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Technical information: (202) 691-6175 USDL 02-541
Media information: (202) 691-5902 FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT
Internet address: Wednesday, September 25, 2002
http://stats.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm
National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2001
A total of 8,786 fatal work injuries were reported in 2001, including
fatalities related to the September 11th terrorist attacks, according to
the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
U.S. Department of Labor. A total of 2,886 work-related fatalities
resulted from the events of September 11th. Excluding these fatalities,
the overall workplace fatality count was 5,900 for 2001.
Profile of fatal work injuries resulting from the September 11th attacks
Most of the more than 3,000 people killed were at work (as defined by the
fatality census) in the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, were on
business travel or were crew aboard the commercial airliners that crashed
in Pennsylvania, New York City, and Virginia, or were involved in rescue
duties. The events of that day killed 2,886 workers from a wide range
of backgrounds - janitors to managers, native and foreign-born workers,
and the young and the old. (See tables A. and B.)
Industry
Seventy-eight percent of the 2,198 non-rescue workers killed in the
World Trade Center were working in the finance, insurance, and real
estate industry. All of the 412 fatally injured rescue workers were
killed at the World Trade Center; 99 percent worked for state and
local government. Of the 125 workers killed at the Pentagon, 91 percent
were civilian or military federal government employees. Of the 151
workers who were killed on the planes that crashed in Pennsylvania,
Virginia, and New York City, 39 percent were employed in the services
industry.
Occupation
Of the rescue workers fatally injured, 335 were firefighters and
61 were police or detectives. Fifty percent of the other workers fatally
injured in the World Trade Center were employed as managerial or
professional specialty workers. Forty-three percent of the workers
fatally injured at the Pentagon were working in military occupations
and slightly less than half, 47 percent, were working in civilian
managerial and professional specialty occupations.
Twenty five of the workers killed on the passenger airliners were
flight attendants, 8 were pilots. The majority of the workers killed
on the airliners, 69 percent, were in managerial and professional
specialty occupations.
Worker characteristics
Of the fatally injured workers in the World Trade Center, 66 percent
were between the ages of 25 and 44, 9 percent were black, 10 percent
were Hispanic, and 26 percent were women. Of those working in the
Pentagon office building, 54 percent were between the ages of 25 and 44,
33 percent were black, 4 percent were Hispanic, and 37 percent were
women. Of the workers involved in the rescue efforts, 70 percent
were between the ages of 25 and 44. Ninety-nine percent were male.
Of the workers on the passenger airliners 62 percent were men, 7 percent
were black, and 5 percent were Hispanic.
Overall, two-thirds of the workers fatally injured on September 11th
were over 34 years old and 23 percent were women. Almost 20 percent of
the workers were foreign-born.
Profiles of 2001 fatal work injuries excluding fatalities resulting
from the September 11th attacks
Excluding the fatalities on September 11th, the overall workplace
fatality count of 5,900 for 2001 was down slightly, less than 1 percent
from 2000. Total employment also declined slightly in 2001. As a
result, the occupational fatality rate was same in 2001 as in 2000, 4.3
fatalities per 100,000 employed.
The construction industry, with fatalities at their highest level since
the fatality census was first conducted in 1992, continued to report
the largest number of fatal work injuries of any industry. From 2000 to
2001, decreases in fatalities from transportation incidents and
job-related homicides were offset by increases in fatalities from
falls and from electrocutions.
Profile of 2001 fatal work injuries (excluding September 11th) by
type of incident
Fatalities resulting from transportation incidents decreased for the
third year in a row, from 2,573 in 2000 to 2,517 in 2001. Highway
incidents, however, increased about 3 percent from 2000 and continued
to be the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities. Fatal work injuries
resulting from workers being struck by vehicles or mobile equipment
also increased slightly in 2001. In contrast, the number of workers
killed in non-highway incidents, aircraft incidents, and railway
incidents decreased. Non-highway fatal incidents, which include tractor
and forklift overturns, were at their lowest levels since the census
began in 1992.
Work-related homicides, at 639 (excluding fatalities resulting from
September 11th), fell to their lowest levels since the census began;
the record high was 1,080 in 1994. Homicides among technical, sales,
and administrative support workers decreased 14 percent to 203 fatalities.
However, homicides increased sharply among workers in service occupations,
which include police and detectives, food preparation workers, barbers,
and hairdressers. The number of workplace suicides and fatal assaults
by animals increased slightly.
Fatalities resulting from falls increased to 808 in 2001, a 10 percent
rise over 2000 levels. This was the highest total since the fatality
census began in 1992. Falls to lower levels increased by 39 to 698
in 2001. Falls on the same level increased by 28 to a ten-year high
of 84 in 2001.
Fatal falls in the construction industry increased 13 percent from
2000 levels and accounted for over half of all fatal falls. Worker
deaths resulting from electrocutions and from fires and explosions
increased to levels of the late 1990's after falling to a near 10-year
low in 2000.
Profile of fatal work injuries by industry
While fatalities in the construction industry increased 6 percent in
2001 to a record high, fatalities in manufacturing decreased 10 percent
from 2000 to their lowest recorded level since the census began in 1992.
Other industries showing decreases in work-related fatalities were
transportation and public utilities, wholesale trade, and retail trade.
The decrease in retail trade fatalities was largely a result of the
decline in workplace homicides. Fatalities to workers in services
remained relatively unchanged, while fatalities in agriculture, forestry
and fishing; finance, insurance, and real estate, and mining increased.
Fatalities in government (excluding September 11th) increased 10 percent
from 2000.
Occupational fatality rates in 2001 were highest in the mining;
agriculture; forestry and fishing; construction; and transportation
industries. The fatality rate for the mining industry, which includes
oil and gas extraction, remained at 30.0 fatal work injuries per
100,000 workers for the second year in a row, the highest fatality
rate. The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry had the second
highest rate, at 22.8 fatalities per 100,000 employed. The private
sector construction industry reported 13.3 fatalities per 100,000
employed, and the rate was 11.2 fatalities per 100,000 employed in
the transportation industry.
Profile of fatal work injuries by occupation
Operators, fabricators, and laborers again recorded the largest
number of fatal work injuries of any occupational group, accounting
for more than one out of every three fatalities in 2001. However, the
number of fatalities in this occupational group dropped 4 percent for
the second year in a row. Most of this decrease resulted from fewer
fatalities among motor vehicle operators, particularly truck drivers.
There also were fewer fatalities among material moving equipment
operators, machine operators, and workers in railroad transportation
and water transportation. Fatalities among handlers, equipment cleaners,
helpers, and laborers increased, mainly due to an increase in
fatalities to construction laborers; fatalities to non-construction
laborers decreased.
Service occupations showed an increase of 18 percent in fatalities,
the highest percentage increase among the major occupation categories.
Within this occupation group, police and detectives, including
supervisors, had the highest number of fatalities. Fatalities in
personal service occupations increased from 37 in 2000 to 59 in
2001. Precision production, craft, and repair occupations showed
a small increase in the number of fatalities (3 percent). However,
within this occupation group, fatalities in the extractive
occupations (drillers and mining machine operators) increased from a
low of 47 in 1999 to match its 10 year high of 97 fatalities in 1993.
While fatalities to truck drivers declined by 6 percent, they
continued to incur more workplace fatalities than any other
individual occupation. Truck drivers reported a rate of 25.3 workplace
fatalities per 100,000 employed. Farm occupations had the second
highest number of fatalities with 499 and rate of 27.9 fatalities,
which increased from the previous year. Other occupations that typically
have large numbers of worker fatalities but showed decreasing
fatalities in 2001 included timber cutters; groundskeepers and
gardeners; and aircraft pilots.
Fatalities to workers in military occupations increased over 25 percent
from 87 in 2000 to 110 in 2001 (excluding September 11th). Almost half
of these fatalities resulted from aircraft crashes. The occupational
fatality rate for military occupations increased in 2001 to 9.3
fatalities per 100,000 employed.
Profile of fatal work injuries by demographic characteristics
Fatal injuries to Hispanic or Latino workers were up 9 percent, from
815 in 2000 to 891 in 2001 (excluding September 11th). This resulted
from a rise in Hispanic worker fatalities in the services and agriculture
industries, rather than in construction as in prior years. Fatalities
to white (non-Hispanic) workers fell for the sixth year in a row;
fatalities among black (non-Hispanic) workers fell for the second
year in a row. Fatal work injuries to men were down slightly, although
fatalities to women increased by 5 percent over 2000. The number of
occupational fatalities to workers aged 17 years and younger decreased
to 53 in 2001 from 73 in 2000. In 2001 fatalities to the self-employed
were down by 5 percent to their lowest level recorded since 1992.
On average, about 16 workers were fatally injured each day during
2001. The total number of multiple fatality incidents (incidents
that resulted in two or more worker deaths) decreased from 214 in 2000
to 197 in 2001. However, the total number of job-related deaths in
multiple fatality incidents increased from 531 in 2000 to 563 in
2001 (excluding September 11th).
Profile of fatal work injuries by state and region
Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia reported fewer fatal
work injuries in 2001 than in 2000. The number of work injuries
also declined in 2 of the 4 census regions in 2001. 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 tenth 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 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 news release on nonfatal
injuries and illnesses in 2000 are available from BLS by
calling (202) 691-6179 or by accessing the website listed below.
Incidence rates for 2001 by industry will be published in December
2002, and information on 2001 worker and case characteristics will be
available in April 2003. For additional data, access the BLS Internet
site: http://www.bls.gov/iif/.
To request a copy of BLS Report 961 which includes several articles and
highlights 2000 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.
The following charts appear in the print version of this release. For copies
of these charts, contact CFOIstaff@bls.gov or write to Bureau of Labor Statistics,
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Room 3180, Washington, DC 20212.
Chart 1: The three most frequent work-related fatal events, 1992-2001
Chart 2: Numbers and rates of fatal occupational injuries by industry division, 2001
Chart 3: Numbers and rates of fatal occupational injuries for selected occupations, 2001
Table A. Fatal occupational injuries from events on September 11, 2001, by industry and occupation
Characteristics Passenger
Total Office building airliner Rescue efforts
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
Total 2,886 100 2,323 100 151 100 412 100
Industry
Private industry 2,264 78 2,119 91 141 93 - -
Construction 58 2 57 2 - - - -
General building contractors 12 (1) 11 (1) - - - -
Heavy construction, except building 13 (1) 13 1 - - - -
Special trade contractors 32 1 32 1 - - - -
Transportation and public utilities 78 3 35 2 42 28 - -
Transportation by air 37 1 - - 36 24 - -
Wholesale trade 27 1 18 1 9 6 - -
Retail trade 118 4 108 5 10 7 - -
Eating and drinking places 103 4 103 4 - - - -
Finance, insurance, and real estate 1,715 59 1,708 74 7 5 - -
Depository institutions 192 7 192 8 - - - -
Security and commodity brokers 973 34 971 42 - - - -
Insurance carriers 202 7 202 9 - - - -
Insurance agents, brokers, and service 330 11 329 14 - - - -
Real estate 13 (1) 12 1 - - - -
Holding and other investment offices 5 (1) - - 3 2 - -
Services 230 8 168 7 59 39 3 1
Business services 141 5 120 5 21 14 - -
Government(2) 622 22 204 9 10 7 408 99
Federal government (including resident armed forces) 124 4 116 5 7 5 - -
National security 118 4 114 5 4 3 - -
State government 49 2 43 2 3 2 3 1
Local government 449 16 45 2 - - 404 98
Police protection 25 1 - - - - 23 6
Fire protection 344 12 - - - - 343 83
Administration of economic programs 79 3 41 2 - - 38 9
Occupation
Managerial and professional specialty 1,271 44 1,157 50 104 69 10 2
Executive, administrative, and managerial 1,072 37 993 43 70 46 9 2
Professional specialty 199 7 164 7 34 23 - -
Technical, sales, and administrative support 930 32 905 39 19 13 6 1
Technicians and related support occupations 92 3 78 3 8 5 6 1
Health technologists and technicians 8 (1) - - - - 6 1
Airplane pilots and navigators 8 (1) - - 8 5 - -
Sales occupations 565 20 557 24 8 5 - -
Service occupations 549 19 128 6 25 17 396 96
Protective service occupations 433 15 37 2 - - 396 96
Firefighting, including supervisors 336 12 - - - - 335 81
Police and detectives, including supervisors 64 2 3 (1) - - 61 15
Guards, including supervisors 33 1 33 1 - - - -
Food preparation and service occupations 64 2 64 3 - - - -
Cleaning and building service 25 1 25 1 - - - -
Personal service occupations 27 1 - - 25 17 - -
Transportation attendants 25 1 - - 25 17 - -
Precision production, craft, and repair 61 2 60 3 - - - -
Mechanics and repairers 20 1 20 1 - - - -
Construction trades 39 1 38 2 - - - -
Operators, fabricators, and laborers 14 (1) 12 1 - - - -
Military occupations 54 2 54 2 - - - -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Less than 0.5 percent.
2 Includes fatalities to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry
NOTE: These totals include work-related fatalities only. They may differ from totals published by other organizations
primarily due to the differences in how work relationship, industry and occupation are categorized. 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, New York City, and federal
agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Table B. Fatal occupational injuries from events on September 11, 2001, by selected demographic characteristics
Characteristics Passenger
Total Office building airliner Rescue efforts
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
Total 2,886 100 2,323 100 151 100 412 100
State
New York (New York City only) 2,699 94 2,198 95 89 59 412 100
Virginia 165 6 125 5 40 26 - -
Pennsylvania 22 1 - - 22 15 - -
Sex
Men 2,212 77 1,710 74 93 62 409 99
Women 674 23 613 26 58 38 3 1
Age
20 to 24 years 112 4 104 4 4 3 4 1
25 to 34 years 822 28 682 29 32 21 108 26
35 to 44 years 1,068 37 831 36 56 37 181 44
45 to 54 years 608 21 465 20 43 28 100 24
55 to 64 years 237 8 211 9 13 9 13 3
65 and over 30 1 25 1 3 2 - -
Race or ethnic origin(1)
White 2,122 74 1,653 71 117 77 352 85
Black or African American 261 9 232 10 10 7 19 5
Hispanic or Latino(2) 259 9 231 10 8 5 20 5
Asian 149 5 142 6 6 4 - -
Native Hawaii or Pacific Islander 29 1 29 1 - - - -
Other races or not reported 63 2 33 1 10 7 20 5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 The categories "White" and "Black or African American" do not include "Hispanic or Latino" persons.
2 Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race.
NOTE: These totals include work-related fatalities only. They may differ from totals published by other organizations
primarily due to the differences in how work relationship, industry and occupation are categorized. Totals for major categories
may include subcategories no 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, New York City and federal agencies,
Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1996-2001
Event or exposure(1) Fatalities
1996-2000 2000(2) 2001
average Number Number Percent
--------- ------- ---------------
Total, including fatalities from September 11th N/A N/A 8,786 --
Total, excluding fatalities from September 11th 6,094 5,920 5,900 100
Transportation incidents 2,608 2,573 2,517 43
Highway 1,408 1,365 1,404 24
Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment 685 696 723 12
Moving in same direction 117 136 142 2
Moving in opposite directions, oncoming 247 243 256 4
Moving in intersection 151 154 137 2
Vehicle struck stationary object or equipment 289 279 295 5
Noncollision 372 356 339 6
Jackknifed or overturned--no collision 298 304 273 5
Nonhighway (farm, industrial premises) 378 399 324 5
Overturned 212 213 157 3
Aircraft 263 280 247 4
Worker struck by a vehicle 376 370 383 6
Water vehicle 105 84 90 2
Rail vehicle 71 71 62 1
Assaults and violent acts 1,015 930 902 15
Homicides 766 677 639 11
Shooting 617 533 505 9
Stabbing 68 66 58 1
Other, including bombing 80 78 76 1
Self-inflicted injuries 216 221 228 4
Contact with objects and equipment 1,005 1,006 962 16
Struck by object 567 571 553 9
Struck by falling object 364 357 343 6
Struck by flying object 57 61 60 1
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects 293 294 266 5
Caught in running equipment or machinery 157 157 144 2
Caught in or crushed in collapsing materials 128 123 122 2
Falls 714 734 808 14
Fall to lower level 636 659 698 12
Fall from ladder 106 110 122 2
Fall from roof 153 150 159 3
Fall from scaffold 90 85 91 2
Fall on same level 55 56 84 1
Exposure to harmful substances or environments 535 481 499 8
Contact with electric current 290 256 285 5
Contact with overhead powerlines 132 128 124 2
Contact with temperature extremes 40 29 35 1
Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances 112 100 96 2
Inhalation of substance 57 48 49 1
Oxygen deficiency 92 94 83 1
Drowning, submersion 73 75 59 1
Fires and explosions 196 177 188 3
Other events or exposures(3) 20 19 24 -
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures.
2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 14, 2001, reported a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for calendar year
2000. Since then, an additional 5 job-related fatalities were identified,
bringing the total job-related fatality count for 2000 to 5,920.
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.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state, New York City, District
of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1996-2001.
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 2001
Fatalities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry
1996-2000 2000 Employment(3) Fatalities Relative
SIC average (revised)(2) 2001 (in thousands) per 100,000 standard
Code(1) Number Number Number Percent Number employed(4) error(5)
-------------------------------------------------- ----------- -------- ----------- ------------------------ -------------- ----------- --------
Total, including fatalities from September 11th N/A N/A 8,786 - 136,252 6.4 0.1
Total, excluding fatalities from September 11th 6,094 5,920 5,900 100 136,252 4.3 0.1
Private industry 5,501 5,347 5,270 89 115,934 4.5 0.2
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 803 720 740 13 3,208 22.8 1.4
Agricultural production - crops 1 345 277 301 5 888 33.3 2.7
Agricultural production - livestock 2 162 132 128 2 966 13.0 2.6
Agricultural services 7 179 213 191 3 1,277 15.0 2.3
Mining(6) 147 156 170 3 566 30.0 3.4
Coal mining 12 35 40 42 1 88 47.7 8.7
Oil and gas extraction 13 75 83 98 2 353 27.8 4.4
Construction 1,135 1,155 1,225 21 9,125 13.3 0.8
General building contractors 15 190 175 201 3 - - -
Heavy construction, except building 16 267 284 267 5 - - -
Special trades contractors 17 663 673 735 12 - - -
Manufacturing 711 668 599 10 18,897 3.2 0.6
Food and kindred products 20 75 68 57 1 1,632 3.5 2.0
Lumber and wood products 24 190 186 151 3 691 21.9 3.1
Transportation and public utilities 971 957 911 15 8,131 11.2 0.9
Local and interurban passenger transportation 41 91 84 80 1 622 12.9 3.3
Trucking and warehousing 42 566 566 533 9 2,691 19.8 1.6
Transportation by air 45 89 97 85 1 884 9.6 2.7
Electric, gas, and sanitary services 49 86 84 88 1 982 - -
Wholesale trade 242 230 220 4 5,086 4.3 1.1
Retail trade 606 594 537 9 22,478 2.4 0.5
Food stores 54 154 145 132 2 2,862 - -
Automotive dealers and service stations 55 102 95 83 1 - - -
Eating and drinking places 58 142 138 147 2 6,870 2.1 1.0
Finance, insurance, and real estate 98 79 86 1 8,616 1.0 0.9
Services 754 769 767 13 39,904 1.9 0.4
Business services 73 181 199 191 3 9,698 2.0 0.8
Automotive repair, services, and parking 75 122 132 115 2 - - -
Government(7) 593 573 630 11 20,318 3.1 0.5
Federal (including resident armed forces) 161 149 161 3 4,436 3.6 1.2
State 122 109 112 2 5,678 2.0 1.1
Local 306 311 332 6 10,205 3.3 0.8
Police protection 9221 99 112 121 2 - - -
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.
2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 14, 2001, reported a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for calendar year 2000. Since then, an additional 5 job-related fatalities were
identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 2000 to 5,920.
3 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older from the Current Population Survey, 2001, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from
the Department of Defense.
4 The employment figures, except for military, are annual average estimates of employed civilians, 16 years of age and older, from the Current Population Survey (CPS), 2001. The
resident military figure, obtained from the Department of Defense, was added to the CPS employment total.
5 The rate represents the number of fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 employed workers and was calculated as
follows: (N/W) x 100,000, where N = the number of fatal work injuries, and W = the number of employed workers. There were 20 fatally injured workers under the age of 16 years
that were not included in the rate calculations to maintain consistency with the CPS employment.
6 Includes fatalities at all establishments categorized as Mining (Division B) in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition, including establishments not governed
by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction.
7 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 15 fatalities for which there
was insufficient information to determine a specific industry classification, although 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, New York City, District of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of Fatal
Occupational Injuries, 1996-2001.
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2001
Occupation(1) Fatalities Selected event or exposure(2)(percent of total for occupation)
Number Percent Highway(3) Homicide Struck by Fall to lower level
object
---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------- -------- -------- ---------- -------------
Total, including fatalities from September 11th 8,786 - - - - -
Total, excluding fatalities from September 11th 5,900 100 24 11 9 12
Managerial and professional specialty 637 11 23 19 5 8
Executive, administrative, and managerial 378 6 20 24 5 10
Managers, food serving and lodging establishments 63 1 - 67 - -
Professional specialty 259 4 27 11 5 7
Technical, sales, and administrative support 641 11 25 32 3 4
Technicians and related support occupations 154 3 20 3 - 3
Airplane pilots and navigators 87 1 - - - -
Sales occupations 388 7 23 47 2 3
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations 191 3 18 53 3 3
Sales workers, retail and personal services 148 3 17 51 - 4
Cashiers 55 1 - 82 - -
Administrative support occupations, including clerical 99 2 39 16 8 7
Service occupations 511 9 19 33 3 6
Protective service occupations 287 5 24 35 4 3
Firefighting occupations, including supervisors 50 1 22 - - -
Police and detectives, including supervisors 159 3 34 39 - -
Guards, including supervisors 78 1 - 49 9 -
Cleaning and building services 78 1 12 13 - 24
Farming, forestry, and fishing 805 14 13 1 18 7
Farm operators and managers 321 5 12 - 17 4
Farmers, except horticultural 305 5 11 - 16 4
Managers, farms, except horticultural 11 0 - - - -
Other agricultural and related occupations 327 6 19 - 9 13
Farm occupations, except managerial 185 3 23 - 6 5
Farm workers, including supervisors 170 3 22 - 6 6
Related agricultural occupations 142 2 15 - 13 22
Groundskeepers and gardeners, except farm 120 2 12 - 15 23
Forestry and logging occupations 95 2 - - 63 6
Timber cutting and logging occupations 82 1 - - 67 6
Fishers, hunters, and trappers 62 1 - - - -
Fishers, including vessel captains and officers 62 1 - - - -
Precision production, craft, and repair 1,140 19 11 3 11 29
Mechanics and repairers 287 5 15 4 20 11
Construction trades 666 11 8 2 5 42
Carpenters and apprentices 112 2 6 - 4 62
Electricians and apprentices 109 2 8 - - 16
Roofers 78 1 - - - 72
Structural metal workers 45 1 - - - 87
Extractive occupations 97 2 12 - 21 -
Operators, fabricators, and laborers 2,043 35 37 5 10 10
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors 208 4 5 2 15 12
Transportation and material moving occupations 1,185 20 55 6 8 3
Motor vehicle operators 966 16 65 7 5 3
Truck drivers 799 14 68 2 6 3
Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs 62 1 40 55 - -
Material moving equipment operators 183 3 11 - 20 8
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers 650 11 14 3 14 20
Construction laborers 349 6 13 - 13 26
Laborers, except construction 167 3 14 4 14 14
Military(4) 110 1 15 - 6 -
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 13 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, New York City, District of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of
Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2001.
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 2001
Characteristics Fatalities Employment (in thousands)(1) Most frequent events(2)
Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total)
------------------------------------------- ----------------------- --------------------------- -------------------------------
Total, including fatalities from Sept. 11th 8,786 -- -- --
Total, excluding fatalities from Sept. 11th 5,900 100 136,252 100 Highway (24), falls (14)
Employee status
Wage and salary workers 4,770 81 126,298 93 Highway (26), falls (14)
Self-employed(3) 1,130 19 9,954 7 Homicides (15), highway (14)
Sex
Men 5,429 92 73,087 54 Highway (23), falls (14)
Women 471 8 63,164 46 Highway (29), homicides (27)
Age(4)
Under 16 years 20 - - - Nonhighway (25)
16 to 17 years 33 1 2,576 2 Highway (30)
18 to 19 years 122 2 4,432 3 Highway (25), homicides (11)
20 to 24 years 440 7 13,682 10 Highway (24), falls (15)
25 to 34 years 1,140 19 30,091 22 Highway (27), falls (12)
35 to 44 years 1,474 25 36,474 27 Highway (23), homicides (12)
45 to 54 years 1,363 23 30,627 22 Highway (23), falls (14)
55 to 64 years 773 13 14,135 10 Highway (24), falls (14)
65 years and over 529 9 4,175 3 Falls (20), highway (20)
Race or ethnic origin(5)
White 4,168 71 99,963 73 Highway (25), falls (14)
Black or African American 563 10 14,815 11 Highway (28), homicides (20)
Hispanic or Latino 891 15 14,815 11 Highway (19), falls (18)
American Indian or Alaskan Native 48 1 - - Highway (23), aircraft (21)
Asian 172 3 - - Homicides (41), falls (13)
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 9 - - - -
Multiple races 6 - - - -
Other races or not reported 43 1 - - Homicides (30), highway (19)
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1 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, plus resident armed forces, from the Current Population
Survey, 2001, 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 6 fatalities for which age was not reported.
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 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, New York City, District of Columbia, and federal
agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2001
Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 2001
Total fatalities Event or exposure2 (percent of state total for 2001)
------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Exposure to
Assaults with objects harmful Fires
Transportation and violent and substances or and
State of injury 2000(3) 2001(4) incidents acts equipment Falls environments explosions
(revised)
-------------------------------------------- -------------------------- --------------- ----------- ------------- --------- -------------- -------------
Total, including fatalities from Sept. 11th N/A 8,786 -- -- -- -- -- --
Total, excluding fatalities from Sept. 11th 5,920 5,900 43 15 16 14 8 3
Northeast 733 722 39 19 15 16 7 5
Connecticut 55 40 48 15 - 22 - -
Maine 26 23 43 - - 22 - -
Massachusetts 70 53 21 25 21 21 - -
New Hampshire 13 9 - - - - - -
New Jersey 115 129 33 19 14 17 9 7
New York (including N.Y.C.) 233 220 40 20 15 17 4 5
New York City 111 100 39 27 12 13 - 5
Pennsylvania 199 225 42 17 17 12 8 4
Rhode Island 7 17 35 - - - - -
Vermont 15 6 - - - - - -
Midwest 1,335 1,368 42 14 18 13 8 4
Illinois 206 231 32 19 16 17 12 4
Indiana 159 152 43 16 18 9 8 7
Iowa 71 62 48 - 26 13 8 -
Kansas 85 93 53 6 15 14 9 -
Michigan 156 175 37 21 18 13 6 4
Minnesota 68 76 37 - 29 21 9 -
Missouri 148 143 41 12 21 14 10 -
Nebraska 59 57 58 - 19 9 - -
North Dakota 34 25 64 - - - - -
Ohio 207 209 40 21 11 12 9 7
South Dakota 35 35 51 - 23 - - -
Wisconsin 107 110 52 7 19 14 5 -
South 2,600 2,513 43 15 16 13 10 3
Alabama 103 138 47 9 16 9 9 9
Arkansas 106 68 53 - 19 10 7 -
Delaware 13 10 50 - - - - -
District of Columbia 13 11 - 55 - - - -
Florida 329 368 41 18 9 17 13 -
Georgia 195 235 41 20 13 16 8 -
Kentucky 132 105 39 10 28 11 7 5
Louisiana 143 117 49 8 21 11 10 -
Maryland 84 64 38 28 11 11 11 -
Mississippi 125 111 48 11 14 11 14 -
North Carolina 234 203 46 15 16 13 9 -
Oklahoma 82 115 38 11 22 13 11 -
South Carolina 115 89 42 11 11 21 9 6
Tennessee 160 136 47 9 19 12 8 4
Texas 572 534 39 18 16 13 10 4
Virginia 148 146 47 7 21 11 8 6
West Virginia 46 63 52 - 21 14 - -
West 1,248 1,294 45 16 16 14 7 2
Alaska 53 64 75 8 8 - - -
Arizona 118 87 43 24 13 10 9 -
California 553 510 41 19 12 18 9 -
Colorado 117 139 40 19 19 14 6 -
Hawaii 20 41 44 20 24 - - -
Idaho 35 45 47 11 29 - - -
Montana 42 58 47 22 17 - - -
Nevada 51 40 52 18 12 - - -
New Mexico 35 59 47 14 22 10 - -
Oregon 52 44 45 - 23 18 - -
Utah 61 65 45 12 22 9 8 -
Washington 75 102 43 9 18 18 6 7
Wyoming 36 40 55 - 22 - 12 -
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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 The BLS news release issued Aug. 14, 2001 reported a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for
calendar year 2000. Since then, an additional 5 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the
total job-related fatality count for 2000 to 5,920.
4 Includes 3 fatalities that occurred within the territorial boundaries of the United States, but a State of
incident could not be determined.
5 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatalities and fatalities to workers struck by vehicles.
6 Includes homicides, self-inflicted injuries, and animal attacks.
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, New York City, District
of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2000-2001.
Table 6. CFOI participating 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) 703-4776
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) 442-5920
Florida Department of Insurance (850) 922-8953
Georgia Department of Labor (404) 679-0687
Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (808) 586-9001
Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090
Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 782-5750
Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668
Iowa Division 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) 624-5627
Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (517) 322-5258
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (651) 284-5568
Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7186
Missouri Department of Health (573) 751-6155
Montana Department of Labor and Industry (406) 444-3297
Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547
Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 684-7081
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 U.S. Department of Labor (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) 947-7051
Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548
Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 222-2812
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (803) 734-4298
South Dakota U.S. Department of Labor (312) 353-7200
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (615) 741-1749
Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (512) 804 4637
Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823
Vermont Department of Labor and Industry (802) 828-5076
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (804) 786-6427
Washington Department of Labor and Industries (360) 902-5512
West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (608) 266-7850
Wyoming U.S. Department of Labor (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 2001 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 2001, there were 148 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 16 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 14, 2001, reported
a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for 2000. Since then, an additional 5 fatal work injuries
were identified, bringing the total for 2000 to 5,920.
Federal/state
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 16 percent of the fatal work injuries in 2001.
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 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, New York City, and the District of
Columbia for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal
work injuries. BLS would like to thank in particular the New York City Department of Health,
the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
for an exceptional job when faced with a unusually heavy workload. 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.