United States 

Department 

of Labor 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

Technical information: (202) 691-6175 USDL 03-488 

Media information: (202) 691-5902 FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT 

Internet address: http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm 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

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Highway incidents Homicides Falls

600 618 665 651 691 716 706

721 734 1,044 1,074

1,080 1,036

927

860

714

651 677

1,158 1,242 1,343 1,346 1,346 1,393 1,442 1,496

1,365

Number of fatalities

Year

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.

1,409

810

643

1,372

714

609

2,000 10 20 30 1,000 0

1,121

910

789

680

554

487

563

205

121

87 1.0

23.5

2.1

2.7

3.1

22.7

1.7

11.3

Construction 12.2

Transportation

Agriculture

Services

Manufacturing

Government

Retail trade

Wholesale trade

Mining*

Finance

Number of fatalities 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.

Chart 2. Numbers and rates of fatal occupational 

injuries by industry division, 2002

4.0

 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

0

808

519

347

302

140

90

116

108

13.5

6.9

69.8

11.6

14.2

27.7

2.1

28.0

25.0

Carpenters

Number of fatalities Fatality rate

(per 100,000 employed)

1,000 75 500

Groundskeepers

Pilots and navigators

Police & detectives

Laborers (exc. const.)

Construction laborers

Sales occupations

Farm occupations*

Truck drivers

*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.

Electricians

146 15.0

Average fatality rate for all occupations: 4.0

181

25 50

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 

20012 2002 Event or exposure1

1997-2001 

average Number Number Percent 

 Total............................................................................... 6,036 5,915 5,524 100 

Transportation incidents................................................... 2,593 2,524 2,381 43 

 Highway .......................................................................... 1,421 1,409 1,372 25 

 Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment ............. 697 727 635 11 

 Moving in same direction ........................................ 126 142 155 3 

 Moving in opposite directions, oncoming................. 254 257 202 4 

 Moving in intersection ............................................. 148 138 145 3 

 Vehicle struck stationary object or equipment .............. 300 297 326 6 

 Noncollision................................................................. 369 339 373 7 

 Jackknifed or overturned--no collision..................... 300 273 312 6 

 Nonhighway (farm, industrial premises)........................... 368 326 322 6 

 Overturned.............................................................. 202 158 164 3 

 Aircraft............................................................................. 248 247 192 3 

 Worker struck by a vehicle............................................... 382 383 356 6 

 Water vehicle................................................................... 99 90 71 1 

 Rail vehicle...................................................................... 68 62 64 1 

Assaults and violent acts.................................................. 964 908 840 15 

 Homicides ....................................................................... 709 643 609 11 

 Shooting ...................................................................... 567 509 469 8 

 Stabbing ...................................................................... 64 58 58 1 

 Other, including bombing....................................... 78 76 82 1 

 Self-inflicted injuries......................................................... 221 230 199 4 

Contact with objects and equipment................................ 995 962 873 16 

 Struck by object............................................................... 562 553 506 9 

 Struck by falling object................................................. 352 343 303 5 

 Struck by flying object.................................................. 58 60 38 1 

 Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects .......... 290 266 231 4 

 Caught in running equipment or machinery.................. 156 144 110 2 

 Caught in or crushed in collapsing materials.................... 126 122 116 2 

Falls.................................................................................... 737 810 714 13 

 Fall to lower level............................................................. 654 700 634 11 

 Fall from ladder............................................................ 111 123 126 2 

 Fall from roof ............................................................... 155 159 143 3 

 Fall from scaffold ......................................................... 91 91 87 2 

 Fall on same level............................................................ 61 84 63 1 

Exposure to harmful substances or environments......... 529 499 538 10 

 Contact with electric current............................................. 291 285 289 5 

 Contact with overhead powerlines ............................... 134 124 122 2 

 Contact with temperature extremes ................................. 41 35 60 1 

 Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances ... 106 96 98 2 

 Inhalation of substance................................................ 52 49 49 1 

 Oxygen deficiency ........................................................... 89 83 90 2 

 Drowning, submersion................................................. 71 59 60 1 

Fires and explosions......................................................... 197 188 165 3 

Other events or exposures3.............................................. 21 24 13 - 

 1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. 

 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

 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. 

 7 
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 2002 

 Fatalities 

Industry 

SIC 

Code1 1997-

2001 

average 

2001 

(revised)2 2002 

 Number Number Number Percent 

2002 

Employment3 

(thousands) 

2002 

Fatalities 

per 

100,000 

employed4

 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 

 Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ................... 790 741 789 14 3,417 22.7 

 Agricultural production – crops....................... 01 337 301 338 6 899 37.0 

 Agricultural production – livestock.................. 02 156 129 129 2 989 12.5 

 Agricultural services....................................... 07 183 191 198 4 1,437 13.8 

 Mining5 ............................................................. 151 170 121 2 515 23.5 

 Coal mining ................................................... 12 36 42 25 - 87 28.7 

 Oil and gas extraction.................................... 13 78 98 71 1 308 23.1 

 Construction.................................................... 1,171 1,226 1,121 20 9,163 12.2 

 General building contractors .......................... 15 193 202 189 3 - - 

 Heavy construction, except building............... 16 271 267 246 4 - - 

 Special trades contractors ............................. 17 689 735 661 12 - - 

 Manufacturing.................................................. 686 598 563 10 18,072 3.1 

 Food and kindred products ............................ 20 72 57 64 1 1,640 3.9 

 Lumber and wood products ........................... 24 180 151 142 3 706 20.1 

 Transportation and public utilities ................. 960 915 910 16 8,060 11.3 

 Local and interurban passenger 

 transportation............................................... 41 91 80 60 1 683 8.8 

 Trucking and warehousing............................. 42 569 536 584 11 2,777 21.0 

 Transportation by air...................................... 45 83 85 71 1 800 8.9 

 Electric, gas, and sanitary services................ 49 86 88 81 1 - - 

 Wholesale trade............................................... 232 220 205 4 5,065 4.0 

 Retail trade....................................................... 577 538 487 9 22,900 2.1 

 Food stores ................................................... 54 144 132 100 2 - - 

 Automotive dealers and service stations........ 55 99 83 68 1 - - 

 Eating and drinking places............................. 58 138 148 126 2 7,217 1.7 

 Finance, insurance, and real estate................ 92 86 87 2 8,940 1.0 

 Services ........................................................... 753 772 680 12 40,820 1.7 

 Business services.......................................... 73 186 192 165 3 7,101 2.3 

 Automotive repair, services, and parking ....... 75 125 116 114 2 1,597 7.1 

Government6 599 634 554 10 20,837 2.7 

 Federal (including resident armed forces).......... 157 162 137 2 4,493 3.0 

 State.................................................................. 118 112 92 2 5,711 1.6 

 Local. ................................................................ 315 335 313 6 10,634 2.9 

 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 
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2002 

Occupation1 Fatalities Selected event or exposure2

(percent of total for occupation) 

Number Percent Highway3

 Homicide Struck by 

object 

Fall to lower 

level 

 Total............................................................................ 5,524 100 25 11 9 11 

Managerial and professional specialty ........................ 513 9 23 20 4 7 

 Executive, administrative, and managerial................... 319 6 23 27 5 8 

 Managers, food serving and lodging 

 establishments........................................................ 46 1 7 80 - - 

 Professional specialty.................................................. 194 4 22 10 3 6 

Technical, sales, and administrative support.............. 595 11 22 35 3 3 

 Technicians and related support occupations .............. 155 3 12 5 3 2 

 Airplane pilots and navigators.................................. 90 2 - - - - 

 Sales occupations ....................................................... 347 6 20 52 3 4 

 Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations....... 162 3 12 61 4 - 

 Sales workers, retail and personal services ............. 132 2 17 58 - 4 

 Cashiers .............................................................. 47 1 - 85 - - 

 Administrative support occupations, including clerical.. 93 2 42 24 - - 

Service occupations...................................................... 483 9 23 32 3 6 

 Protective service occupations .................................... 272 5 30 35 3 - 

 Firefighting occupations, including supervisors ........ 52 1 38 - - - 

 Police and detectives, including supervisors ............ 140 3 34 41 - - 

 Guards, including supervisors.................................. 80 1 16 46 - - 

 Cleaning and building services .................................... 92 2 13 15 7 25 

Farming, forestry, and fishing ...................................... 840 15 14 2 20 7 

 Farm operators and managers .................................... 337 6 14 - 17 4 

 Farmers, except horticultural .................................. 306 6 13 - 18 4 

 Other agricultural and related occupations................... 366 7 13 2 13 11 

 Farm occupations, except managerial .................... 198 4 15 4 9 4 

 Farm workers....................................................... 183 3 15 2 9 4 

 Related agricultural occupations ............................. 168 3 11 - 17 20 

 Groundskeepers and gardeners, except farm ...... 146 3 12 - 17 22 

 Forestry and logging occupations ................................ 104 2 19 - 62 - 

 Timber cutting and logging occupations.................. 72 1 6 - 74 - 

 Fishers, hunters, and trappers ..................................... 33 1 - - - - 

 Fishers, including vessel captains and officers........ 33 1 - - - - 

Precision production, craft, and repair........................ 1,104 20 13 3 9 28 

 Mechanics and repairers ............................................. 274 5 18 4 15 13 

 Construction trades ..................................................... 682 12 11 1 5 38 

 Carpenters and apprentices..................................... 108 2 9 - 6 56 

 Electricians and apprentices .................................... 116 2 9 - - 15 

 Roofers.................................................................... 87 2 9 - - 68 

 Structural metal workers .......................................... 39 1 - - - 69 

 Extractive occupations................................................. 58 1 14 - 14 10 

Operators, fabricators, and laborers............................ 1,895 34 39 5 9 9 

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors .......... 168 3 5 4 12 16 

 Transportation and material moving occupations......... 1,143 21 57 5 8 3 

 Motor vehicle operators ........................................... 952 17 67 6 6 3 

 Truck drivers........................................................ 808 15 69 2 7 3 

 Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs ............................ 51 1 37 59 - - 

 Material moving equipment operators ...................... 153 3 7 - 21 7 

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers .. 584 11 12 5 11 19 

 Construction laborers............................................... 302 5 11 2 13 24 

 Laborers, except construction.................................. 181 3 12 4 11 14 

Military4 .......................................................................... 85 1 26 - 7 - 

 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. 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. 

 9 
 Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 2002 

Characteristics Fatalities Employment 

(in thousands)1

Most frequent events2

 Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total) 

 Total................................................. 5,524 100 137,700 100 Highway (25), falls (13) 

Employee status 

Wage and salary workers.................... 4,472 81 127,818 93 Highway (27), falls (13) 

Self-employed3.................................... 1,052 19 9,882 7 Homicides (15), highway (15) 

Sex 

Men..................................................... 5,083 92 73,939 54 Highway (24), falls (13) 

Women ............................................... 441 8 63,761 46 Homicides (31), highway (30) 

Age4

 

Under 16 years ................................... 16 - - - Nonhighway (38) 

16 to 17 years ..................................... 25 - 2,333 2 Highway (24) 

18 to 19 years ..................................... 92 2 4,115 3 Highway (27) 

20 to 24 years ..................................... 435 8 13,753 10 Highway (24), falls (11) 

25 to 34 years ..................................... 1,020 18 30,711 22 Highway (24), homicides (14) 

35 to 44 years ..................................... 1,402 25 35,486 26 Highway (26), homicides (12) 

45 to 54 years ..................................... 1,250 23 31,319 23 Highway (24) 

55 to 64 years ..................................... 783 14 15,676 11 Highway (27), falls (15) 

65 years and over ............................... 494 9 4,306 3 Highway (23), falls (18) 

Race or ethnic origin5

 

White .................................................. 3,917 71 99,256 72 Highway (26), falls (13) 

Black or African American................... 491 9 14,064 10 Highway (27), homicides (23) 

Hispanic or Latino ............................... 840 15 16,699 12 Highway (21), falls (16) 

American Indian or Alaskan Native...... 40 1 - - Highway (30) 

Asian................................................... 131 2 - - Homicides (40), highway (15) 

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander ..... 9 - - - Highway (56) 

Other races or not reported................. 92 2 - - Homicides (28), highway (23) 

 

 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

 Event or exposure2 (percent of state total for 2002) 

State of injury 

20013

(revised) 20024

Transportation 

incidents5

Assaults 

and violent 

acts6

Contact 

with objects 

and 

equipment 

Falls 

Exposure to 

harmful 

substances or 

environments 

Fires and 

explosions 

 Total............................................................... 5,915 5,524 43 15 16 13 10 3 

Northeast 724 708 38 19 16 15 8 4 

Connecticut .......................... 41 39 46 18 13 - - - 

Maine ................................... 23 30 83 - - - - - 

Massachusetts ..................... 54 46 30 20 24 20 - - 

New Hampshire.................... 9 19 47 - 26 - - - 

New Jersey .......................... 129 129 36 22 10 16 11 5 

New York (including N.Y.C.). 220 238 30 24 17 19 7 4 

 New York City..................... 100 100 16 36 15 25 7 - 

Pennsylvania........................ 225 188 41 12 18 13 11 4 

Rhode Island........................ 17 8 - 62 - - - - 

Vermont ............................... 6 11 - - - - - - 

Midwest 1,371 1,315 41 15 19 12 10 3 

Illinois................................... 231 190 31 23 17 15 10 4 

Indiana ................................. 152 136 40 17 22 7 12 - 

Iowa ..................................... 62 56 38 - 29 18 11 - 

Kansas ................................. 94 89 43 10 22 11 10 - 

Michigan............................... 175 151 31 23 19 12 11 3 

Minnesota............................. 76 81 54 - 21 10 10 - 

Missouri................................ 145 175 47 14 13 14 8 3 

Nebraska.............................. 57 83 52 10 20 7 7 - 

North Dakota........................ 25 25 64 - - - - - 

Ohio ..................................... 209 202 39 15 20 15 9 - 

South Dakota ....................... 35 36 56 - 25 - - - 

Wisconsin............................. 110 91 40 14 22 10 11 - 

South 2,519 2,304 43 14 14 14 11 3 

Alabama............................... 138 102 35 19 23 11 13 - 

Arkansas .............................. 68 80 46 9 11 19 12 - 

Delaware.............................. 10 11 45 - - - - - 

District of Columbia .............. 11 8 - - - - - - 

Florida.................................. 368 354 47 15 8 14 15 - 

Georgia ................................ 237 197 42 17 11 15 12 3 

Kentucky .............................. 105 146 48 12 14 14 10 - 

Louisiana.............................. 117 103 48 - 12 16 15 7 

Maryland .............................. 64 102 36 23 15 15 9 - 

Mississippi............................ 111 94 49 16 11 11 7 6 

North Carolina ...................... 203 169 45 9 18 17 9 - 

Oklahoma............................. 115 92 54 9 12 - 10 10 

South Carolina...................... 91 107 36 21 22 12 8 - 

Tennessee ........................... 136 140 49 19 17 6 7 - 

Texas ................................... 536 417 38 15 16 17 10 5 

Virginia................................. 146 142 35 15 15 17 12 4 

West Virginia........................ 63 40 45 - 32 - - - 

West 1,299 1,196 49 15 14 11 9 2 

Alaska .................................. 64 42 71 - 14 - - - 

Arizona................................. 87 101 51 21 8 10 8 - 

California.............................. 515 478 42 20 13 12 10 2 

Colorado .............................. 139 123 50 22 11 12 5 - 

Hawaii .................................. 41 24 54 - - - - - 

Idaho.................................... 45 39 74 - - - - - 

Montana ............................... 58 51 57 - 16 12 - - 

Nevada................................. 40 45 44 16 - 18 13 - 

New Mexico.......................... 59 63 59 8 19 - - - 

Oregon ................................. 44 63 37 8 29 10 - 13 

Utah ..................................... 65 52 67 - 10 - - - 

Washington .......................... 102 83 46 7 25 13 8 - 

Wyoming .............................. 40 32 53 - 19 - - - 1

 Includes other events and exposures such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately. 

2

 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. 

3

 The BLS news release issued 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. 

 11 
Table 6. CFOI participating agencies and telephone numbers 

State Agency Telephone number 

Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3460 

Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (907) 465-4539 

Arizona Industrial Commission of Arizona (602) 542-3739 

Arkansas Department of Labor (501) 682-4542 

California Department of Industrial Relations (415) 703-4776 

Colorado Department of Public Health (303) 692-2173 

Connecticut Labor Department (860) 566-4380 

Delaware Department of Labor (302) 761-8223 

District of Columbia Center for Health Statistics (202) 442-5920 

Florida Department of Financial Services (850) 922-8953 ext. 113 

Georgia Department of Labor (404) 679-0687 

Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (808) 586-9001 

Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090 

Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 782-5750 

Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668 

Iowa Division of Labor Services (515) 281-5151 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (785) 296-1058 

Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-3070 ext. 281 

Louisiana Department of Labor (225) 342-3126 

Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 624-6440 

Maryland Division of Labor and Industry (410) 767-2356 

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5627 

Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (517) 322-1851 

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (651) 284-5568 

Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7186 

Missouri Department of Health (573) 751-2454 

Montana Department of Labor and Industry (406) 444-3297 

Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court (402) 471-3547 

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 684-7081 

New Hampshire Department of Public Health (603) 271-4647 

New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (609) 984-1863 

New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (505) 827-4230 

New York State Department of Health (518) 402-7900 

New York City Department of Health (212) 788-4585 

North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337 

North Dakota U.S. Department of Labor (312) 353-7253 

Ohio Department of Health (614) 466-4183 

Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 528-1500 

Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (503) 947-7051 

Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548 

Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 222-2812 

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (803) 734-4298 

South Dakota U.S. Department of Labor (312) 353-7253 

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (615) 741-1749 

Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission (512) 804 4637 

Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823 

Vermont Department of Labor and Industry (802) 828-5076 

Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (804) 786-6427 

Washington Department of Labor and Industries (360) 902-5512 

West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890 

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (608) 266-7850 

Wyoming Department of Employment, Research and Planning (307) 473-3819 

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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