The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
Technical information: (202) 691-6175 Media information: (202) 691-5902 Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/oshhome.htm USDL 01-261 FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT Tuesday, August 14, 2001 NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN 2000 A total of 5,915 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2000, a decline of about 2 percent from 1999, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. The decline occurred even though overall employment increased in 2000. The number of job-related deaths from highway incidents, the most frequent fatal work injury, declined for the first time since the fatality census was first conducted in 1992. Fatalities resulting from electrocutions, fires and explosions, and contact with objects or equipment also were down in 2000. Fatal job-related falls and homicides both increased. Profiles of 2000 fatal work injuries by type of incident Although the number of fatal highway incidents was down about 9 percent from 1999 levels, highway crashes continued to be the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities in 2000, accounting for nearly a quarter of the fatal work injury total. (See chart 1 [in print or .pdf version only] and table 1.) In other transportation incidents, fatal work injuries resulting from workers being struck by vehicles or mobile equipment also dropped slightly in 2000. In contrast, however, the number of workers killed in nonhighway incidents (such as tractor overturns or incidents in which workers fell from and were struck by mobile equipment) increased from 352 in 1999 to 399 in 2000. The number of workers killed in aircraft and railway events also increased in 2000, though water vehicle incidents declined. Deaths resulting from on-the-job falls increased slightly to 734 in 2000--the largest annual total recorded by the fatality census. Falls to a lower level were higher in 2000 and accounted for 659 of the 734 fatal falls. Fatalities resulting from falls from ladders and from nonmoving vehicles were both higher in 2000, though falls from scaffolds, building girders, and roofs were down. Falls on the same level declined from 70 to 56 in 2000. The number of job-related homicides increased for the first time in six years (from 651 in 1999 to 677 in 2000). However, the total number of workplace homicides in 2000 was still 37 percent lower than the high of 1,080 homicides reported in 1994. For those workplace homicides where the motive could be ascertained, homicides in which robbery was the initial motive increased from 255 cases in 1999 to 291 cases in 2000. Fewer workers were killed by electrocution than in any year since the fatality census was first conducted. The number of fatal injuries resulting from fires or explosions in 2000 fell from its highest annual total in 1999 to its lowest annual total since 1992. The number of workers who were fatally injured through contact with objects or equipment also was down from the previous year, but still accounted for nearly one out of every six fatal work injuries in 2000. Profile of fatal work injuries by industry Construction again recorded the highest number of fatal work injuries of any industry, although the total for the industry was down about 3 percent in 2000-the first decline for construction since 1996. (See chart 2 [in print or .pdf version only] and table 2.) Fatal work injuries in manufacturing (down 7 percent) and in agriculture, forestry, and fishing (down 12 percent) reached the lowest levels recorded for those industries. The decrease in agriculture, forestry, and fishing occurred despite an increase in the number of fatal work injuries in landscape and horticultural services. The number of fatal work injuries in the mining industry, however, was higher in 2000, led by an increase in fatal injuries in the oil and gas extraction industry. Fatalities also were higher in retail trade, largely as a result of the increase in workplace homicides. Fatal work injuries in the services industry increased about 4 percent in 2000. Fatalities in business services increased, led by a rise in work-related deaths in personnel supply services. Educational services and membership organizations were some of the other industry groups in services recording increases in 2000. Health services, personal services (such as laundry services and beauty shops), and amusement/recreation services were among the service industries recording lower fatal work injury counts. Rates of fatal work injury in 2000 were highest in the mining, agriculture, construction, and transportation industries. The mining industry recorded a rate of 30.0 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers in 2000, the highest of any industry and about 7 times the rate for all workers. Agriculture recorded the second highest rate in 2000 (20.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers). Despite an increase in the number of incidents in the services industry and in retail trade, the rates for both these industries remained relatively low (2.0 for services and 2.7 for retail trade). Profile of fatal work injuries by occupation Operators, fabricators, and laborers recorded the largest number of fatal work injuries of any occupational group in 2000, accounting for more than one out of every three fatalities. (See table 3.) However, the number of fatalities for this group was down 4 percent from 1999, and fatal work injuries involving transportation and material moving occupations were down 4 percent. Service occupation fatalities also were lower in 2000, despite an increase in fatalities involving police and detectives. Fatal work injuries involving farming, forestry, and fishing occupations were down sharply, from 904 in 1999 to 806 in 2000-a decline of 11 percent. Two other occupational groups--managerial and professional specialty occupations and technical, sales, and administrative support occupations--recorded increases in 2000. Truck drivers were fatally injured on the job more than any other individual occupation, although fatal work injuries for this occupation declined 5 percent in 2000. Fatalities involving airplane pilots and navigators rose from 94 in 1999 to 130 in 2000. The fatality rate for this occupation (100.8 for every 100,000 employed) was exceeded only by timber cutters (122.1) and fishers (108.3). (See chart 3. [in print and .pdf version only]) Profile of fatal work injuries by demographic characteristics The numbers of fatal work injuries among white (non-Hispanic) and black (non-Hispanic) workers were lower in 2000, but fatal injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers were up sharply, from 730 in 1999 to 815 in 2000. (See table 4.) This increase in Hispanic worker fatalities was led by a 24 percent jump in construction fatalities involving Hispanic workers. Nationally, Hispanic employment was up 6 percent in 2000. Fatal work injuries to men were down nearly 3 percent, although fatalities to women increased slightly in 2000. There was an increase in self-employed workers fatally injured on the job (up 3 percent in 2000). Self-employed workers, who constitute only 7 percent of employment, accounted for 20 percent of the fatality total. On average, about 16 workers were fatally injured each day during 2000. There were 214 multiple-fatality incidents (incidents that resulted in two or more worker deaths), resulting in 531 job-related deaths. The multiple-fatality count for 2000 represents a substantial decrease over the 1999 count when 235 multiple-fatality events were reported involving 617 job-related deaths. Profile of fatal work injuries by state and region Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia reported fewer fatal work injuries in 2000 than in 1999. The number of fatal work injuries also declined in 3 of the 4 census regions in 2000. (See table 5.) For state results beyond those presented here, please contact the individual state agency responsible for the collection of CFOI data in that state. A list of those agencies, with telephone numbers, is provided in table 6. 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. The program 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 ninth 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 1999 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 2000 by industry will be published in December 2001, and information on 2000 worker and case characteristics will be available in April 2002. For additional data, access the BLS Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/oshhome.htm. To request a copy of BLS Report 954 which includes several articles and highlights 1998 and 1999 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, 1995-2000 _________________________________________________________________ | | Fatalities _______________________________________ | | | | Event or exposure(1) | | 1999(2) | 2000 _____________________________ | 1995-99 | | | average | | | | | Number | Number | Percent _________________________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | Total..................| 6,165 | 6,054 | 5,915 | 100 | | | | Transportation incidents.| 2,611 | 2,618 | 2,571 | 43 Highway................| 1,405 | 1,496 | 1,363 | 23 Collision between | | | | vehicles, mobile | | | | equipment...........| 674 | 714 | 694 | 12 Moving in same | | | | direction.........| 115 | 129 | 136 | 2 Moving in opposite | | | | directions, | | | | oncoming..........| 248 | 270 | 243 | 4 Moving in | intersection......| Vehicle struck | stationary object or| equipment...........| Noncollision.........| Jack-knifed or | overturned--no | collision.........| Nonhighway (farm, | industrial premises)..| Overturned...........| Aircraft...............| Worker struck by a | vehicle...............| Water vehicle..........| Rail vehicle...........| | Assaults and violent acts| Homicides..............| Shooting.............| Stabbing.............| Other, including | bombing.............| Self-inflicted injury..| | | Contact with objects and | equipment...............| Struck by object.......| Struck by falling | object..............| Struck by flying | object..............| Caught in or compressed| by equipment or | objects...............| Caught in running | equipment or | machinery...........| Caught in or crushed in| collapsing materials..| | Falls....................| Fall to lower level....| Fall from ladder.....| Fall from roof.......| Fall from scaffold, | staging.............| Fall on same level.....| | Exposure to harmful | substances or | environments............| Contact with electric | current...............| Contact with overhead| power lines.........| Contact with | temperature extremes..| Exposure to caustic, | noxious, or allergenic| 140 288 371 290 376 211 264 380 106 73 1,085 837 663 69 106 216 987 563 361 58 286 152 123 697 620 103 151 89 54 561 308 134 46 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 161 334 390 322 352 206 228 377 102 56 909 651 509 62 80 218 1,030 585 358 55 302 163 129 721 634 96 153 92 70 533 280 125 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 153 279 356 304 399 213 280 370 84 71 929 677 533 66 78 220 1,005 570 357 61 294 157 123 734 659 110 150 85 56 480 256 128 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 5 6 5 7 4 5 6 1 1 16 11 9 1 1 4 17 10 6 1 5 3 2 12 11 2 3 1 1 8 4 2 (3) substances............| 113 | 108 | 100 | 2 | | | | Inhalation of | | | | substance...........| 60 | 55 | 48 | 1 Oxygen deficiency......| 92 | 92 | 93 | 2 Drowning, submersion.| 74 | 75 | 74 | 1 | | | | Fires and explosions.....| 202 | 216 | 177 | 3 | | | | Other events or | | | | exposures(4)............| 21 | 27 | 19 | (3) _________________________________________________________________ 1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Manual. 2 The BLS news release issued August 17, 2000, reported a total of 6,023 fatal work injuries for calendar year 1999. Since then, an additional 31 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 1999 to 6,054. 3 Less than 0.5 percent. 4 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. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1995-2000 _______________________________________________________________________________________________ | | | | | Fatalities | Employment(2) | | | (in thousands) ___________________________________________________________ | | | Industry | SIC | | | | | code | | 1999(1) | 2000 | _____________________________ | | 1995-99 | | | Percent | | average | | | | | | | Number | Number | Percent | | | Number | | | _______________________________________________________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total..................| | 6,165 | 6,054 | 5,915 | 100 | 136,377 | 100 | | | | | | | Private industry.........| | 5,530 | 5,488 | 5,344 | 90 | 116,134 | 85 | | | | | | | Agriculture, forestry | | | | | | | and fishing...........| | 819 | 814 | 720 | 12 | 3,380 | 2 Agricultural | | | | | | | production - crops..| 01 | 362 | 356 | 277 | 5 | 987 | 1 Agricultural | | | | | | | production | | | | | | | livestock...........| 02 | 168 | 164 | 132 | 2 | 990 | 1 Agricultural services| 07 | 168 | 164 | 213 | 4 | 1,306 | 1 | | | | | | | Mining.................| | 147 | 122 | 156 | 3 | 520 | Coal mining..........| 12 | 36 | 35 | 40 | 1 | 76 | - Oil and gas | extraction..........| | Construction...........| General building | contractors.........| Heavy construction, | except building.....| Special trade | contractors.........| | Manufacturing..........| Food and kindred | products............| Lumber and wood | products............| | Transportation and | public utilities......| Local and interurban | passenger | transportation......| | Trucking and | warehousing.........| Transportation by air| Electric, gas, and | sanitary services...| | Wholesale trade........| | Retail trade...........| Food stores..........| Automotive dealers | and service stations| Eating and drinking | places..............| | Finance, insurance, and| real estate...........| | Services...............| Business services....| Automotive repair, | services, and | parking.............| | Government(3)............| | Federal (including | resident armed forces)| State..................| Local..................| Police protection....| 13 15 16 17 20 24 41 42 45 49 54 55 58 73 75 9221 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 74 1,115 190 260 652 720 76 190 960 98 548 85 88 247 624 163 108 148 107 750 184 119 634 191 125 312 99 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 50 1,191 183 280 710 722 83 190 1,008 102 607 74 86 238 513 118 83 146 107 736 161 133 566 148 109 303 91 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 83 1,154 175 284 672 668 68 186 957 84 566 97 84 230 594 145 95 138 79 768 199 132 571 149 108 310 112 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 20 3 5 11 11 1 3 16 1 10 2 1 4 10 2 2 2 1 13 3 2 10 3 2 5 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 313 | | 8,949 | | - | | - | | - | | 19,868| | 1,661| | 782| | | 8,084| | | 574| | | 2,733| 889| | 1,007| | 5,407| | 22,315| 3,385| | 2,246| | 6,836| | | 8,538| | 39,170| 9,602| | | 1,622| | 20,243| | | 4,461| 5,468| 10,314| - | 7 15 1 1 6 - 2 1 1 4 16 2 2 5 6 29 7 1 15 3 4 8 - _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 The BLS news release issued August 17, 2000, reported a total of 6,023 fatal work injuries for calendar year 1999. Since then, an additional 31 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 1999 to 6,054. 2 The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, plus resident military forces, from the Current Population Survey, 2000. 3 Includes fatalities to workers employed by governmental 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 17 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific industry classification, though a distinction between private and government was made for each. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2000 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ | | | Fatalities | Selected events or exposures(2) | | (percent) ___________________________________________________________________ Occupation(1) | | | | | | | | | Number | Percent | Highway(3)| Homicide | Struck by | Fall to | | | | | object |lower level _____________________________________________________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | Total..................| 5,915 | 100 | 23 | 11 | 10 | 11 | | | | | | Managerial and | | | | | | professional specialty..| 642 | 11 | 23 | 22 | 4 | 6 Executive, | | | | | | administrative, and | | | | | | managerial...........| 397 | 7 | 20 | 29 | 5 | 7 Managers, food | | | | | | serving and lodging | | | | | | establishments......| 70 | 1 | 7 | 67 | | Professional specialty.| 245 | 4 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | Technical, sales, and | | | | | | administrative support..| 686 | 12 | 20 | 34 | 1 | 4 Technicians and related| | | | | | support occupations...| 194 | 3 | 12 | | | 5 Airplane pilots and | | | | | | navigators..........| 130 | 2 | | | | Sales occupations......| 386 | 7 | 21 | 53 | 2 | 3 Supervisors and | | | | | | proprietors, sales | | | | | | occupations.........| 185 | 3 | 12 | 59 | 3 | Sales workers, retail| | | | | | and personal | | | | | | services............| 162 | 3 | 23 | 56 | | 3 Cashiers...........| 68 | 1 | | 82 | | Administrative support | | | | | | occupations, including| | | | | | clerical..............| 106 | 2 | 33 | 29 | | 8 | | | | | | Service occupations......| 431 | 7 | 22 | 30 | 3 | 8 Protective service | | | | | | occupations...........| 257 | 4 | 28 | 33 | | 2 Firefighting, | | | | | | including | | | | | | supervisors.........| Police and | detectives, | including | supervisors.........| | Guards, including | supervisors.........| Cleaning and building | service...............| | Farming, forestry, and | fishing.................| Farm operators and | managers..............| Farmers, except | horticultural.......| Managers, farms, | except horitcultural| Other agricultural and | related occupations...| Farm occupations, | except managerial...| Farm workers, | including | supervisors.......| Related agricultural | occupations.........| Groundskeepers and | gardeners, except | farm..............| Forestry and logging | occupations...........| Timber cutting and | logging occupations.| Fishers, hunters, and | trappers..............| Fishers, including | vessel captains and | officers............| | Precision production, | craft, and repair.......| Mechanics and repairers| Construction trades....| | Carpenters and | apprentices.........| Electricians and | apprentices.........| Roofers..............| Structural metal | workers.............| Extractive occupations.| | Operators, fabricators, | and laborers............| Machine operators, | assemblers, and | inspectors............| Transportation and | material moving | 43 142 72 78 806 320 251 59 320 168 166 152 130 113 95 53 52 1,105 322 613 91 89 65 47 69 2,118 237 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 2 1 1 14 5 4 1 5 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 19 5 10 2 2 1 1 1 36 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 26 38 10 9 9 8 6 12 12 14 14 11 9 4 - - 11 16 9 7 7 12 37 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - 35 46 15 2 3 - 3 - - 3 5 2 - 5 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - - 6 23 17 16 20 15 8 8 24 25 68 74 - - 12 17 8 11 15 19 10 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - - 32 7 4 3 12 7 6 18 18 4 - - 27 16 38 52 17 74 55 9 9 12 occupations...........| Motor vehicle | operators...........| Truck drivers......| Taxicab drivers and| chauffeurs........| Material moving | equipment operators.| Handlers, equipment | cleaners, helpers, and| laborers..............| Construction laborers| Laborers, except | construction........| 1,264 1,002 852 70 215 617 288 178 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21 17 14 1 4 10 5 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 55 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 67 70 31 10 10 10 8 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 2 60 - 6 2 3 6 5 6 14 13 13 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 2 2 8 20 29 12 Military occupations(4)| 87 | 1 | 8 | | | _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 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 non passengers. 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 40 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific occupation classification. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected worker characteristics, 2000 __________________________________________________________________________________________ | | | | Fatalities | Employment(1) | | | (in thousands) | Most frequent events _______________________________________ Characteristics | | | (percent of total) | | | | | | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | __________________________________________________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | Total..................| 5,915 | 100 | 136,377 | 100 |Highway (23), falls (12) | | | | | Employee status | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Wage and salary | | | | | workers(2)..............| 4,731 | 80 | 126,331 | 92 |Highway (26), falls (13) Self-employed(3).........| 1,184 | 20 | 10,046| 7 |Homicides (16), highway (13) | | | | Men......................| Women....................| Sex 5,467 448 | | | | | | 92 8 | | | | | | | | | | 73,293| 63,083| | | 54 46 | | | | |Highway (22), falls (13) |Highway (31), homicides (30) | | | Age | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Under 16 years.........| 29 | (4) | | |Highway (24), nonhighway(21) 16 to 17 years.........| 44 | 1 | 2,782| 2 |Nonhighway (20), highway (18) 18 to 19 years.........| 127 | 2 | 4,620| 3 |Highway (26), falls (14) 20 to 24 years.........| 444 | 8 | 13,690| 10 |Highway (21), falls (11) 25 to 34 years.........| 1,161 | 20 | 30,896| 23 |Highway (23), homicides (12) 35 to 44 years.........| 1,473 | 25 | 36,941| 27 |Highway (24), homicides (12) 45 to 54 years.........| 1,313 | 22 | 29,750| 22 |Highway (23), homicides (13) 55 to 64 years.........| 830 | 14 | 13,627| 10 |Highway (22), falls (13) 65 and over............| 488 | 8 | 4,071| 3 |Highway (20), nonhighway(17) | | | | | | | | | | Race or ethnic origin(5) | | | | | | | | | | White....................| 4,240 | 72 | 100,457 | 74 |Highway (24), falls (12) Black or African American| 574 | 10 | 14,858| 11 |Highway (27), homicides (21) Hispanic or Latino.......| 815 | 14 | 14,589| 11 |Falls (20), highway (18) American Indian or | | | | | Alaskan Native..........| 33 | 1 | | |Highway (18), falls (15) Asian....................| 171 | 3 | | | Homicides (48) Native Hawaiian or | | | | | Pacific Islander........| 14 | (4) | | | Other races or not | | | | | reported................| 68 | 1 | | |Homicides (29), highway (15) __________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, plus resident military forces, from the Current Population Survey, 2000. 2 May include volunteers and other workers receiving compensation. 3 Includes paid and unpaid family workers, and may include owners of incorporated businesses, or members of partnerships. 4 Less than 0.5 percent. 5 The categories "White" and "Black or African American" do not include "Hispanic or Latino" persons. Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. There were 6 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine the age of the decedent. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by State and event or exposure, 2000 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______ | | | Fatalities | Event or exposure _______________________________________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Trans- | | Contact | | | | |portation| Assaults| Exposure| to | harmful| State of injury Fires | 1999(1) | 2000(2) | | in- | and with | | objects | | Falls | sub and | | |cidents(-| violent | | | | | | | | and | | | acts(4) |equipment| | | | | | | | | | | | stances |explosio| 3) or ns environ-| ments | __________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total..................| 6,054 | 5,915 | 43 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 8 | 3 | | | | | | | | Northeast................| 758 | 730 | 37 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 6 | 3 Connecticut............| 38 | 55 | 33 | 16 | 29 | 13 | | Maine..................| 32 | 26 | 65 | | | | | Massachusetts..........| 83 | 67 | 31 | 24 | 16 | 18 | | 9 New Hampshire..........| 14 | 13 | 38 | | | | | New Jersey.............| 104 | 115 | 43 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 5 | New York (inc. N.Y.C.).| 241 | 233 | 28 | 29 | 16 | 18 | 5 | 3 New York City........| 120 | 111 | 14 | 52 | 7 | 16 | | 5 Pennsylvania...........| 221 | 199 | 44 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 9 | Rhode Island...........| 11 | 7 | | | | | | Vermont................| 14 | 15 | | | 53 | | | Midwest..................| 1,426 | 1,334 | 43 | 14 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 3 Illinois...............| 208 | 205 | 41 | 14 | 21 | 12 | 5 | 4 Indiana................| 171 | 159 | 42 | 18 | 17 | 9 | 11 | Iowa...................| 80 | 71 | 42 | | 18 | 20 | 14 | Kansas.................| 87 | 85 | 59 | 6 | 12 | 18 | | Michigan...............| 182 | 156 | 32 | 17 | 24 | 13 | 10 | 4 Minnesota..............| 72 | 68 | 37 | 7 | 26 | 19 | - | Missouri...............| 165 | 148 | 46 | 20 | 13 | 10 | Nebraska...............| 66 | 59 | 66 | - | 19 | - | - North Dakota...........| 22 | 34 | 26 | - | 35 | 15 | - Ohio...................| 222 | 207 | 40 | 17 | 19 | 15 | South Dakota...........| 46 | 35 | 54 | - | 17 | - | Wisconsin..............| South....................| 3 Alabama................| Arkansas...............| Delaware...............| District of Columbia...| Florida................| 2 Georgia................| 3 Kentucky...............| Louisiana..............| 4 Maryland...............| Mississippi............| North Carolina.........| 2 Oklahoma...............| 7 South Carolina.........| 4 Tennessee..............| Texas..................| 4 Virginia...............| 8 West Virginia..........| West.....................| 2 Alaska.................| Arizona................| California.............| 2 Colorado...............| Hawaii.................| Idaho..................| 105 | 107 | 46 | 13 | 23 | 8 | 7 2,565 | 2,599 | 43 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 9 123 | 103 | 56 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 8 76 | 106 | 53 | 14 | 20 | 8 | - 14 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - 14 | 13 | - | 62 | - | - | - 345 | 329 | 41 | 20 | 13 | 16 | 8 229 | 195 | 45 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 9 120 | 132 | 49 | 10 | 20 | 10 | 8 141 | 143 | 48 | 8 | 17 | 12 | 11 82 | 84 | 33 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 8 128 | 125 | 50 | 14 | 19 | 4 | 9 222 | 234 | 43 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 8 99 | 82 | 50 | 11 | 15 | - | 11 139 | 114 | 47 | 14 | 18 | 7 | 8 154 | 160 | 44 | 15 | 19 | 11 | 10 468 | 572 | 38 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 11 154 | 148 | 32 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 12 57 | 46 | 50 | 11 | 20 | - | - 1,284 | 1,248 | 49 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 42 | 53 | 74 | - | 15 | - | 70 | 118 | 58 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 6 602 | 553 | 42 | 20 | 12 | 13 | 11 106 | 117 | 50 | 21 | 13 | 10 | 6 32 | 20 | 30 | 40 | - | - | - 43 | 35 | 66 | - | 17 | - | - | | - | - | - | - | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 5 7 - 8 - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - Montana................| 49 | 42 | 52 | 14 | 24 | - | - Nevada.................| 58 | 51 | 65 | 14 | - | - | - New Mexico.............| 39 | 35 | 57 | - | 17 | - | - Oregon.................| 69 | 52 | 46 | - | 27 | - | - Utah...................| 54 | 61 | 52 | - | 15 | 8 | 11 Washington.............| 88 | 75 | 44 | 13 | 25 | 11 | - Wyoming................| 32 | 36 | 47 | - | 19 | - | - __________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______ 1 The BLS news release issued August 17, 2000, reported a total of 6,023 fatal work injuries for calendar year 1999. Since then, an additional 31 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 1999 to 6,054. 2 Includes 4 fatalities that occurred inside the U.S. territorial boundaries, but a State of incident could not be determined. 3 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, rail fatalities, and fatalities resulting from being struck by a vehicle. 4 Includes violence by persons, self-inflicted injury, and attacks by animals. NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Table 6. CFOI participating state agencies and telephone numbers State Agency Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Department of Labor Department of Labor and Workforce Development Industrial Commission of Arizona Department of Labor Department of Industrial Relations Department of Public Health Labor Department Department of Labor Center for Health Statistics Department of Labor and Employment Security Department of Labor Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Industrial Commission Department of Public Health Department of Labor Division of Labor Services Department of Health and Environment Labor Cabinet Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Standards Telephone number (334) (907) (602) (501) (415) (303) (860) (302) (202) (850) (404) (808) (208) (217) (317) (515) (785) (502) (225) (207) 242-3460 465-4539 542-3739 682-4542 703-4776 692-2173 566-4380 761-8223 442-5920 922-8953 679-0687 586-9001 334-6090 782-5750 232-2668 281-5151 296-1058 564-3070 342-3126 624-6440 Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York State New York City North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming TECHNICAL NOTES Division of Labor and Industry Department of Public Health Department of Consumer and Industry Services Department of Labor and Industry Department of Health Department of Health Department of Labor and Industry Workers' Compensation Court Division of Industrial Relations Department of Public Health Department of Health and Senior Services Occupational Health and Safety Bureau Department of Health Department of Health Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Department of Health Department of Labor Department of Consumer and Business Services Department of Health Department of Health Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation Bureau of Labor Statistics Department of Labor and Workforce Development Workers' Compensation Commission Labor Commission Department of Labor and Industry Department of Labor and Industry Department of Labor and Industries Department of Labor Department of Workforce Development Bureau of Labor Statistics (410) (617) (517) (651) (601) (573) (406) (402) (775) (603) (609) (505) (518) (212) (919) (312) (614) (405) (503) (717) (401) (803) (312) (615) (512) (801) (802) (804) (360) (304) (608) (816) 767-2356 624-5627 322-5258 284-5568 576-7186 751-6155 444-3297 471-3547 684-7082 271-4647 984-1863 827-4230 402-7900 788-4585 733-0337 353-7200 466-4183 528-1500 947-7051 783-2548 222-2812 734-4298 353-7200 741-1749 804-4651 530-6823 828-5076 786-6427 902-5510 558-7890 266-7850 426-2483 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 2000 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, asphyxiation, 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 is not reported in the BLS census and is 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. 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 and other non-governmental 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. In 2000, there were 147 cases included for which work relationship could not be independently verified; 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 20 fatalities submitted by states were not included because the initiating source document had insufficient information to determine work relationship and 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. The BLS news release issued August 17, 2000, reported a total of 6,023 fatal work injuries for 1999. Since then, an additional 31 fatal work injuries were identified, bringing the total for 1999 to 6,054. 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 the nation'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 15 percent of the fatal work injuries in 2000. 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 20 percent of the fatalities; laborers on small farms, accounting for about 1 percent of the fatalities; and state and local government employees in states without OSHA-approved safety programs, which accounted for about 4 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; 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.