,811 12 Highway (21), falls (16)
1 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older,
plus resident armed forces, from the Current Population Survey, 1999, adjusted to
include data for resident armed forces from the Department of Defense.
2 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that
occur on the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents
occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms.
"Nonhighway" includes transport-related deaths of vehicle occupants that occur or
originate entirely off the roadway. Incidents involving trains and deaths to
pedestrians or other nonpassengers are excluded from both categories.
3 Includes paid and unpaid family workers and may include owners of incorporated
businesses or members of partnerships.
4 There were 10 fatalities for which age was not reported.
5 Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race.
NOTE: Totals may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not
add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data
that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with
state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.
Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 1999
Fatalities(1) Event or exposure(2)
(percent of state total for 1999)
Exposure
Contact to
State of injury Trans- Assaults with harmful Fires
1998 1999 portation and objects Falls sub and
(revised) in- violent and stances explosio-
cidents(3) acts(4) equipment or ns
environ-
ments
Total(5) 6,055 6,023 43 15 17 12 9 4
Northeast 853 756 36 18 15 17 8 5
Connecticut 57 38 34 34 13 11 - -
Maine 26 32 50 9 22 9 - -
Massachusetts 44 82 32 10 13 24 6 15
New Hampshire 23 14 36 21 - - - -
New Jersey 103 103 34 17 17 21 9 -
New York (incl. N.Y.C.) 243 241 30 25 12 18 11 2
New York City 94 120 13 44 8 22 8 3
Pennsylvania 235 221 41 12 18 15 5 7
Rhode Island 12 11 36 - - - 27 -
Vermont 16 14 43 29 - - - -
Midwest 1,340 1,417 44 12 20 11 9 4
Illinois 216 208 34 17 19 14 11 4
Indiana 155 171 46 15 16 12 7 3
Iowa 68 80 52 - 26 4 10 8
Kansas 98 81 49 5 23 12 6 -
Michigan 179 182 34 15 18 13 10 10
Minnesota 88 72 65 7 17 7 4 -
Missouri 145 164 48 11 19 10 10 3
Nebraska 56 65 51 9 26 6 - 5
North Dakota 24 22 36 - 41 - - -
Ohio 186 222 43 12 20 15 9 2
South Dakota 28 45 58 7 16 - 13 -
Wisconsin 97 105 45 11 22 10 10 3
South 2,619 2,565 44 15 16 11 10 3
Alabama 135 123 38 10 22 11 10 8
Arkansas 86 76 49 8 12 5 17 8
Delaware 11 14 36 29 - - - -
District of Columbia 13 14 21 21 - 36 - -
Florida 384 345 39 17 15 16 10 2
Georgia 202 229 44 17 16 10 9 3
Kentucky 117 120 49 14 18 8 7 3
Louisiana 159 141 39 9 26 8 16 4
Maryland 78 82 40 29 12 11 6 -
Mississippi 113 128 52 6 20 14 6 -
North Carolina 228 222 43 19 14 11 10 2
Oklahoma 75 99 44 14 13 11 12 5
South Carolina 111 139 53 16 9 9 8 6
Tennessee 150 154 49 12 18 8 8 4
Texas 523 468 44 15 15 12 12 3
Virginia 177 154 42 17 12 12 13 3
West Virginia 57 57 35 12 33 9 9 -
West 1,334 1,264 46 16 17 11 6 2
Alaska 43 42 74 7 12 - - -
Arizona 74 70 39 23 24 4 9 -
California 626 591 44 19 14 12 7 3
Colorado 77 98 47 18 15 10 5 4
Hawaii 12 32 28 56 - - - -
Idaho 51 43 44 9 23 12 7 -
Montana 58 49 45 10 29 6 - 6
Nevada 60 57 37 18 19 18 7 -
New Mexico 48 39 54 13 10 13 - -
Oregon 72 69 52 7 26 7 7 -
Utah 67 54 56 6 24 11 - -
Washington 113 88 49 9 19 15 7 -
Wyoming 33 32 56 - 28 9 - -
1 Includes other events and exposures such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown
separately.
2 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures.
3 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatalities and fatalities to workers struck by vehicles.
4 Includes homicides, self-inflicted injuries, and animal attacks.
5 Includes 21 fatalities that occurred outside the territorial boundaries of the United States in 1999.
NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that
are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state and federal agencies,
Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1998-99.
Table 6. CFOI participating state agencies and telephone numbers
State Agency Telephone number
Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3460
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (907) 465-4539
Arizona Industrial Commission of Arizona (602) 542-3739
Arkansas Department of Labor (501) 682-4542
California Department of Industrial Relations (415) 703-4757
Colorado Department of Public Health (303) 692-2173
Connecticut Labor Department (860) 566-4380
Delaware Department of Labor (302) 761-8223
District of Columbia Center for Health Statistics (202) 442-5922
Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security (850) 922-8953
Georgia Department of Labor (404) 656-2966
Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (808) 586-9001
Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090
Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 785-1873
Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668
Iowa Department of Labor Services (515) 281-5151
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (785) 296-1058
Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-3070
Louisiana Department of Labor (225) 342-3126
Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 624-6440
Maryland Division of Labor and Industry (410) 767-2356
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5628
Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (517) 322-5258
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (651) 296-3885
Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7400
Missouri Department of Health (573) 571-6155
Montana Department of Labor and Industry (406) 444-3297
Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547
Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 687-3298
New Hampshire Department of Public Health (603) 271-4647
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (609) 984-1863
New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (505) 827-4230
New York State Department of Health (518) 402-7900
New York City Department of Health (212) 788-4585
North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337
North Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (312) 353-7200
Ohio Department of Health (614) 466-4183
Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 528-1500
Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (503) 378-8254
Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548
Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 277-2812
South Carolina Department of Labor (803) 734-4298
South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (312) 353-7200
Tennessee Department of Labor and
Workforce Development (615) 741-1749
Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (512) 804-4651
Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823
Vermont Department of Labor and Industry (802) 828-2195
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (804) 786-6427
Washington Department of Labor and Industries (360) 902-5510
West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (608) 266-7850
Wyoming Bureau of Labor Statistics (816) 426-2483
TECHNICAL NOTES
Definitions
For a fatality to be included in the census, the decedent must have been
employed (that is working for pay, compensation, or profit) at the time of
the event, engaged in a legal work activity, or present at the site of the
incident as a requirement of his or her job. These criteria are generally
broader than those used by federal and state agencies administering
specific laws and regulations. (Fatalities that occur during a
person's commute to or from work are excluded from the census counts.)
Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 1999 that
resulted from traumatic occupational injuries. An injury is defined as
any intentional or unintentional wound or damage to the body resulting
from acute exposure to energy, such as heat, electricity, or kinetic
energy from a crash or from the absence of such essentials as heat or
oxygen caused by a specific event, incident, or series of events within
a single workday or shift. Included are open wounds, intracranial and
internal injuries, heatstroke, hypothermia, asphyxiations, acute
poisonings resulting from short-term exposures limited to the worker's
shift, suicides and homicides, and work injuries listed as underlying
or contributory causes of death.
Information on work-related fatal illnesses are not reported in the
BLS census and are excluded from the attached tables because the latency
period of many occupational illnesses and the difficulty of linking
illnesses to work make identification of a universe problematic. Partial
information on fatal occupational illnesses, compiled separately, is
available in BLS Report 934.
Measurement techniques and limitations
Data for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries are compiled from
various federal, state, and local administrative sources--including death
certificates, workers' compensation reports and claims, reports to
various regulatory agencies, medical examiner reports, and police
reports--as well as news reports. Diverse sources are used because studies
have shown that no single source captures all job-related fatalities.
Source documents are matched so that each fatality is counted only once.
To ensure that a fatality occurred while the decedent was at work,
information is verified from two or more independent source documents or
from a source document and a follow-up questionnaire. Approximately
30 data elements are collected, coded, and tabulated, including information
about the worker, the fatal incident, and the machinery or equipment
involved.
Identification and verification of work-related fatalities.
Because some state laws and regulations prohibit enumerators from
contacting the next-of-kin, it was not possible to independently
verify work relationship (whether a fatality is job related) for 102
fatal work injuries in 1999; however, the information on the initiating
source document for these cases was sufficient to determine that the
incident was likely to be job- related. Data for these fatalities, which
primarily affected self-employed workers, are included in the Census
of Fatal Occupational Injuries counts. An additional 19 fatalities
submitted by states were not included because the initiating source
document had insufficient information to determine work relationship,
which could not be verified by either an independent source document or
a follow-up questionnaire.
States may identify additional fatal work injuries after data collection
closeout for a reference year. In addition, other fatalities excluded
from the published count because of insufficient information to determine
work relationship may subsequently be verified as work related. States
have up to one year to update their initial published state counts.
This procedure ensures that fatality data are disseminated as quickly
as possible and that no legitimate case is excluded from the counts.
Thus, each year's report should be considered preliminary until the
next year's data are issued. Increases in the published counts
based on additional information have averaged less than 100 fatalities
per year or less than 1.5 percent of the total.
Federal/state agency coverage
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all
fatal work injuries, whether they are covered by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or
are outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison
between the BLS fatality census counts and those released by other
agencies should take into account the different coverage requirements and
definitions being used.
Several federal and state agencies have jurisdiction over workplace
safety and health. OSHA and affiliated agencies in states with approved
safety programs cover the largest portion of America's workers. However,
injuries and illnesses occurring in certain industries or activities such
as coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and highway, water, rail, and air
transportation, are excluded from OSHA coverage because they are
covered by other federal agencies, such as the Mine Safety and Health
Administration and various agencies within the Department of
Transportation. Fatalities occurring in activities regulated by federal
agencies other than OSHA accounted for about 16 percent of the fatal work
injuries in 1999.
Fatalities occurring among several other groups of workers are
generally not covered by any federal or state agencies. These groups
include self-employed and unpaid family workers, which accounted for
about 19 percent of the fatalities; laborers on small farms, accounting
for about 2 percent of the fatalities; and state and local government
employees in states without OSHA-approved safety programs, which
accounted for about 3 percent. (Approximately one-half of the states
have approved OSHA safety programs, which cover state and local
government employees.)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: BLS thanks the participating states for their efforts
in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work
injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state,
local, and private sector agencies that submitted source documents
used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation
Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health
Administration; the Employment Standards Administration (Federal Employees'
Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' divisions); the
Department of Energy; the National Association of Chiefs of
Police; United Steelworkers of America; state vital statistics
registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of
health, labor, and industries and workers' compensation agencies; state
and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.