For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, September 20, 2012 USDL-12-1888

For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, September 20, 2012 USDL-12-1888 

Technical information: (202) 691-6170 • iifstaff@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm 

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN 2011

(PRELIMINARY RESULTS)

A preliminary total of 4,609 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2011, down from 

a final count of 4,690 fatal work injuries in 2010, according to results from the Census of Fatal 

Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rate of 

fatal work injury for U.S. workers in 2011 was 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, as 

compared to a final rate of 3.6 per 100,000 for 2010. 

Over the last 3 years, increases in the published counts based on additional information have averaged 

166 fatalities per year or about 3 percent of the revised total. Final 2011 data from the CFOI program 

will be released in Spring 2013. 

Key preliminary findings of the 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:

• Fatal work injuries in the private construction sector declined to 721 in 2011 from 774 in 

2010, a decline of 7 percent and the fifth consecutive year of lower fatality counts. Fatal 

construction injuries are down nearly 42 percent since 2006. 

• Violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for 780 fatalities, or about 17 

percent of the fatal injuries in the workplace in 2011. Included in this count are 458 

homicides and 242 suicides. (See note in box below about recent changes to the classification 

system for case characteristics.)

• Work-related fatalities in the private mining industry (which includes oil and gas extraction) 

were down 10 percent in 2011 after an increase of 74 percent in 2010. Coal mining fatalities 

fell to 17 in 2011 from 43 in 2010. 

• Fatal work injuries in private truck transportation rose 14 percent in 2011—the second

consecutive year that counts have risen in this sector after reaching a series low in 2009. 

• Fatal work injuries increased among non-Hispanic black or African-American workers and 

among Hispanic or Latino workers in 2011, but declined among non-Hispanic white workers 

(down 3 percent). 

• Fatal work injuries involving workers 55 years of age and older as well as workers under the 

age of 18 were both lower in 2011, but fatal work injuries among workers in the 20 to 24 age 

group were up nearly 18 percent. 

 Changes to the OIICS Structure

Information in this release incorporates a major revision in the Occupational Injury and Illness 

Classification System (OIICS), which is used to describe the characteristics of fatal work injuries.

Because of the extensive revisions, data for the OIICS case characteristics for reference year 2011 

represent a break in series with data for prior years. More information on OIICS can be found at

www.bls.gov/iif/oshoiics.htm.
2

Profile of fatal work injuries in 2011 by worker characteristics

The number of fatal work injuries involving non-Hispanic white workers declined 3 percent in 2011, 

but were higher for black or African-American workers. For black workers, this increase follows three 

years of declining numbers of fatal injuries. 

Fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers rose to 729 in 2011 from 707 in 2010, an 

increase of 3 percent. The higher count in 2011 was the first increase in fatal injuries for Hispanic or 

Latino workers since 2006. Of the 729 fatal work injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers, 500 

(or 69 percent) involved foreign-born workers. Overall, there were 823 fatal work injuries involving 

foreign-born workers in 2011, of which the greatest share (338 or 41 percent) were born in Mexico. 

Fatal work injuries were higher for workers 20 to 24 years of age, rising to 288 in 2011 from 245 in 

2010, an increase of 18 percent. For workers 55 years of age or older and workers under the age of 18, 

fatal work injuries were down. Fatal work injuries involving women increased slightly in 2011 to 375, 

but declined by 2 percent for men to 4,234 in 2011 from 4,322 in 2010. 

Fatal injuries to both wage and salary workers and self-employed workers declined slightly in 2011.

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by demographic characteristics, see the 2011 tables at 

www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm. 

Profile of 2011 fatal work injuries by type of incident

Transportation incidents accounted for more than 2 out of every 5 fatal work injuries in 2011. (See 

chart 1.) Of the 1,898 transportation-related incidents, about 57 percent (1,075 cases) were roadway 

incidents involving motorized land vehicles. Nonroadway incidents, such as a tractor overturn in a 

farm field, accounted for another 11 percent of the transportation-related fatal injuries. About 16 

percent of fatal transportation incidents in 2011 involved pedestrians who were struck by vehicles. Of 

the 312 fatal work injuries involving pedestrians struck by vehicles, 61 occurred in work zones. 

Workers who were fatally injured in aircraft incidents in 2011 accounted for 146 fatalities or about 8 

percent of the transportation total. 

Overall, 780 workers were killed as a result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals, 

including 458 homicides and 242 suicides. Shootings were the most frequent manner of death in both 

homicides (78 percent) and suicides (45 percent). Another 37 deaths were due to animal- or insectrelated incidents. Of the 375 fatal work injuries involving female workers overall, 21 percent involved 

homicides. In nearly 2 out of every 5 homicides to female workers, the assailants were relatives, with 

almost all of the relatives being spouses or domestic partners (current and former). Robbers were the 

assailants in another 22 percent of these fatalities. For male workers, homicides accounted for 

approximately 9 percent of all fatal injuries. In contrast to female workers, relatives accounted for only 

about 2 percent of assailants. Robbers were the assailants in over one third of the homicide cases 

involving male workers. 

Fatal falls, slips, or trips took the lives of 666 workers in 2011, or about 14 percent of all fatal work 

injuries. Falls to lower level accounted for 541 of those fatalities. The revised Occupational Injury and 
3

Illness Classification System (OIICS) added the capability of recording the height of the fall. In 2011, 

the height of the fall was reported in 451 of the 541 fatal falls from higher level. Of those 451 cases, 

about one in four (115) occurred after a fall of 10 feet or less. Another fourth (118) occurred from a fall 

of over 30 feet.

A total of 472 workers were fatally injured after being struck by objects or equipment, including 219 

workers who were struck by falling objects or equipment and 192 who were struck by powered 

vehicles or mobile equipment not in normal operation. 

Chart 1. Fatal occupational injuries by major event, 2011*

Transportation 

incidents 41%

Roadway incidents

23%

Homicides

10%

Contact with objects 

and equipment 15%

Struck by object 

or equipment

10%

Falls to 

lower level

12%

Exposure to harmful 

substances and 

environments 9%

Fires and explosions 3%

*Data for 2011 are preliminary.

NOTE: Event data for 2011 are not comparable to prior years due to the implementation of the revised Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01. 

See http://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm . Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2012.

Total=4,609

Violence and other injuries 

by persons or animals 17%

Falls, slips, 

and trips

14%

There were 152 multiple-fatality incidents in 2011 (incidents in which more than one worker was 

killed) in which 354 workers died. 

 

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by incident, see the 2011 tables at 

www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm. 

Profile of fatal work injuries in 2011 by industry sector

The number of fatal work injuries in the private construction sector declined by 7 percent in 2011. 

Fatal work injuries in construction have declined every year since 2006 and are down nearly 42 percent 

over that time. Economic conditions may explain much of this decline. Despite the lower fatal injury 

total, construction accounted for the second most fatal work injuries of any industry sector in 2011 

with transportation and warehousing having the most fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) 

Private sector mining fatalities were down 10 percent to 154 in 2011 from 172 in 2010 after rising 74 

percent in 2010. Fatal work injuries were down sharply in coal mining to 17 in 2011 from 43 in 2010; 
4

the Upper Big Branch mining disaster in 2010 which killed 29 workers was a major factor in the high 

fatality counts in 2010. Fatal work injuries in support activities for mining were up 6 percent. 

Fatalities in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting were down by 10 percent to 557 in 2011 from 

621 in 2010, led by a sharp drop in crop production fatalities. Manufacturing fatalities were also 

slightly lower.

Among service-providing industries in the private sector, fatal work injuries in transportation and 

warehousing accounted for 733 fatal work injuries in 2011, an increase of 11 percent over the final 

2010 count (661 fatalities) and the highest count since 2008. The number of fatal injuries in truck 

transportation, the largest subsector within transportation and warehousing in terms of employment, 

increased by 14 percent in 2011, led by a 16 percent increase in general freight trucking and a 12 

percent increase in specialized freight trucking. Among other transportation subsectors, fatal work 

injuries in air transportation were lower, but fatalities in water and rail transportation were higher in 

2011. 

Utilities

Information

Financial activities

Education and health services

Mining

Other services (exc. public admin.)

Wholesale trade

Leisure and hospitality

Retail trade

Manufacturing

Professional and business services

Government

Agriculture, forestry, fishing

and hunting

Construction

Transportation and warehousing

750 0 30

0.8

1.1

1.9

2.0

2.1

2.2

2.2

2.9

2.9

4.2

4.9

8.9

15.0

15.8

24.4

721

557

495

424

322

266

224

189

177

154

151

95

58

39

Fatal work injury rate

(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)

Number of fatal work injuries

*Data for 2011 are preliminary.

NOTE: All industries shown are private with the exception of government, which includes fatalities to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry. 

Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries before 

the exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology changes please see http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2012.

Chart 2. Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries, by industry sector, 2011*

733

Total fatal 

work injuries = 4,609

All-worker 

fatal injury rate = 3.5

500 250 10 20

Fatal work injuries in the professional and business services sector were up 16 percent, led by an 

increase in fatalities in landscape services to 167 in 2011 from 133 in 2010. 

Fatal occupational injuries among government workers increased by 2 percent from 2010 to 495. Local 

government increased to 294 in 2011 from 269 in 2010 due to a 24 percent increase in police 

protection. Fatal work injuries were lower among both state and federal workers. 

In 2011, CFOI began collecting additional information on fatally-injured workers who were working 

as contractors at the time of their deaths. Preliminary 2011 data show that 492 of the 4,609 fatallyinjured workers were classified as contractors at the time of their fatal injuries. (For more information 

on contractor definitions and other new data elements please see http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm.)
5

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by industry, see the 2011 tables at 

www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm. 

Profile of fatal work injuries in 2011 by occupation 

Fatal work injuries in construction and extraction occupations declined slightly in 2011 to 770--the 

lowest level since the occupational series began in 2003. Fatal injuries among construction trades 

workers also recorded a series low in 2011, falling 7 percent to 511 in 2011 and have declined 48 

percent from the high reported in 2006. Fatal work injuries involving construction laborers, the worker 

subgroup accounting for the highest number of fatalities in the construction trades worker group, were 

down 6 percent in 2011 to 190 fatal work injuries. The number of fatal work injuries involving 

extraction workers was about the same as in 2010. 

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs

Electrical power-line installers

and repairers

Driver/sales workers and

truck drivers

Farmers, ranchers, and 

other agricultural managers

Structural iron and steel

workers

Roofers

Refuse and recyclable

material collectors

Aircraft pilots and flight

engineers

Logging workers

Fishers and related fishing

workers

140 105 70 35 0 200 400 600 800

102.4

57.0

41.2

31.8

26.9

25.3

24.0

20.3

19.7

16

27

34

40

56

63

64

72

260

759

Fatal work injury rate

(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers) Number of fatal work injuries

121.2

Chart 3. Occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2011*

*Data for 2011 are preliminary. 

NOTE: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries 

before the exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology changes please see http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2012.

Total fatal 

work injuries = 4,609

All-worker 

fatal injury rate = 3.5

Fatal work injuries in the building and grounds cleaning, and maintenance occupational group were up 

14 percent to 265 fatalities in 2011--the highest level since 2006. The biggest increases within this 

occupational group were among landscaping and groundskeeping workers and among tree trimmers

and pruners. 

Fatal work injuries involving farming, fishing, and forestry workers declined by 5 percent in 2011 after 

increasing in 2010. Fatalities involving agricultural workers, including farm workers and laborers, 

declined to 138 in 2011 from 161 in 2010. Fatalities among logging workers were higher in 2011, to 64 

in 2011 from 60 in 2010, but fatal work injuries among fishers and related fishing workers were about 

the same as in 2010. 

The number of fatal work injuries among protective service occupations increased for the second 

straight year, rising to 278 in 2011 from 261 in 2010. The increase in 2011 was led by higher numbers 

of fatal injuries among security guards and first-line supervisors of police and detectives. 
6

Fatal work injuries involving workers in transportation and material moving occupations increased by 

5 percent in 2011 to 1,213 fatalities, which is the highest level since 2008. Fatal work injuries in this 

occupational group accounted for about one quarter of all occupational fatalities. Driver/sales workers 

and truck drivers, the subgroup with the highest number of fatal work injuries within the transportation 

and material moving group, led the increase. Fatalities in this subgroup rose to 759 in 2011 from 718 in 

2010, an increase of 6 percent. 

Fatal work injuries involving resident military personnel increased to 54 in 2011 from 46 in 2010. 

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by occupation, see the 2011 tables at 

www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm. 

Profile of fatal work injuries by state

Twenty-three states reported higher numbers of fatal work injuries in 2011 than in 2010, while 25 

states and the District of Columbia reported lower numbers. Two states reported the same number as in 

2010. 

For more detailed state results, contact the individual state agency responsible for the collection 

of CFOI data in that state. Although data for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam are not 

included in the national totals for this release, results for these jurisdictions are available. Participating 

agencies and their telephone numbers are listed in Table 6. 

Background of the program 

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the BLS Occupational Safety and Health 

Statistics (OSHS) program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the 

calendar year. The CFOI program uses diverse state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, 

verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. 

For the 2011 data, over 20,000 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection 

process.

Another OSHS program, the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), presents frequency 

counts and incidence rates by industry and also by detailed case circumstances and worker 

characteristics for nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses for cases that result in days away from 

work. Incidence rates for 2011 by industry will be published in October 2012, and information on 2011 

case circumstances and worker characteristics will be available in November 2012. For additional data, 

access the BLS Internet site: www.bls.gov/iif/. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI 

program, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS web site at

www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch9.pdf.
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 2011p

Event or exposure1 Number Percent

Total ................................................................................................................... 4,609 100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals .......................................... 780 17

Homicides - intentional injury by other person ................................................... 458 10

Shooting by other person - intentional ........................................................... 358 8

Stabbing, cutting, slashing, piercing ............................................................... 42 1

Self-inflicted injury - intentional .......................................................................... 242 5

Transportation incidents ..................................................................................... 1,898 41

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle ......................................... 1,075 23

Roadway collision with other vehicle .............................................................. 512 11

Roadway collision - moving in same direction ........................................... 143 3

Roadway collision - moving in opposite directions, oncoming ................... 168 4

Roadway collision - moving perpendicularly .............................................. 110 2

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle ........................................... 301 7

Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway ................................... 281 6

Roadway noncollision incident ....................................................................... 259 6

Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway ........................................................... 206 4

Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles .................................. 216 5

Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway ..................................................... 109 2

Pedestrian vehicular incident ............................................................................. 312 7

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in work zone ..................................................... 61 1

Rail vehicle incidents .......................................................................................... 50 1

Water vehicle incidents ...................................................................................... 70 2

Aircraft incidents ................................................................................................. 146 3

Fires and explosions ........................................................................................... 143 3

Falls, slips, trips ................................................................................................... 666 14

Falls to lower level .............................................................................................. 541 12

Fall from collapsing structure or equipment ................................................... 38 1

Fall through surface or existing opening ........................................................ 60 1

Fall on same level .............................................................................................. 108 2

Exposure to harmful substances or environments .......................................... 401 9

Exposure to electricity ........................................................................................ 171 4

Exposure to temperature extremes .................................................................... 61 1

Exposure to other harmful substances ............................................................... 130 3

Inhalation of harmful substance ..................................................................... 57 1

Contact with objects and equipment ................................................................. 708 15

Struck by object or equipment ............................................................................ 472 10

Struck by falling object or equipment - other than powered vehicle ............... 219 5

Struck by discharged or flying object ............................................................. 24 1

Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects ............................................ 147 3

Caught in running equipment or machinery ................................................... 119 3

Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material ........ 84 2

1 Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented

for 2011 data forward. p Data for 2011 are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring

2013.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may

not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless

precipitated by an injury event.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York

City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

7
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry and selected event or exposure, 2011p

Industry1

Fatal injuries Selected event or exposure2

(percent of total for industry)

Number Percent Homicides Roadway3 Falls, slips, trips Struck by object

or equipment

Total ............................................................................................. 4,609 100 10 23 14 10

Private industry ............................................................................... 4,114 89 9 23 15 11

Goods producing ........................................................................... 1,754 38 1 14 20 15

Natural resources and mining .................................................... 711 15 1 17 7 19

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ..................................... 557 12 1 13 7 19

Crop production ....................................................................... 238 5 2 18 8 13

Animal production .................................................................... 147 3 – 12 7 14

Forestry and logging ................................................................ 78 2 – 10 4 67

Mining4 ........................................................................................ 154 3 – 31 8 19

Mining, except oil and gas ....................................................... 37 1 – 8 8 30

Support activities for mining .................................................... 106 2 – 39 8 16

Construction ................................................................................ 721 16 1 12 35 10

Construction ................................................................................ 721 16 1 12 35 10

Construction of buildings ......................................................... 121 3 1 8 43 10

Heavy and civil engineering construction ................................ 155 3 1 18 9 14

Specialty trade contractors ...................................................... 418 9 1 12 42 9

Manufacturing .............................................................................. 322 7 3 13 15 14

Manufacturing .............................................................................. 322 7 3 13 15 14

Food manufacturing ................................................................. 50 1 – 16 16 12

Fabricated metal product manufacturing ................................. 40 1 2 8 20 15

Service providing .......................................................................... 2,360 51 15 30 11 8

Trade, transportation, and utilities ............................................ 1,227 27 13 43 6 8

Wholesale trade ........................................................................... 189 4 5 30 11 15

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods ..................................... 106 2 7 20 11 22

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods ............................... 77 2 3 42 10 6

Retail trade .................................................................................. 266 6 41 20 9 7

Motor vehicle and parts dealers .............................................. 42 1 – 36 7 21

Food and beverage stores ....................................................... 85 2 69 11 6 –

Transportation and warehousing ................................................. 733 16 5 56 4 7

Truck transportation ................................................................. 474 10 1 73 3 7

Transit and ground passenger transportation .......................... 72 2 44 36 4 –

Utilities ......................................................................................... 39 1 – 15 18 8

Information ................................................................................... 58 1 – 33 28 5

Financial activities ....................................................................... 95 2 31 15 9 4

Finance and insurance ................................................................ 35 1 31 9 9 –

Real estate and rental and leasing .............................................. 60 1 30 18 10 7

Professional and business services .......................................... 424 9 7 18 24 11

Professional and technical services ............................................ 74 2 5 19 9 –

Administrative and waste services .............................................. 350 8 7 18 27 13

Educational and health services ................................................ 151 3 13 19 14 –

Educational services .................................................................... 38 1 – 8 11 3

Health care and social assistance ............................................... 113 2 16 23 15 –

Leisure and hospitality ............................................................... 224 5 30 6 11 4

Arts, entertainment, and recreation ............................................. 93 2 3 2 14 5

Accommodation and food services .............................................. 131 3 50 8 9 3

Other services, except public administration ........................... 177 4 21 14 9 18

Government5 ................................................................................... 495 11 18 24 10 3

Federal government ........................................................................ 93 2 9 24 9 –

State government ............................................................................ 106 2 8 34 10 5

Local government ............................................................................ 294 6 25 20 10 3

1 Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. 2 Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. The figure shown is the percent of the total

fatal injuries for that industry group. 3 "Roadway" 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 Includes fatal injuries at all establishments categorized as Mining (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, 2007, including establishments not

governed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction. 5 Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry. p Data for 2011 are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data

reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. There were two fatal injuries

for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific industry classification.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal

Occupational Injuries

8
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2011p

Occupation1

Fatal injuries Selected event or exposure2

(percent of total for occupation)

Number Percent Homicides Roadway3 Falls, slips,

trips

Struck by

object or

equipment

Total ................................................................................................................... 4,609 100 10 23 14 10

Management occupations ................................................................................... 456 10 13 14 9 12

Top executives ................................................................................................... 34 1 21 18 18 –

Operations specialties managers ....................................................................... 28 1 36 18 – –

Other management occupations ........................................................................ 388 8 11 14 8 14

Business and financial operations occupations ............................................... 29 1 14 48 – –

Computer and mathematical occupations ......................................................... 5 4( )– – – –

Architecture and engineering occupations ....................................................... 39 1 – 26 8 –

Engineers ........................................................................................................... 26 1 – 31 – –

Life, physical, and social science occupations ................................................ 22 4() – 18 23 –

Community and social services occupations ................................................... 22 4( ) 27 41 – –

Legal occupations ................................................................................................ 13 4( )– – – –

Education, training, and library occupations .................................................... 34 1 – 12 24 –

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations .......................... 53 1 – 6 21 –

Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers .................................. 37 1 – 3 11 –

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations ........................................ 54 1 17 20 7 –

Health diagnosing and treating practitioners ...................................................... 37 1 19 24 – –

Health technologists and technicians ................................................................. 16 4( )– – – –

Healthcare support occupations ........................................................................ 20 4( ) 15 25 – –

Protective service occupations .......................................................................... 278 6 40 21 6 –

Fire fighting and prevention workers .................................................................. 31 1 – 16 13 –

Law enforcement workers .................................................................................. 149 3 45 28 2 –

Other protective service workers ........................................................................ 74 2 51 5 11 –

Food preparation and serving related occupations ......................................... 45 1 42 – 16 –

Supervisors, food preparation and serving workers ........................................... 11 4( ) 45– – –

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations ...................... 265 6 3 9 31 15

Building cleaning and pest control workers ........................................................ 52 1 10 12 40 –

Grounds maintenance workers .......................................................................... 182 4 2 9 28 17

Personal care and service occupations ............................................................. 72 2 28 6 12 –

Sales and related occupations ........................................................................... 228 5 45 14 7 4

Supervisors, sales workers ................................................................................ 121 3 49 11 4 7

Retail sales workers ........................................................................................... 61 1 61 – 13 –

Sales representatives, services ......................................................................... 9 4( ) 11– – –

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing ........................................ 14 4() – 50 – –

Office and administrative support occupations ................................................ 92 2 15 33 18 3

Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers ............... 54 1 15 43 11 –

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...................................................... 262 6 2 11 6 24

Agricultural workers ............................................................................................ 138 3 – 17 7 7

Fishing and hunting workers .............................................................................. 40 1 2 – – –

Forest, conservation, and logging workers ........................................................ 67 1 – – – 75

Construction and extraction occupations ......................................................... 770 17 1 12 32 12

Supervisors, construction and extraction workers .............................................. 99 2 1 22 30 16

Construction trades workers .............................................................................. 511 11 1 8 37 9

Extraction workers .............................................................................................. 92 2 1 20 14 24

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ........................................... 362 8 2 13 18 18

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers ................. 115 2 2 13 3 38

Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................................... 203 4 2 13 26 7

Production occupations ...................................................................................... 218 5 6 6 18 13

Supervisors, production workers ........................................................................ 31 1 13 13 10 –

Metal workers and plastic workers ..................................................................... 66 1 2 – 23 18

Transportation and material moving occupations ............................................ 1,213 26 5 50 5 9

Air transportation workers .................................................................................. 72 2 – – – –

Motor vehicle operators ...................................................................................... 851 18 6 67 3 7

Water transportation workers ............................................................................. 14 4( )– – – –

Material moving workers .................................................................................... 227 5 2 12 14 16

Military occupations5 .......................................................................................... 54 1 9 19 6 –

1 Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. 2 Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. The figure shown is the percent of the total

fatal injuries for that occupation group. 3 "Roadway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents

occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents involving trains; and deaths to pedestrians or other non passengers. 4 Less than or equal to 0.5 percent. 5 Includes fatal injuries to persons identified as resident armed forces regardless of individual occupation listed. p Data for 2011 are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data

reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. There were two fatal injuries

for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific occupation classification.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal

Occupational Injuries

9
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected worker characteristics and selected event or exposure, 2011p

Characteristic

Fatal injuries Selected event or exposure1

(percent of total for characteristic category)

Number Percent Homicides Roadway2 Falls, slips,

trips

Struck by

object or

equipment

Total ..................................................................................................... 4,609 100 10 23 14 10

Employee status

Wage and salary3 ................................................................................ 3,594 78 9 26 15 10

Self-employed4 .................................................................................... 1,015 22 13 14 13 12

Gender

Men ...................................................................................................... 4,234 92 9 23 14 11

Women ................................................................................................ 375 8 21 27 14 4

Age5

Under 16 years .................................................................................... 10 6( ) 10 – – –

16-17 years .......................................................................................... 14 6( ) 14 – 7 –

18-19 years .......................................................................................... 58 1 14 16 5 12

20-24 years .......................................................................................... 288 6 9 28 8 9

25-34 years .......................................................................................... 704 15 13 19 10 10

35-44 years .......................................................................................... 858 19 12 25 12 8

45-54 years .......................................................................................... 1,207 26 10 23 16 11

55-64 years .......................................................................................... 911 20 8 26 17 11

65 years and over ................................................................................ 558 12 6 21 22 12

Race or ethnic origin7

White, non-Hispanic ............................................................................ 3,257 71 8 25 14 10

Black or African-American, non-Hispanic ............................................ 433 9 21 29 8 9

Hispanic or Latino ................................................................................ 729 16 10 14 22 11

American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic ................................ 29 1 – – 14 14

Asian, non-Hispanic ............................................................................. 113 2 35 24 8 4

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic .............................. 3 6() – – – –

Multiple races, non-Hispanic ............................................................... 15 6() – – 7 –

Other or not reported, non-Hispanic .................................................... 30 1 13 40 – –

1 Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. The figure shown is the

percent of the total fatal injuries for that demographic characteristic. 2 "Roadway" 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. 3 May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. 4 Includes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses and farms, paid and unpaid family workers, and may include some owners of

incorporated businesses or members of partnerships. 5 There was 1 fatal injury for which there was insufficient information to determine the age of the decedent. 6 Less than or equal to 0.5 percent. 7 Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude Hispanic and Latino workers. p Data for 2011 are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes

indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury

event.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies,

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

10
Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 2010-2011

State of injury

Total fatal injuries1 Event or exposure4

2011

20102

(revised) 20113,p

Violence

and other

injuires by

persons or

animals5

Transportation

incidents6

Fires and

explosions

Falls, slips,

trips

Exposure to

harmful substances or

environments

Contact with

objects and

equipment

Total .................................................................................... 4,690 4,609 780 1,898 143 666 401 708

Alabama .................................................................................. 92 74 6 36 1 10 4 17

Alaska ...................................................................................... 39 38 8 18 1 4 5 –

Arizona .................................................................................... 77 65 14 25 3 13 5 –

Arkansas ................................................................................. 88 93 11 50 1 6 14 11

California ................................................................................. 326 360 85 118 9 60 36 50

Colorado .................................................................................. 85 87 16 34 – 15 5 16

Connecticut ............................................................................. 49 36 12 13 – 7 1 3

Delaware ................................................................................. 8 10 5 3 – – 1 –

District of Columbia ................................................................. 16 9 3 – – – – 3

Florida ..................................................................................... 225 227 44 90 4 36 27 26

Georgia .................................................................................... 108 107 17 45 5 16 9 15

Hawaii ...................................................................................... 19 26 – 10 5 6 2 –

Idaho ....................................................................................... 33 37 – 26 – 3 – 5

Illinois ...................................................................................... 206 177 44 54 4 29 25 20

Indiana ..................................................................................... 118 122 17 61 3 16 7 18

Iowa ......................................................................................... 77 93 11 55 2 7 2 16

Kansas .................................................................................... 85 77 7 38 8 8 7 9

Kentucky .................................................................................. 69 86 10 39 6 6 7 17

Louisiana ................................................................................. 111 109 10 54 6 14 13 12

Maine ....................................................................................... 20 26 4 16 – – 3 –

Maryland .................................................................................. 71 71 17 29 3 8 4 9

Massachusetts ........................................................................ 54 63 19 17 3 16 3 5

Michigan .................................................................................. 146 139 33 46 3 24 12 21

Minnesota ................................................................................ 70 60 5 16 – 14 5 19

Mississippi ............................................................................... 68 63 9 31 – 5 7 9

Missouri ................................................................................... 106 133 14 60 5 16 10 28

Montana .................................................................................. 36 49 5 25 – 5 3 8

Nebraska ................................................................................. 54 39 2 25 – 3 – 5

Nevada .................................................................................... 38 38 9 22 – 4 – –

New Hampshire ....................................................................... 6 9 – 4 – – – –

New Jersey .............................................................................. 81 98 24 37 – 15 7 15

New Mexico ............................................................................. 38 51 4 21 – 3 6 15

New York (including N.Y.C.) .................................................... 182 205 48 69 – 39 14 34

New York City ...................................................................... 68 71 24 13 – 15 6 13

North Carolina ......................................................................... 139 148 29 51 4 28 12 24

North Dakota ........................................................................... 30 44 5 23 – 3 – 9

Ohio ......................................................................................... 161 153 22 61 3 22 20 25

Oklahoma ................................................................................ 94 77 6 38 – 9 10 12

Oregon .................................................................................... 47 57 10 20 3 9 – 12

Pennsylvania ........................................................................... 221 186 28 69 6 34 17 32

Rhode Island ........................................................................... 9 7 – – – 5 – –

South Carolina ......................................................................... 69 81 12 46 – 12 5 5

South Dakota ........................................................................... 36 31 5 14 3 – – 7

Tennessee ............................................................................... 138 120 26 39 10 15 5 24

Texas ....................................................................................... 461 433 70 168 18 67 43 66

Utah ......................................................................................... 41 39 3 24 – 5 – 5

Vermont ................................................................................... 12 8 – – – – 2 4

Virginia .................................................................................... 107 127 23 60 1 10 12 21

Washington ............................................................................. 104 58 6 29 – 9 5 9

West Virginia ........................................................................... 95 43 3 18 – 6 5 11

Wisconsin ................................................................................ 91 89 13 33 – 12 9 22

Wyoming ................................................................................. 33 29 – 17 – 3 – –

1 State totals include other events and exposures, such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately. 2 Totals for 2010 are revised and final. Preliminary 2010 data issued August 25, 2011, reported a total of 4,547 fatal work injuries for calendar year 2010. Since then, an

additional 143 job-related fatal injuries were identified, bringing the total job-related fatal injury count for 2010 to 4,690. Includes one fatal injury that occurred within the

territorial boundaries of the United States, but a State of incident could not be determined. 3 Includes two fatal injuries that occurred within the territorial boundaries of the United States, but a State of incident could not be determined.

4 Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. 5 Includes violence by persons, self-inflicted injuries, and attacks by animals. 6 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatal injuries, and fatal injuries resulting from being struck by a vehicle. p Data for 2011 are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.

 NOTE: Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury

event.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal

Occupational Injuries

11
12 

Table 6. CFOI participating agencies and telephone numbers

State Agency Telephone number

Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3463

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

Arizona Industrial Commission (602) 542-3737

Arkansas Department of Labor (501) 682-4542

California Department of Industrial Relations (626) 472-0446 ext. 5443

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (303) 691-4938

Connecticut Department of Labor (860) 263-6933

Delaware Department of Labor (302) 761-8219

Dist. of Columbia Department of Health (202) 442-9010

Florida Bureau of Labor Statistics - Atlanta Region (404) 893-8339

 

Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner (404) 463-0738

Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (808) 586-9002

Idaho Bureau of Labor Statistics – San Francisco Region (415) 625-2261

Illinois Department of Public Health (312) 814-8194

Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668

Iowa Division of Labor Services (515) 281-5151

Kansas Department of Labor (785) 296-5000 ext. 2576

Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-4136

Louisiana Workforce Commission (225) 342-3126

Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 623-7905

Maryland Division of Labor and Industry (410) 527-4463

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5679

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (517) 322-1851

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

Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7186

Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (573) 751-2719

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

Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (702) 486-9197

New Hampshire Division of Vital Records Administration (603) 271-4647

 

New Jersey Department of Health (609) 826-4984

New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (505) 476-8740

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

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (212) 788-4584

North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337

North Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics - Chicago Region (312) 353-7200 ext. 41

Ohio Department of Health (614) 644-0135

Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 521-6855

Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (503) 947-7364

Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548

 

Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 222-8051 

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (803) 896-7673

South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics - Chicago Region (312) 353-7200 ext. 41

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

Texas Dept. of Insurance, Div. of Workers' Compensation (512) 804-4658

Utah Labor Commission, Statistics Program (801) 530-6823

Vermont Department of Labor (802) 828-5985

Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (804) 786-1035

Washington Department of Labor and Industries (360) 902-5510

West Virginia Bureau of Labor Statistics - Philadelphia Region (215) 861-5637

Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (608) 221-6293

Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (307) 473-3810

Guam Department of Labor (671) 475-7056

Puerto Rico Negociado de Estadisticas (787) 754-5300 ext.3056

U.S. Virgin Islands Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (340) 776-3700 ext. 2019
13

TECHNICAL NOTES

Identification and verification of work-related fatalities

In 2011, there were 7 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 are included in the Census of Fatal 

Occupational Injuries (CFOI) counts. An additional 101 fatalities submitted by states were not included 

because the source documents had insufficient information to determine work relationship and could not 

be verified by either an independent source document or a follow-up questionnaire. 

States may identify additional fatal work injuries after data collection closeout for a reference year. In 

addition, other fatalities excluded from the published count because of insufficient information to 

determine work relationship may subsequently be verified as work related. States have up to 7 months 

from this release to update their initial published state counts. This procedure ensures that fatality data are 

disseminated as quickly as possible and that legitimate cases are not excluded from the final counts. Thus, 

each year's initial release of data should be considered preliminary. Final data are released in the Spring of 

the following year; revised counts for 2011 will be available in 2013. 

Over the last 3 years, increases in the published counts based on additional information have averaged 

166 fatalities per year or about 3 percent of the revised total. The BLS news release issued August 25, 

2011 reported a total of 4,547 fatal work injuries for 2010. With the April 2012 release of final data, an 

additional 143 net fatal work injuries were added, bringing the total for 2010 to 4,690. 

In September 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics completed a major revision to the Occupational Injury 

and Illness Classification System (OIICS). The new version constitutes the first comprehensive revision 

to the OIICS since its creation in December 1992. The revised structure (OIICS 2.01) will be used 

beginning with reference year 2011 for both the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and the 

Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). As a result of the break in series, new survey ID’s 

have been created for the public IIF databases (www.bls.gov/iif/data.htm) for CFOI and SOII. 

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. 

Acknowledgements

BLS thanks the participating states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. 

Virgin Islands, and Guam 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 entities 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 Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs 

(Federal Employees’ Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation divisions); the 

Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; 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.