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United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 Technical information: (202) 691-6175 Media information: (202) 691-5902 Internet address: http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm USDL 03-488 FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT Wednesday, September 17, 2003 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2002 A total of 5,524 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2002, a decline of 6.6 percent from 2001, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. The count for 2002 was the lowest ever recorded by the fatality census, which has been conducted yearly since 1992. The fatality rate also reached a new low of 4.0 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers in 2002. In 2001, 5,915 fatal work injuries occurred, excluding the 2,886 work-related fatalities that resulted from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which were tabulated separately. The comparisons in this release do not include the fatalities related to the terrorist attacks. Profile of 2002 fatal work injuries by type of incident Fatal highway incidents were down 3 percent from 2001, but continued to be the most frequent type of fatal workplace event in 2002, accounting for about a quarter of all fatal work injuries. Other types of fatal transportation events also declined, including aircraft incidents (down 22 percent) and workers struck by vehicle or mobile equipment (down 7 percent). Overall, fatal work injuries from transportation incidents declined for the fourth year in a row, from 2,645 in 1998 to 2,381 in 2002. Workplace homicides were down about 5 percent in 2002, from 643 in 2001 to 609 in 2002. The number of workplace homicides in 2002 was the lowest recorded in the fatality census and represented a 44 percent decline from the high of 1,080 workplace homicides recorded in 1994. Workplace suicides also were down in 2002. Fatalities resulting from falls declined for the first time since 1998, from 810 in 2001 to 714 in 2002, a drop of 12 percent. Virtually all types of fatal falls declined in 2002, though falls from ladders and falls from nonmoving vehicles increased slightly. The only major fatality event recording an increase was exposure to harmful substances or environments (up 8 percent). The increase in this event category was led by a sharp increase in the number of fatalities involving contact with temperature 1 Chart 1. The three most frequent work-related fatal events, 1992-2002 Number of fatalities 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 1,158 1,242 1,346 1,393 1,343 1,346 1,080 618 1,496 714 721 734 810 714 651 677 643 609 1,365 1,409 1,372 1,036 927 1,044 1,074 600 1,442 665 860 691 651 716 706 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Year Highway incidents Homicides Falls NOTE: Data from 2001 exclude fatalities resulting from September 11 terrorist attacks. SOURCE: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2002. Chart 2. Numbers and rates of fatal occupational injuries by industry division, 2002 Construction 12.2 1,121 Transportation 11.3 910 Agriculture 22.7 789 Services 1.7 680 Manufacturing 563 Government 554 Retail trade 3.1 2.7 2.1 487 Wholesale trade 4.0 205 Mining* 121 Finance 23.5 87 2,000 1,000 Number of fatalities 1.0 0 10 20 30 Fatality rate (per 100,000 employed) * Includes 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. Rate = (Fatal work injuries/Employment) x 100,000 employed. Employment data extracted from the 2002 Current Population Survey (CPS). The fatality rates were calculated using employment as the denominator; employment-based rates measure the risk for those employed during a given period of time, regardless of exposure hours. SOURCE: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2002. 2 extremes (such as heat stroke), which increased from 35 fatalities in 2001 to 60 in 2002. Electrocutions also increased slightly in 2002. Profile of fatal work injuries by industry Construction continued to record the highest number of fatal injuries of any major industry, although the total for construction was down 9 percent from the series high recorded in 2001. Fatal work injuries in mining also were lower, due to declines in coal mining and in oil and gas extraction. Fatal work injuries in manufacturing, transportation and public utilities, retail and wholesale trade, services, and government also declined from 2001 levels. Fatal work injuries in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry increased about 6 percent in 2002, due to increases in forestry and in agricultural crop production fatalities. Fatal work injuries in commercial fishing--historically one of the more hazardous industries--were down sharply, from 60 in 2001 to 31 in 2002. Rates of fatal work injury in 2002 were highest in the mining, agriculture/forestry/fishing, construction, and transportation/public utilities industries. The mining industry recorded a rate of 23.5 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers in 2002, the highest of any major industry, but down about 22 percent from the rate recorded in 2001. Fatal work injury rates for all other major industries also were down in 2002, except in finance, insurance, and real estate (unchanged) and in transportation and public utilities (up slightly). Profile of fatal work injuries by occupation Operators, fabricators, and laborers accounted for 1,895 fatal work injuries in 2002, the most of any major occupational group and about a third of the fatal work injuries reported in 2002. However, the number of fatalities for this occupational group declined for the third consecutive year and was down about 7 percent from 2001. Fatal work injuries among machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors were down sharply in 2002, and fatalities involving transportation and material moving occupations also were lower. Fatal work injuries among construction laborers also declined in 2002, from a series high of 350 in 2001 to 302 fatalities in 2002--a decline of 14 percent. However, fatalities among laborers, except construction, were higher by about 8 percent in 2002. Overall, fatalities in handler, equipment cleaner, helper, and laborer occupations were down about 10 percent. Truck drivers--who had more fatal injuries than any other individual occupation-- recorded 808 fatal work injuries, a slight increase from the 802 fatalities recorded in 2001. Precision production, craft, and repair workers accounted for 1,104 fatal work injuries in 2002 or about one-fifth of the overall total. While fatal work injuries in this occupational group were down about 3 percent overall in 2002, fatalities in the 3 Chart 3. Numbers and rates of fatal occupational injuries for selected occupations, 2002 Average fatality rate for all occupations: 4.0 Truck drivers Farm occupations* Sales occupations Construction laborers 808 25.0 28.0 519 347 2.1 302 27.7 14.2 181 Laborers (exc. const.) Groundskeepers 146 Police & detectives 140 Electricians 116 Carpenters 108 Pilots and navigators 1,000 15.0 11.6 13.5 6.9 69.8 90 500 0 Number of fatalities 25 50 75 Fatality rate (per 100,000 employed) *Farm occupations include the following: Non-horticultural farmers, non-horticultural farm managers, farm workers, and farm worker supervisors. Rate = (Fatal work injuries/Employment) x 100,000 workers. Employment data extracted from the 2002 Current Population Survey (CPS). The fatality rates were calculated using employment as the denominator; employment-based rates measure the risk for those employed during a given period of time, regardless of exposure hours. SOURCE: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2002. construction trades sub-group were slightly higher. The 682 fatal work injuries in the construction trades in 2002 was the highest recorded by the fatality census for that group. Roofers, electricians, brick masons, and painters were among the construction trades recording increases in 2002. Mechanics and repairers recorded a lower number of fatal work injuries in 2002, and fatalities involving extractive occupations were down 40 percent in 2002. Service occupations also recorded fewer fatal work injuries in 2002 than in 2001 (down 6 percent), as did managerial and professional specialty occupations (down 20 percent) and technical, sales, and administrative support occupations (down 7 percent). The number of fatal work injuries in farming, forestry, and fishing, however, increased from 804 in 2001 to 840 in 2002, a rise of about 4 percent. In that group, forestry and logging workers, groundskeepers, farm workers, and farming operators/ managers were among the occupations recording increases. Rates of fatal injury were down for all major occupational categories in 2002. However, a few smaller occupational groups recorded higher rates in 2002, including construction trades, forestry and logging occupations, and water transportation occupations. 4 Profile of fatal work injuries by demographic characteristics Fatal work injuries were down in almost every demographic category-- men and women, wage and salary and self-employed workers, and virtually all age groups. Fatal work injuries among workers 19 years of age and under went from 175 in 2001 to 133 in 2002, a decline of 24 percent. Fatal work injuries among white, non-Hispanic workers were down about 6 percent. Fatal work injuries among Hispanic workers, which had been rising each year since 1995, also were down by 6 percent in 2002. However, the 840 fatal work injuries recorded for Hispanic workers in 2002 accounted for the second highest annual total for that population. Among black workers, a total of 491 fatalities were recorded— the lowest annual count ever for that population. Profile of fatal work injuries by state Thirty states and the District of Columbia had fewer fatal work injuries in 2002 than in 2001. Two states (New Jersey and North Dakota) had the same number of fatalities in both 2001 and 2002, and the remaining 18 states reported increases. Nine states reported series lows in 2002. For more detailed state results, 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 11th 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 work time and presents frequency counts and incidence rates by industry. Copies of the news release on nonfatal injuries and illnesses in 2001 are available from BLS by calling (202) 691-6179 or by accessing the website listed below. Incidence rates for 2002 5 by industry will be published in December 2003, and information on 2002 worker and case characteristics will be available in the spring of 2004. For additional data, access the BLS Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/iif/. To request a copy of BLS Report 970 which highlights 2001 fatality results and includes a summary of the work-related fatalities that resulted from the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, e-mail your address to CFOIstaff@bls.gov or write to Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Room 3180, Washington, DC 20212. 6 Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1997-2002 Fatalities Event or exposure1 20012 2002 1997-2001 average Number Number Percent Total ............................................................................... 6,036 5,915 5,524 100 Transportation incidents................................................... Highway .......................................................................... Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment ............. Moving in same direction ........................................ Moving in opposite directions, oncoming................. Moving in intersection ............................................. Vehicle struck stationary object or equipment .............. Noncollision ................................................................. Jackknifed or overturned--no collision ..................... Nonhighway (farm, industrial premises) ........................... Overturned.............................................................. Aircraft............................................................................. Worker struck by a vehicle............................................... Water vehicle................................................................... Rail vehicle...................................................................... 2,593 1,421 697 126 254 148 300 369 300 368 202 248 382 99 68 2,524 1,409 727 142 257 138 297 339 273 326 158 247 383 90 62 2,381 1,372 635 155 202 145 326 373 312 322 164 192 356 71 64 43 25 11 3 4 3 6 7 6 6 3 3 6 1 1 Assaults and violent acts.................................................. Homicides ....................................................................... Shooting ...................................................................... Stabbing ...................................................................... Other, including bombing………………………………… Self-inflicted injuries......................................................... 964 709 567 64 78 221 908 643 509 58 76 230 840 609 469 58 82 199 15 11 8 1 1 4 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.................... 995 562 352 58 290 156 126 962 553 343 60 266 144 122 873 506 303 38 231 110 116 16 9 5 1 4 2 2 Falls.................................................................................... Fall to lower level............................................................. Fall from ladder............................................................ Fall from roof ............................................................... Fall from scaffold ......................................................... Fall on same level............................................................ 737 654 111 155 91 61 810 700 123 159 91 84 714 634 126 143 87 63 13 11 2 3 2 1 Exposure to harmful substances or environments......... Contact with electric current............................................. Contact with overhead powerlines ............................... Contact with temperature extremes ................................. Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances ... Inhalation of substance................................................ Oxygen deficiency ........................................................... Drowning, submersion ................................................. 529 291 134 41 106 52 89 71 499 285 124 35 96 49 83 59 538 289 122 60 98 49 90 60 10 5 2 1 2 1 2 1 Fires and explosions......................................................... 197 188 165 3 21 24 13 - 3 Other events or exposures .............................................. 1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. The BLS news release issued September 25, 2002 reported a total of 5,900 fatal work injuries for calendar year 2001. Since then, an additional 15 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 2001 to 5,915. Totals for 2001 exclude fatalities from the September 11 terrorist attacks. 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. Dash indicates 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, 1997-2002. 2 7 Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 2002 2002 Fatalities 19972001 average 2001 (revised)2 Number Number Total ..................................................................... 6,036 5,915 5,524 100 137,700 4.0 Private industry ................................................... 5,438 5,281 4,970 90 116,863 4.2 Industry SIC Code1 Fatalities per Employment 100,000 Number Percent (thousands) employed4 2002 2002 3 Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ................... Agricultural production – crops....................... Agricultural production – livestock.................. Agricultural services....................................... 01 02 07 790 337 156 183 741 301 129 191 789 338 129 198 14 6 2 4 3,417 899 989 1,437 22.7 37.0 12.5 13.8 Mining5 ............................................................. Coal mining ................................................... Oil and gas extraction .................................... 12 13 151 36 78 170 42 98 121 25 71 2 1 515 87 308 23.5 28.7 23.1 Construction .................................................... General building contractors .......................... Heavy construction, except building............... Special trades contractors ............................. 15 16 17 1,171 193 271 689 1,226 202 267 735 1,121 189 246 661 20 3 4 12 9,163 - 12.2 - Manufacturing.................................................. Food and kindred products ............................ Lumber and wood products ........................... 20 24 686 72 180 598 57 151 563 64 142 10 1 3 18,072 1,640 706 3.1 3.9 20.1 960 915 910 16 8,060 11.3 91 569 83 86 80 536 85 88 60 584 71 81 1 11 1 1 683 2,777 800 - 8.8 21.0 8.9 - 232 220 205 4 5,065 4.0 577 144 99 138 538 132 83 148 487 100 68 126 9 2 1 2 22,900 7,217 2.1 1.7 92 86 87 2 8,940 1.0 753 186 125 772 192 116 680 165 114 12 3 2 40,820 7,101 1,597 1.7 2.3 7.1 Transportation and public utilities ................. Local and interurban passenger transportation............................................... Trucking and warehousing............................. Transportation by air...................................... Electric, gas, and sanitary services................ 41 42 45 49 Wholesale trade ............................................... Retail trade....................................................... Food stores ................................................... Automotive dealers and service stations........ Eating and drinking places............................. 54 55 58 Finance, insurance, and real estate................ Services ........................................................... Business services.......................................... Automotive repair, services, and parking ....... 73 75 Government6 599 634 554 10 20,837 Federal (including resident armed forces).......... 157 162 137 2 4,493 State.................................................................. 118 112 92 2 5,711 Local. ................................................................ 315 335 313 6 10,634 Police Protection............................................ 9221 108 212 108 2 1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition. 2 The BLS news release issued September 25, 2002 reported a total of 5,900 fatal work injuries for calendar year 2001. Since then, an additional 15 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 2001 to 5,915. Totals for 2001 exclude fatalities from the September 11 terrorist attacks. 3 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older from the Current Population Survey, 2002, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from the Department of Defense. 4 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 16 fatally injured workers under the age of 16 years that were not included in the rate calculations to maintain consistency with the CPS employment. Relative standard errors are available upon request. 5 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. 6 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 7 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, 1997-2002. 8 2.7 3.0 1.6 2.9 - Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2002 Selected event or exposure2 (percent of total for occupation) Fatalities Occupation1 Highway3 Homicide Struck by Fall to lower object level Number Percent Total ............................................................................ 5,524 100 25 11 9 11 Managerial and professional specialty ........................ Executive, administrative, and managerial ................... Managers, food serving and lodging establishments........................................................ Professional specialty.................................................. 513 319 9 6 23 23 20 27 4 5 7 8 46 194 1 4 7 22 80 10 3 6 Technical, sales, and administrative support.............. Technicians and related support occupations .............. Airplane pilots and navigators.................................. Sales occupations ....................................................... Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations ....... Sales workers, retail and personal services ............. Cashiers .............................................................. Administrative support occupations, including clerical.. 595 155 90 347 162 132 47 93 11 3 2 6 3 2 1 2 22 12 20 12 17 42 35 5 52 61 58 85 24 3 3 3 4 - 3 2 4 4 - Service occupations...................................................... Protective service occupations .................................... Firefighting occupations, including supervisors ........ Police and detectives, including supervisors ............ Guards, including supervisors.................................. Cleaning and building services .................................... 483 272 52 140 80 92 9 5 1 3 1 2 23 30 38 34 16 13 32 35 41 46 15 3 3 7 6 25 Farming, forestry, and fishing ...................................... Farm operators and managers .................................... Farmers, except horticultural .................................. Other agricultural and related occupations................... Farm occupations, except managerial .................... Farm workers....................................................... 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........ 840 337 306 366 198 183 168 146 104 72 33 33 15 6 6 7 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 14 14 13 13 15 15 11 12 19 6 - 2 2 4 2 - 20 17 18 13 9 9 17 17 62 74 - 7 4 4 11 4 4 20 22 - Precision production, craft, and repair ........................ Mechanics and repairers ............................................. Construction trades ..................................................... Carpenters and apprentices..................................... Electricians and apprentices .................................... Roofers.................................................................... Structural metal workers .......................................... Extractive occupations................................................. 1,104 274 682 108 116 87 39 58 20 5 12 2 2 2 1 1 13 18 11 9 9 9 14 3 4 1 - 9 15 5 6 14 28 13 38 56 15 68 69 10 Operators, fabricators, and laborers ............................ Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors .......... Transportation and material moving 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.................................. 1,895 168 1,143 952 808 51 153 584 302 181 34 3 21 17 15 1 3 11 5 3 39 5 57 67 69 37 7 12 11 12 5 4 5 6 2 59 5 2 4 9 12 8 6 7 21 11 13 11 9 16 3 3 3 7 19 24 14 Military4 .......................................................................... 85 1 26 - 7 - 1 Based on the 1990 Occupational Classification System developed by the Bureau of the Census. The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that occupational group. Event or exposure categories are based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. 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 9 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, 2002. 2 9 Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 2002 Characteristics Fatalities Number Percent Total................................................. Employment (in thousands)1 Number Percent Most frequent events2 (percent of total) 5,524 100 137,700 100 Highway (25), falls (13) 4,472 1,052 81 19 127,818 9,882 93 7 Highway (27), falls (13) Homicides (15), highway (15) 5,083 441 92 8 73,939 63,761 54 46 Highway (24), falls (13) Homicides (31), highway (30) 16 25 92 435 1,020 1,402 1,250 783 494 2 8 18 25 23 14 9 2,333 4,115 13,753 30,711 35,486 31,319 15,676 4,306 2 3 10 22 26 23 11 3 Nonhighway (38) Highway (24) Highway (27) Highway (24), falls (11) Highway (24), homicides (14) Highway (26), homicides (12) Highway (24) Highway (27), falls (15) Highway (23), falls (18) 3,917 491 840 40 131 9 92 71 9 15 1 2 2 99,256 14,064 16,699 - 72 10 12 - Highway (26), falls (13) Highway (27), homicides (23) Highway (21), falls (16) Highway (30) Homicides (40), highway (15) Highway (56) Homicides (28), highway (23) Employee status Wage and salary workers.................... Self-employed3 .................................... Sex Men..................................................... Women ............................................... Age4 Under 16 years ................................... 16 to 17 years ..................................... 18 to 19 years ..................................... 20 to 24 years ..................................... 25 to 34 years ..................................... 35 to 44 years ..................................... 45 to 54 years ..................................... 55 to 64 years ..................................... 65 years and over ............................... Race or ethnic origin5 White .................................................. Black or African American ................... Hispanic or Latino ............................... American Indian or Alaskan Native...... Asian................................................... Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander ..... Other races or not reported ................. 1 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older from the Current Population Survey, 2002, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from the Department of Defense. 2 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. “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 transportrelated 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 7 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, 2002 10 Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 2002 Total fatalities1 State of injury Total ............................................................... Northeast Connecticut .......................... Maine ................................... Massachusetts ..................... New Hampshire.................... New Jersey .......................... New York (including N.Y.C.) . New York City..................... Pennsylvania........................ Rhode Island ........................ Vermont ............................... Midwest Illinois ................................... Indiana ................................. Iowa ..................................... Kansas ................................. Michigan............................... Minnesota............................. Missouri................................ Nebraska.............................. North Dakota ........................ Ohio ..................................... South Dakota ....................... Wisconsin............................. South Alabama............................... Arkansas .............................. Delaware .............................. District of Columbia .............. Florida .................................. Georgia ................................ Kentucky .............................. Louisiana.............................. Maryland .............................. Mississippi............................ North Carolina ...................... Oklahoma............................. South Carolina...................... Tennessee ........................... Texas ................................... Virginia ................................. West Virginia ........................ West Alaska .................................. Arizona................................. California .............................. Colorado .............................. Hawaii .................................. Idaho .................................... Montana ............................... Nevada................................. New Mexico.......................... Oregon ................................. Utah ..................................... Washington .......................... Wyoming .............................. 20013 (revised) 5,915 724 41 23 54 9 129 220 100 225 17 6 1,371 231 152 62 94 175 76 145 57 25 209 35 110 2,519 138 68 10 11 368 237 105 117 64 111 203 115 91 136 536 146 63 1,299 64 87 515 139 41 45 58 40 59 44 65 102 40 20024 5,524 708 39 30 46 19 129 238 100 188 8 11 1,315 190 136 56 89 151 81 175 83 25 202 36 91 2,304 102 80 11 8 354 197 146 103 102 94 169 92 107 140 417 142 40 1,196 42 101 478 123 24 39 51 45 63 63 52 83 32 Event or exposure2 (percent of state total for 2002) Transportation 5 incidents 43 38 46 83 30 47 36 30 16 41 41 31 40 38 43 31 54 47 52 64 39 56 40 43 35 46 45 47 42 48 48 36 49 45 54 36 49 38 35 45 49 71 51 42 50 54 74 57 44 59 37 67 46 53 1 Assaults and violent 6 acts Contact with objects and equipment 15 19 18 20 22 24 36 12 62 15 23 17 10 23 14 10 15 14 14 19 9 15 17 12 23 16 9 9 21 19 15 15 15 21 20 22 16 8 8 7 - 16 16 13 24 26 10 17 15 18 19 17 22 29 22 19 21 13 20 20 25 22 14 23 11 8 11 14 12 15 11 18 12 22 17 16 15 32 14 14 8 13 11 16 19 29 10 25 19 Falls 13 15 20 16 19 25 13 12 15 7 18 11 12 10 14 7 15 10 14 11 19 14 15 14 16 15 11 17 12 6 17 17 11 10 12 12 12 18 10 13 - Exposure to harmful substances or environments Fires and explosions 10 8 11 7 7 11 10 10 12 11 10 11 10 8 7 9 11 11 13 12 15 12 10 15 9 7 9 10 8 7 10 12 9 8 10 5 13 8 - 3 4 5 4 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 7 6 10 5 4 2 2 13 - Includes other events and exposures such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately. Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. The BLS news release issued September 25, 2002, reported a total of 5,900 fatal work injuries for calendar year 2001. Since then, an additional 15 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 2001 to 5,915. Totals exclude fatalities resulting from the September 11 terrorist attacks. 4 Includes 1 fatality 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, 2001-2002. 2 3 11 Table 6. CFOI participating agencies and telephone numbers State Agency Telephone number Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida 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 Financial Services (334) 242-3460 (907) 465-4539 (602) 542-3739 (501) 682-4542 (415) 703-4776 (303) 692-2173 (860) 566-4380 (302) 761-8223 (202) 442-5920 (850) 922-8953 ext. 113 Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine 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 (404) 679-0687 (808) 586-9001 (208) 334-6090 (217) 782-5750 (317) 232-2668 (515) 281-5151 (785) 296-1058 (502) 564-3070 ext. 281 (225) 342-3126 (207) 624-6440 Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire 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 (410) 767-2356 (617) 624-5627 (517) 322-1851 (651) 284-5568 (601) 576-7186 (573) 751-2454 (406) 444-3297 (402) 471-3547 (775) 684-7081 (603) 271-4647 New Jersey New Mexico New York State New York City North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Department of Health and Senior Services Occupational Health and Safety Bureau Department of Health Department of Health Department of Labor U.S. Department of Labor Department of Health Department of Labor Department of Consumer and Business Services Department of Health (609) 984-1863 (505) 827-4230 (518) 402-7900 (212) 788-4585 (919) 733-0337 (312) 353-7253 (614) 466-4183 (405) 528-1500 (503) 947-7051 (717) 783-2548 Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Department of Health Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation U.S. Department of Labor 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 Department of Employment, Research and Planning (401) 222-2812 (803) 734-4298 (312) 353-7253 (615) 741-1749 (512) 804 4637 (801) 530-6823 (802) 828-5076 (804) 786-6427 (360) 902-5512 (304) 558-7890 (608) 266-7850 (307) 473-3819 12 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 2002 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 exposures 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 2002, there were 108 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 28 fatalities submitted by states were not included because the initiating source document had insufficient 13 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 final data are issued. Over the last 5 years, increases in the published counts based on additional information have averaged less than 20 fatalities per year or less than 0.3 percent of the revised total. The BLS news release issued September 25, 2002, reported a total of 5,900 fatal work injuries for 2001 (excluding work-related fatalities resulting from the terrorist attacks of September 11). Since then, an additional 15 fatal work injuries were identified, bringing the total for 2001 to 5,915. Beginning in 2004, BLS will release final updated numbers earlier than in past years. Previously, updated numbers were released along with the following year’s data in the annual news release. Updated numbers will now be released on the BLS internet in the late spring, or about 3 or 4 months earlier than in past years. Federal/state agency coverage The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all fatal work injuries, whether the decedent was working in a job covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or was 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 by each agency. 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 2002. 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 14 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 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. 15