Technical information:				           USDL - 96 - 315
 G. Toscano  (202) 606-6175
 Media contact:					FOR RELEASE:  10 a.m.  EDT
 K. Hoyle  (202) 606-5902			   Thursday, August 8,1996



 NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES, 1995

 	After increasing in 1993 and 1994, the number of fatal work injuries 
 fell 6 percent in 1995 to a total of 6,210, according to the Census of 
 Fatal Occupational Injuries, Bureau of Labor statistics, U.S. Department 
 of Labor.  The lower fatality count in 1995 largely reflects a decrease 
 over 1994 in the number of workers killed in firearm-related homicides 
 and commercial airline crashes.  Job-related homicides involving 
 shootings dropped 19 percent from 1994 totals. Smaller decreases were 
 reported for most other types of fatal events.  

 	On average, about 17 workers were killed each day.  The construction 
 industry accounted for over 1,000 fatalities, more than any other 
 industry and slightly above the 1994 total.  Construction fatalities 
 primarily resulted from falls, electrocutions, and vehicle-related 
 incidents.  Almost one-third of the workers killed in the construction 
 industry were laborers.

 	This release profiles fatal work injuries by type of event, 
 occupation, industry, demographic characteristics of the worker, and 
 state.  


Profiles from the 1995 fatality census

 	Highway traffic incidents and homicides led all other events that 
 resulted in fatal work injuries in 1995.  These two events totaled over 
 a third of the work injury deaths that occurred during the year.  Both 
 of these event categories experienced a slight reduction in fatalities 
 from the previous year.  (See table 1)

	Highway deaths accounted for 21 percent of the 6,210 fatal work 
 injuries in 1995.  Slightly over half of highway fatality victims were 
 driving or riding in a truck.  Transport-related incidents occurring on 
 private property (such as tractors or forklifts overturning) and workers 
 being struck by vehicles each accounted for about 6 percent of the 
 worker fatalities.  Air, rail, and water transport together accounted 
 for another 7 percent of the deaths.

	Homicide accounted for 16 percent of the total and was the second 
 leading cause of job-related deaths in 1995.  Workplace homicide showed 
 a decrease of 5 percent from the 1994 total, despite the Oklahoma City 
 bombing of a federal building, which accounted for 12 percent of the 
 job-related homicides in 1995.  While firearm-related workplace 
 homicides were down 19 percent from 1994, they still accounted for 
 three-quarters of job-related homicides.  Homicides of female workers 
 continued to rise and accounted for almost half of their fatal work 
 injuries. 

	Robbery was the primary motive of job-related homicide.  About two-
 fifths of the homicide victims worked in retail establishments, such as 
 grocery stores and eating and drinking establishments, where cash is 
 readily available.  Taxicab drivers, police, and security guards were 
 other workers with high numbers of homicides.

	Falls accounted for 10 percent of the fatal work injuries.  One-
 fifth of the falls were from or through roofs; falls from scaffolding 
 and from ladders each accounted for about one-seventh.  Fatalities due 
 to falls from roofs and ladders increased slightly over 1994 totals.  
 The construction industry, primarily special trade contractors such as 
 roofing, carpentry, and structural steel erection, accounted for half of 
 the fatal falls.

	Nine percent of the fatally injured workers were struck by various 
 objects, such as falling trees, machinery that had slipped into gear, 
 and various building materials.  Fatalities from these types of 
 incidents were at their lowest level since the fatality census began in 
 1992.

	Electrocutions accounted for 6 percent of the worker deaths in 1995.  
 While most other major fatal event categories declined in number from 
 the 1994 total, job-related electrocutions remained virtually at the 
 same level as last year.  Two-fifths of these fatalities resulted from  
 the worker or equipment being used coming in contact with overhead power 
 lines.

	In 1995, there were 217 multiple fatality incidents (incidents that 
 resulted in two or more worker deaths) resulting in 686 job-related 
 deaths.  This is slightly less than in 1994 when 227 events resulted in 
 722 fatal work injuries.

	Eighty-five percent of the fatally injured workers died the day they 
 were injured; 98 percent died within 30 days.


 Occupation highlights (table 2 ):

 * Occupations with large numbers of worker fatalities included truck 
 drivers, farm workers, sales supervisors and proprietors, and 
 construction laborers.

 * Specific events or exposures responsible for workers' deaths varied 
 considerably among occupations.  Highway crashes and jackknifings 
 accounted for about two-thirds of the truck drivers' deaths, while 
 homicides accounted for about two-thirds of the fatalities among sales 
 supervisors and proprietors.  Half of the deaths in various farm 
 occupations occurred in vehicle-related incidents, both on and off the 
 highway.


 Industry highlights (table 3):

 * The construction industry accounted for one out of every six fatal 
 work injuries that occurred during 1995.

 * Industry divisions with large numbers of fatalities relative to their 
 employment include agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction; 
 transportation and public utilities; and mining.

 * Retail trade had the largest decrease in fatal work injuries from 1994 
 totals; fatalities went down 16 percent during 1995, primarily as a 
 result of the drop in workplace homicides.  Construction and finance, 
 insurance, and real estate were the only industry divisions that posted 
 increases in fatal work injuries.


 Worker characteristics highlights (table 4):

 * Women and teens recorded increases in fatal work injuries over the 
 previous year.  

 * Men accounted for about 91 percent of all fatal work injuries in 1995.

 * The events responsible for fatal injuries varied among worker groups, 
 reflecting their occupations and other characteristics.  While highway 
 crashes were cited as the most frequent fatal event for many of the 
 worker groups, homicides accounted for the greatest portion of worker 
 deaths for the self-employed, women, blacks, Asians and Pacific 
 Islanders, and Hispanics.

 State highlights (table 5):

 * In general, states that have the largest number of persons employed 
 also reported the largest number of work-related fatalities.  Three of 
 the largest states accounted for one-fourth of the total fatality count:  
 California (614), Texas (475), and Florida (376).  A state's industry 
 mix also must be considered when evaluating its occupational fatality 
 profile, especially when large numbers of workers are employed in 
 relatively dangerous industries, such as agriculture, mining, and 
 construction.

 * Eight states reported changes in fatalities of 20 or more that also 
 represented a difference of at least 20 percent compared with 1994's 
 totals. Major disasters, such as the Oklahoma City bombing or an airline 
 crash, can cause substantial year-to-year fluctuations in occupational 
 fatality totals.

 State         1994  1995  Numeric  Percent  Contributing factor
                           change   change
 -----         ----  ----  -------  -------  --------------------

 Indiana        195   156   -39      -20     Airline crash in 1994
 Iowa            74    54   -20      -27     Fewer vehicular incidents
 Louisiana      187   139   -48      -26     Fewer transport-related 
                                               incidents
 Nebraska        83    54   -29      -35     Fewer multiple fatality 
                                               incidents
 Oklahoma        97   199   102      105     Federal building bombing in 
                                               1995
 Pennsylvania   354   233  -121      -34     Airline crash in 1994
 South Carolina  83   103    20       24     Increase in transport-
                                               related incidents
 Virginia       164   132   -32      -20     Fewer highway fatalities


 Relative risk (tables 3 and 4):

 	The annual average employment data are collected in the BLS Current 
 Population Survey.  By comparing the percent distributions of fatalities 
 and employment, the user can evaluate the relative risk of a job-related 
 fatality for a given occupation, industry, or worker characteristic.  
 For example, the construction industry accounted for about 17 percent of 
 the fatality total, which was about 3 times greater than its share of 
 total employment of 6 percent.  While employment can be used to evaluate 
 the relative risk of a fatal work injury, other measures, such as 
 employee exposure hours, also can be used.


 Background of the program

 	The BLS census uses diverse 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.

	The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS safety 
 and health statistics program, provides the most complete count of fatal 
 work injuries available because it uses diverse state and federal data 
 sources.  This is the fourth 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 state agencies participating with BLS in the census program listed 
 in table 6.

 	The Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses profiles worker 
 and case characteristics of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses 
 resulting in lost worktime in addition to presenting frequency counts 
 and incidence rates by industry.  Copies of the 1994 news release are 
 available from BLS by calling 202-606-6304.  Incidence rates for 1995 by 
 industry will be published in December 1996.  Information on 1995 worker 
 and case characteristics will be published in April 1997.  For 
 additional occupational safety and health data, access the BLS World 
 Wide Web Internet site:  http://www.bls.gov/oshhome.htm



      Table 1.  Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1992-1995

                                                                             
                                                Fatalities                   
                             ___________________________________________
                                                                             
                                                                          
       Event or exposure(1)    1992     1993   1994(2)         1995       
                             ______    ______  ______    _______________
                                                                          
                                                                
                              Number   Number  Number    Number  Percent 
      _____________________  _______   ______  ______    ______  _______      
                                                                            
                                                                         
        Total...............  6,217      6,331    6,632    6,210   100   
                                                                         
      Transportation                                                     
         incidents..........  2,484      2,501    2,762    2,560    41   
        Highway.............  1,158      1,243    1,343    1,329    21   
          Collision between                                              
             vehicles,                                                   
             mobile                                                      
             equipment......    578        657      654      634    10   
            Moving in same                                               
               direction....     78         99      120      125     2   
            Moving in                                                    
               opposite                                                  
               directions,                                               
               oncoming.....    201        244      230      244     4   
            Moving in                                                    
               intersection.    107        123      144       97     2   
          Vehicle struck                                                 
             stationary                                                  
             object or                                                   
             equipment......    192        190      255      268     4   
          Noncollision......    301        336      373      350     6   
            Jackknifed or                                               
               overturned                                              
               no collision.    213        237      274      260     4   
        Nonhighway (farm,                                                
           industrial                                                    
           premises)........    436        392      409      388     6   
            Overturned......    208        212      226      210     3   
        Aircraft............    353        282      426      278     4   
        Worker struck by a                                               
           vehicle..........    346        365      391      385     6   
        Water vehicle.......    109        120       94       84     1   
        Railway.............     66         86       81       82     1   
                                                                         
      Assaults and violent                                               
         acts...............  1,281      1,329    1,321    1,262    20   
        Homicides...........  1,044      1,074    1,080    1,024    16   
           Shooting..........    852        884      934      754    12   
          Stabbing..........     90         95       60       67     1   
          Other, including                                               
             bombing........    102         95       86      203     3   
        Selfinflicted                                                   
           injury...........    205        222      214      215     3   
                                                                         
      Contact with objects                                               
         and equipment......  1,004      1,045    1,017      915    15   
        Struck by object....    557        566      590      546     9   
          Struck by falling                                              
             object.........    361        346      372      340     5   
          Struck by flying                                               
             object.........     77         82       68       63     1   
        Caught in or                                                     
           compressed by                                                 
           equipment or                                                  
           objects..........    316        309      280      255     4   
          Caught in running                                              
             equipment or                                                
             machinery......    159        151      147      131     2   
        Caught in or crushed                                             
           in collapsing                                                 
           materials........    110        138      132       99     2   
                                                                         
      Falls.................    600        618      665      643    10   
        Fall to lower level.    507        533      580      573     9   
          Fall from ladder..     78         76       86       97     2   
          Fall from roof....    108        120      129      142     2   
          Fall from                                                      
             scaffold,                                                   
             staging........     66         71       89       82     1   
        Fall on same level..     62         49       63       50     1   
                                                                         
      Exposure to harmful                                                
         substances or                                                   
         environments.......    605        592      641      598    10   
        Contact with                                                     
           electric current.    334        325      348      347     6   
          Contact with                                                   
             overhead power                                              
             lines..........    140        115      132      139     2   
        Contact with                                                     
           temperature                                                   
           extremes.........     33         38       50       55     1   
        Exposure to caustic,                                             
           noxious, or                                                   
           allergenic                                                    
           substances.......    127        115      133      101     2   
          Inhalation of                                                  
             substance......     83         68       84       62     1   
        Oxygen deficiency...    111        111      109       94     2   
          Drowning,                                                      
             submersion.....     78         89       89       74     1   
                                                                         
      Fires and explosions..    167        204      202      208     3   
                                                                         
      Other events or                                                    
         exposures(3).......     76         43       24       24     -   
      ________________________________________________________________________
                                                                         

        1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification
      Structures.
        2 The BLS news release issued August 3, 1995, reported a total of
      6,588 fatal work injuries for calendar year 1994.  Since then, an
      additional 44 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total
      jobrelated fatality count for 1994 to 6,632.
        3 Includes the category "Bodily reaction and exertion."
        
        NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown
      separately.  Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding.
        Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or
      that do not meet publication criteria. 
        
        SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in
      cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal
      Occupational Injuries, 1992-1995.

Table 2.  Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and event or exposure, 1995
                                                                                  
                                                                                  
                            Fatalities            Major event or exposure(2)      
                                                          (percent)               
                         ----------------- -------------------------------------- 
    Occupation(1)                                                                 
                                                              Struck by  Fall to 
                        Number   Percent  Highway(3) Homicide   object    lower  
                                                                          level      
----------------------  -------  -------- ---------- -------- --------- --------
  Total...............    6,210    100        21        16         9         9   
                                                                                 
Managerial and                                                                   
   professional                                                                  
   specialty..........      699     11        25        28         3         6   
  Executive,                                                                     
     administrative,                                                             
     and managerial...      467      8        22        34         3         7   
  Professional                                                                   
     specialty........      232      4        30        16         3         5   
                                                                                 
Technical, sales, and                                                            
   administrative                                                                
   support............      815     13        19        46         2         2   
  Technicians and                                                                
     related support                                                             
     occupations......      189      3        13         7         2         2   
    Airplane pilots                                                              
       and navigators.      111      2        -         -         -         -    
  Sales occupations...      492      8        19        61         2         2   
    Supervisors and                                                              
       proprietors,                                                              
       sales                                                                     
       occupations....      212      3        13        63         3         1   
    Sales workers,                                                               
       retail and                                                                
       personal                                                                  
       services.......      213      3        15        73        -          1   
      Cashiers........      116      2         3        92        -         -    
  Administrative                                                                 
     support                                                                     
     occupations,                                                                
     including                                                                   
     clerical.........      134      2        25        47        -          5   
                                                                                 
Service occupations...      533      9        20        40         1         6   
  Protective service                                                             
     occupations......      314      5        22        45        -          2   
    Firefighting and                                                             
       fire prevention                                                           
       occupations,                                                              
       including                                                                 
       supervisors....       39      1        28        -         -         -    
    Police and                                                                   
       detectives,                                                               
       including                                                                 
       supervisors....      174      3        28        47        -          2   
    Guards, including                                                            
       supervisors....      101      2         9        58        -         -    
                      
Farming, forestry, and                                                           
   fishing............      864     14        10         2        20         6   
  Farming operators                                                              
     and managers.....      332      5        10         3        11         7   
    Farmers, except                                                              
       horticultural..      244      4        10         2         9         7   
    Managers, farms,                                                             
       except                                                                    
       horticultural..       73      1        12        -         18         7   
  Other agricultural                                                             
     and related                                                                 
     occupations......      359      6        13         3        13         7   
      Farm workers,                                                              
         including                                                               
         supervisors..      262      4        12         2        11         5   
  Forestry and logging                                                           
     occupations......      116      2         4        -         74         4   
    Timber cutting and                                                           
       logging                                                                   
       occupations....       98      2        -         -         81         3   
  Fishers, hunters,                                                              
     and trappers.....       57      1        -         -         -         -    
    Fishers...........       48      1        -         -         -         -    
                                                                                 
Precision production,                                                            
   craft, and repair..    1,041     17        10         4         9        25   
  Mechanics and                                                                  
     repairers........      265      4        15         6        14         9   
  Construction trades.      607     10         8         2         6        36   
      Carpenters and                                                             
         apprentices..       96      2         9        -         14        42   
      Electricians and                                                           
         apprentices..      117      2         4        -          3        16   
      Painters,                                                                  
         construction                                                            
         and                                                                     
         maintenance..       45      1        -         -         -         38   
      Roofers.........       60      1        -         -         -         75   
      Structural metal                                                           
         workers......       38      1        -         -         11        66   
                                                                                 
Operators,                                                                       
   fabricators, and                                                              
   laborers...........    2,051     33        32         8        11         8   
  Machine operators,                                                             
     assemblers, and                                                             
     inspectors.......      238      4         5         6        19        10   
  Transportation and                                                             
     material moving                                                             
     occupations......    1,148     18        51        10         6         2   
    Motor vehicle                                                                
       operators......      918     15        61        12         4         2   
      Truck drivers...      749     12        68         3         5         2   
      Driver-sales                                                               
         workers......       33      1        45        36        -         -    
      Taxicab drivers                                                            
         and                                                                     
         chauffeurs...       99      2        18        70        -         -    
    Material moving
       equipment
       operators......      167      3        10         -        16         5
  Handlers, equipment        
     cleaners,                                                                    
     helpers, and                                                                 
     laborers.........      665     11        11         5        15        16   
    Construction                                                                 
       laborers.......      309      5        10         1        16        27   
    Laborers, except                                                             
       construction...      212      3        13         4        16         8   

Military..............      143      2        22         6         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.
  
  NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown
separately.  Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding.  There were 64
fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine an occupation
classification.  Dashes indicate less that 0.5 percent or data that are not
available or that do not meet publication criteria.
  
  SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation
with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1995.

Table 3.  Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1995
                                                                                  
                                                                                  
                                         Fatalities                                                                                  
                                ------------------------------                                                  
                                 1994                              Employment(2)    
                               (revised)         1995            (in thousands)                          
                        SIC    ---------   ------------------   ----------------                  
     Industry          code(1)   Number    Number     Percent   Number   Percent                   
---------------------- -------   ------    ------     -------   ------   -------                                        
                                                                                  
      Total...........            6,632     6,210       100    126,248     100   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Private industry......            5,959     5,438        88    106,522      84   
                                                                                 
Agriculture, forestry                                                            
   and fishing........              852       752        13      3,515       3   
  Agricultural                                                                   
     production -                                                                
     crops............   01         443       362         6      1,042       1   
  Agricultural                                                                   
     production -                                                                
     livestock........   02         172       161         3      1,301       1   
  Agricultural                                                                   
     services.........   07         163       155         3      1,082       1   
                                                                                 
Mining................              180       156         3        625       1   
  Coal mining.........   12          41        43         1        114       -   
  Oil and gas                                                                    
     extraction.......   13          99        77         1        336       -   
                                                                                 
Construction..........            1,028     1,048        17      7,153       6   
  General building                                                               
     contractors......   15         190       175         3         -        -   
  Heavy construction,                                                            
     except building..   16         246       245         4         -        -   
  Special trades                                                                 
     contractors......   17         592       613        10         -        -   
                                                                                 
Manufacturing.........              789       702        11     20,389      16   
  Food and kindred                                                               
     products.........   20          79        74         1      1,700       1   
  Lumber and wood                                                                
     products.........   24         199       182         3        815       1   
                                                                                 
Transportation and                                                               
   public utilities...              949       880        14      7,138       6   
  Local and interurban                                                           
     passenger                                                                   
     transportation...   41         114       116         2        523       -   
  Trucking and                                                                   
     warehousing......   42         505       462         7      2,323       2   
  Transportation by                                                              
     air..............   45          99        75         1        792       1   
  Electric, gas, and                                                             
     sanitary services   49          89        91         1      1,094       1 

Wholesale trade.......              271       254         4      4,973       4

Retail trade..........              808       675        11     20,999      17
  Food stores.........   54         237       188         3      3,428       3
  Automotive dealers
     and service
     stations.........   55         123       122         2      2,087       2
  Eating and drinking
     places...........   58         184       164         3      6,266       5

Finance, insurance,
   and real estate....              113       124         2      7,761       6

Services..............              853       737        12     33,970      27
  Business services...   73         255       211         3      5,282       4
  Automotive repair,
     services, and
     parking..........   75          91       114         2      1,454       1

 Government(3)........              673       772        12     19,726      16
Federal (including
  resident armed
  forces).............              211      299         5      4,790       4
State.................              114      124         2      5,185       4
Local.................              338      338         5      9,751       8
  Police protection...   9221       117      110         2         -        -

  1  Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.
  2  The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age
and older, plus resident armed forces, from the BLS Current Population
Survey, 1995.
  3  Includes fatalities to workers employed by governmental organizations
regardless of industry.

  NOTE:  Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown
separately.  Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding.  There
were 69 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine a
specific industry classification, though a distiction between private sector
and government was made for each.  Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or
data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.

  SOURCE:  Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation
with state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries,
1994-1995.
    

Table 4.  Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker
characteristics, 1995
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                            
                                            Employment
   Characteristics      Fatalities        (in thousands)(1)  
                      ----------------    ----------------  Most frequent event(2)
                      Number   Percent    Number   Percent   (percent of total)
--------------------- ------   -------    ------   -------  -------------------
                                                                      
  Total.............. 6,210      100      126,248    100    Highway (21 percent)
                     
   Employee status                                                     
                                                                       
Wage and salary                                                        
   workers........... 5,024       81      115,610     92    Highway (24)
Self-employed(3)..... 1,186       19       10,638      8    Homicide (17)/
                                                              Nonhighway (16)
                     
     Sex and age                                                       
                                                                       
Men.................. 5,676       91       68,556     54    Highway (19)
Women................   534        9       57,692     46    Homicide (46)
                                                                       
     Both sexes(4)

Under 16 years.......    26        -            -      -    Highway (19)
16 to 17 years.......    40        1        2,574      2       "    (18)
18 to 19 years.......   128        2        3,934      3       "    (26)
20 to 24 years.......   484        8       12,868     10       "    (25)
25 to 34 years....... 1,395       22       32,880     26       "    (21)
35 to 44 years....... 1,555       25       34,474     27       "    (20)        
45 to 54 years....... 1,242       20       24,213     19       "    (22)        
55 to 64 years.......   811       13       11,436      9       "    (23)          
65 years and over....   514        8        3,666      3    Nonhighway(18)/
                                                              Highway (17)

                     
         Race                                                          
                                                                       
White................ 5,061       81      107,533     85    Highway (22)
Black................   689       11       13,537     11    Homicide (30)
Asian or Pacific                                                     
   Islander..........   161        3            -      -    Homicide (56)
American Indian,                                                       
   Aleut, Eskimo.....    27        -            -      -    Highway (22)
Other................   272        4            -      -        "   (26)


    Hispanic origin
                                                                       
Hispanic(5).........    610       10       11,208      9    Homicide (21)

  1  The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age
and older, plus resident armed forces, from the BLS Current Population
Survey, 1995.
  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 15 fatalities for which age was not available.
  5  Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race. Hispanic employment does
not include resident armed forces.

  NOTE:  Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown
separately.  Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes
indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that do not
meet publication criteria.
  
  SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in
cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal
Occupational Injuries, 1995.

 Table 5.  Fatal occupational injuries by State and event or exposure, 1995
                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                
                       
                       
                       Total fatalities(1)    Event or exposure(2) (percent of State total for 1995)                       
                       ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------                                                                   
                                                                                   Exposure          
                                                                Contact                to             
                                            Trans-   Assaults    with              harmful  Fires and
                                           portation    and     objects    Falls      sub-   explosio-
                                              in-    violent     and               stances      ns   
    State of injury                       cidents(3)  acts(4)   equipment               or             
                           1994    1995                                            environ-          
                        (revised)                                                    ments            
 ----------------------  ------    ------  --------- -------- ----------- -------- ---------- ---------                                                                                                  
   Total...............   6,632     6,210     41        20        15        10        10         3   
                                                                                                                 
 Alabama...............     153       150     34        21        17        10        15         3   
 Alaska................      60        78     86        -          5        -         -         -    
 Arizona...............      79        86     55        22         9        -          6        -    
 Arkansas..............      85        91     59         8        16         4         9        -    
 California............     639       614     41        30        10         8         7         3   
 Colorado..............     120       112     43        21        14        11         9        -    
 Connecticut...........      35        32     41        25        19        -         -         -    
 Delaware..............      15        12     33        -         33        -         -         -    
 District of
   Columbia............      21        16     -         69        -         -         -         -
 Florida...............     358       376     39        21        10        15        12         2   
 Georgia...............     249       237     46        20        11        13         8         2   
 Hawaii................      21        24     29        33        -         -         17        -    
 Idaho.................      50        53     60        13         8        -          8        -    
 Illinois..............     247       249     31        17        15        18        13         5   
 Indiana...............     195       156     41        15        15        11        13         5   
 Iowa..................      74        54     39        -         31        11        11        -    
 Kansas................     106        95     46        15        15         9        11         4   
 Kentucky..............     158       140     59         6        16         4        10         4   
 Louisiana.............     187       139     37        17        19        13        10         3   
 Maine.................      22        18     56        -         22        -         -         -    
 Maryland..............      80        86     29        36        13         9         7         6   
 Massachusetts.........      74        65     34        17        17        23         6        -    
 Michigan..............     180       149     38        20        20         9        11        -    
 Minnesota.............      82        84     39        12        25        11        10        -    
 Mississippi...........     126       128     48        21        13         7         7         4   
 Missouri..............     155       125     34        13        23        14        11         3   
 Montana...............      50        34     44        -         18        12        18        -    
 Nebraska..............      83        54     43        11        24        17        -         -    
 Nevada................      41        51     41        24        16        12        -         -    
 New Hampshire.........      14        12     33        -         -         -         -         -    
 New Jersey............     114       118     35        23        14        12        10         6   
 New Mexico............      54        58     52         9        16        10         9        -    
 New York (except                                                                                               
    N.Y.C.)............     180       158     40        16        17        11        11         4   
 New York City.........     184       144     11        63         6        12         6        -    
 North Carolina........     226       187     46        17        16        11         9        -    
 North Dakota..........      21        28     54        -         21        -         -         -    
 Ohio..................     209       186     51        13        10        10        12         4   
 Oklahoma..............      97       199     15        65         8         2         7         4   
 Oregon................      80        73     53         7        22        11         5        -    
 Pennsylvania..........     354       233     40        16        14        13         9         8   
 Rhode Island..........      12        10     -         -         -         -         -         -    
 South Carolina........      83       103     43        14        17        10        13        -    
 South Dakota..........      31        26     35        -         27        15        23        -    
 Tennessee.............     170       179     41        11        27         8        10         3   
 Texas.................     497       475     42        18        14        12        10         4   
 Utah..................      66        51     49        14        12        10        14        -    
 Vermont...............       8        16     69        -         25        -         -         -    
 Virginia..............     164       132     45        15        12        14        10         3   
 Washington............     118       109     42        13        16        12         9         6   
 West Virginia.........      61        56     43         7        32        -         11        -    
 Wisconsin.............     109       117     43        15        21         5        11         3   
 Wyoming...............      35        32     62        -         16        -         12        -    
                                                 
   1  Includes other events and exposures such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately.
   2  Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures.
   3  Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatalities.
   4  Includes violence by persons, self inflicted injury, and assaults by animals.
 
   NOTE:  Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding and because of dashes which indicate less
 than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.
   
   SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with State and Federal agencies,
 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1994 and 1995.
 

 Table 6. CFOI participating State agencies and telephone numbers

 State			Agency					Telephone

 Alabama		Department of Labor			(334) 242-3460
 Alaska			Department of Labor			(907) 465-4539
 Arizona		Industrial Commission			(602) 542-3739
 Arkansas		Department of Labor			(501) 682-4542
 California		Department of Industrial Relations	(415) 972-8625
 Colorado		Department of Public Health		(303) 692-2163
 Connecticut		Labor Department			(860) 566-4380
 Delaware		Department of Labor			(302) 761-8221
 District of Columbia	Center for Health Statistics		(202) 645-5963
 Florida		Dept. of Labor and Employment Security	(904) 922-8953
 Georgia		Department of Labor			(404) 656-2966
 Hawaii			Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations	(808) 586-9005
 Idaho			Industrial Commission			(208) 334-6061
 Illinois		Department of Public Health		(217) 785-7130
 Indiana		Department of Labor			(317) 232-2679
 Iowa			Department of Employment Services	(515) 281-3661
 Kansas			Department of Health & Environment	(913) 296-5293
 Kentucky		Labor Cabinet				(502) 564-6895
 Louisiana		Department of Labor			(504) 342-3126
 Maine			Bureau of Labor Standards		(207) 624-6447
 Maryland		Division of Labor and Industry		(410) 333-4200
 Massachusetts		Department of Public Health		(617) 624-5628
 Michigan		Department of Labor			(517) 322-1850
 Minnesota		Department of Labor and Industry	(612) 297-7429
 Mississippi		Department of Health			(601) 960-7741
 Missouri		Bureau of Health Services Statistics	(573) 751-6274
 Montana		Department of Labor and Industry	(406) 444-3239
 Nebraska		Workers' Compensation			(402) 471-6538
 Nevada			Division of Industrial Relations	(702) 687-3293
 New Hampshire		Department of Public Health		(603) 271-4647
 New Jersey		Department of Health			(609) 984-1863
 New Mexico		Health and Environment Division		(505) 827-4230
 New York		Department of Health			(518) 458-6228
 New York City		Department of Health			(212) 788-4585
 North Carolina		Department of Labor			(919) 733-0337 
 North Dakota		Bureau of Labor Statistics		(816) 426-2483
 Ohio			Department of Health			(614) 466-4183
 Oklahoma		Department of Labor			(405) 528-1500
 Oregon			Dept. of Consumer/Business Services	(503) 378-8254
 Pennsylvania		Department of Health			(717) 783-2548
 Rhode Island		Department of Health			(401) 277-2812
 South Carolina		Department of Labor			(803) 734-4298
 South Dakota		Bureau of Labor Statistics		(816) 426-2483
 Tennessee		Department of Labor			(615) 741-1748
 Texas			Workers' Compensation Commission	(512) 440-3852
 Utah			Industrial Commission			(801) 530-7607
 Vermont		Bureau of Labor Statistics		(617) 565-2300
 Virginia		Department of Labor & Industry		(804) 786-5004
 Washington		Department of Labor & Industries	(360) 902-5510
 West Virginia		Department of Labor			(304) 558-7890
 Wisconsin		Workers' Compensation Division		(608) 266-7850
 Wyoming		Bureau of Labor Statistics		(816) 426-2483


 TECHNICAL NOTES

 Definitions

 	For a fatality to be included in the census, the decedent must have 
 been employed (that is working for pay, compensation, or profit) at the 
 time of the event, engaged in a legal work activity, or present at the  
 site of the incident as a requirement of his or her job.  These criteria 
 are generally broader than those used by federal and state agencies 
 administering specific laws and regulations.  (Fatalities that occur 
 during a person's commute to or from work are excluded from the census 
 counts.)

 	Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 1995 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 or electricity, or kinetic 
 energy from a crash; or from the absence of such essentials as heat or 
 oxygen caused by a specific event, incident, or series of events within 
 a single workday or shift.  Included are open wounds, intracranial and  
 internal injuries, heatstroke, hypothermia, asphyxiations, acute  
 poisonings resulting from a short-term exposure limited to the worker's 
 shift, suicides and homicides, and work injuries listed as underlying or 
 contributory causes of death.

	Information on work-related fatal illnesses are not reported in the 
 BLS census and are excluded from the attached tables because the latency 
 period of many occupational illnesses and the difficulty of linking 
 illnesses to work makes identification of a universe problematic.  
 Partial information on fatal occupational illnesses, compiled 
 separately, is available for 1991-1993 in BLS Report 891.


 Measurement techniques and limitations

 	Data for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries are compiled from 
 various federal, state, and local administrative sources--including 
 death certificates, workers' compensation reports and claims, reports to 
 various regulatory agencies, medical examiner reports, and police 
 reports--as well as news reports.  Multiple sources are used because 
 studies have shown that no single source captures all job-related 
 fatalities.  Source documents are matched so that each fatality is 
 counted only once.  To ensure that a fatality occurred while the 
 decedent was at work, information is verified from two or more 
 independent source documents, or from a source document and a follow-up 
 questionnaire.  Approximately 30 data elements are collected, coded, and 
 tabulated, including information about the worker, the fatal incident, 
 and the machinery or equipment involved.

 Identification and verification of work-related fatalities.

 	Because some state laws and regulations prohibit enumerators from 
 contacting the next-of-kin, it was not possible to independently verify 
 work relationship (whether a fatality is job related) for 306 fatal work 
 injuries in 1995; 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 67 fatalities 
 submitted by states were not included because the initiating source 
 document had insufficient information to determine work relationship, 
 which could not be verified by either an independent source document or 
 a follow-up questionnaire.

	States may identify additional fatal work injuries after data 
 collection close-out for a reference year.  In addition, other 
 fatalities excluded from the published count because of insufficient 
 information to determine work relationship may be subsequently 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.

 Federal/state agency coverage

 	The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all 
 fatal work injuries, whether they are covered by the Occupational Safety 
 and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or 
 are outside the scope of regulatory coverage.  Thus, any comparison 
 between the BLS census counts and those released by other agencies 
 should take into account the different coverage requirements and 
 definitions being used.

 	Several federal and state agencies have jurisdiction over workplace 
 safety and health.  OSHA and affiliated agencies in states with approved 
 safety programs cover the largest portion of America's workers.  
 However, injuries and illnesses occurring in several other industries, 
 such as coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and 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, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Railroad 
 Administration, and the Federal Aviation Administration.  Fatalities 
 occurring in activities regulated by federal agencies other than OSHA 
 accounted for about 20 percent of the fatal work injuries for 1995.

 	Fatalities occurring among several other groups of workers are 
 generally not covered by any federal or state agencies.  These groups 
 include self-employed and unpaid family workers, which accounted for 
 about 19 percent of the fatalities; laborers on small farms, accounting 
 for about 2 percent of the fatalities; and state and local government 
 employees in states without OSHA-approved safety programs, which account 
 for about 4 percent.  (Approximately one-half of the states have 
 approved OSHA safety programs, which cover state and local government 
 employees.) 


 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:  BLS thanks the participating states for their efforts 
 in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work  
 Injuries.  BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, 
 local, and private sector agencies that submitted source documents used 
 to identify fatal work injuries.  Among these agencies are the 
 Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National 
 transportation Safety Board; the US Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and 
 Health Administration; the Department of Defense; the Employment 
 Standards Administration (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore 
 and Harbor Workers' divisions); the Department of Energy; the National 
 Association of Chiefs of Police; 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.