For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, September 11, 2014 USDL-14-1674

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 2013

(PRELIMINARY RESULTS)

A preliminary total of 4,405 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2013, lower than 

the revised count of 4,628 fatal work injuries in 2012, according to results from the Census of Fatal 

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

injury for U.S. workers in 2013 was 3.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, compared to a

final rate of 3.4 per 100,000 in 2012.

Final 2013 data from CFOI will be released in the late spring of 2015. Over the last 5 years, net 

increases to the preliminary count have averaged 165 cases, ranging from a low of 84 in 2011 to a high 

of 245 in 2012. The revised 2011 figure was 2 percent higher than the preliminary total, while the 2012 

figure was 6 percent higher. 

Key preliminary findings of the 2013 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:

 Fatal work injuries in private industry in 2013 were 6 percent below the 2012 figure. The 

preliminary 2013 count of 3,929 fatal injuries in private industry represents the lowest annual 

total since the fatality census was first conducted in 1992. 

 Fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers were higher in 2013, rising 7 percent. The 

797 Hispanic or Latino worker deaths in 2013 constituted the highest total since 2008. Fatal work 

injuries were lower among all other major racial/ethnic groups. 

 Since 2011, CFOI has identified whether fatally-injured workers were working as contractors at 

the time of the fatal incident. In 2013, 734 decedents were identified as contractors, above the 715 

reported in 2012. Workers who were working as contractors at the time of their fatal injury

accounted for 17 percent of all cases in 2013.

 Fatal work injuries involving workers under 16 years of age were substantially lower, falling from 

19 in 2012 to 5 in 2013—the lowest total ever reported by the census. Fatal work injuries in most

other age groups were also lower in 2013, though fatal work injuries among workers 25 to 34

years of age were higher.

 Work-related suicides were 8 percent higher than in 2012, but workplace homicides were 16 

percent lower. Overall, violence accounted for 1 out of every 6 fatal work injuries in 2013.

 The number of fatal work injuries among firefighters was considerably higher in 2013, rising

from 18 in 2012 to 53 in 2013. The large increase resulted from a few major incidents in which 

multiple fatalities were recorded, including the Yarnell Hill wildfires in Arizona which claimed 

the lives of 19 firefighters. 

 Fatal work injuries among self-employed workers were lower by 16 percent from 1,057 in 2012 

to 892 in 2013. The preliminary 2013 total represents the lowest annual total since the series 

began in 1992. 
2

Worker characteristics

Fatal work injury counts were lower for all major racial/ethnic groups in 2013 except Hispanic or Latino 

workers. Compared to final 2012 data, the number of fatal injuries was 6 percent lower among nonHispanic white workers, 15 percent lower among non-Hispanic black or African-American workers, and 

22 percent lower among non-Hispanic Asian workers.

Fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers were 7 percent higher – 797 in 2013 compared to

748 in 2012. Of the 797 fatal work injuries incurred by Hispanic or Latino workers, 527 (or 66 percent) 

involved foreign-born workers. The fatal injury rate for Hispanic or Latino workers was 3.8 per 100,000

FTE workers, which was higher than the national rate of 3.2 per 100,000 FTE workers. Overall, there 

were 845 fatal work injuries involving foreign-born workers in 2013, of which the greatest share (352 or 

42 percent) was born in Mexico.

Fatal work injuries involving workers under 16 years of age were down sharply to 5 in 2013 from 19 in 

2012, reaching its lowest annual total since the inception of the fatality census in 1992. There were 

4,101 fatal work injuries among men in 2013 compared with 4,277 in 2012, and fatal injuries among 

women were lower by 14 percent in 2013 to 302 from 351 in 2012. 

Fatal injuries to self-employed workers were 16 percent lower in 2013 – 892 compared to 1,057 in 2012. 

The 2013 preliminary total for self-employed workers is also a new low for the series, though selfemployed workers still accounted for 20 percent of all fatal work injuries. Fatal injuries among wage 

and salary workers were lower by 2 percent in 2013.

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by worker characteristics, see the worker characteristics 

table in the 2013 data section at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.

Type of incident

Fatal transportation incidents were lower by 10 percent in 2013, but still accounted for about 2 out of 

every 5 fatal work injuries in 2013. (See chart 1.) Of the 1,740 transportation-related fatal injuries in 

2013, nearly 3 out of every 5 (991 cases) were roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles. 

Nonroadway incidents, such as a tractor overturn in a farm field, accounted for another 13 percent of the 

transportation-related fatal injuries. About 16 percent of fatal transportation incidents (284 cases) in 

2013 involved pedestrians who were struck by vehicles. Forty-eight of these occurred in work zones. 

(Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are 

released in the late spring of 2015 because key source documentation detailing specific transportationrelated incidents has not yet been received.)

Fatal work injuries among those fatally injured in aircraft incidents in 2013 were 5 percent higher than 

in 2012, accounting for 133 fatalities or about 8 percent of the transportation total.

Overall, 753 workers were killed as a result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals, 

including 397 homicides and 270 suicides. The work-related suicide total for 2013 was 8 percent higher 

than the 2012 total. The homicide total was lower in 2013, falling 16 percent to 397 from 475 in 2012. 

Shootings were the most frequent manner of death in both homicides (80 percent) and suicides (47

percent). Of the 302 fatal work injuries involving female workers, 22 percent involved homicides, 

compared to 8 percent for men.
3

Fatal falls, slips, or trips took the lives of 699 workers in 2013. Falls to a lower level accounted for 574 

(82 percent) of those fatalities. In 2013, the height of the fall was reported for 466 of the fatal falls to a 

lower level. Of those, about 1 in 4 occurred after a fall of 10 feet or less. Another one-fifth of the fatal 

falls occurred from falls of over 30 feet.

A preliminary total of 717 fatal work injuries occurred as a result of contact with objects and equipment 

in 2013. The number of workers who were fatally injured after being struck by objects or equipment was 

3 percent lower – 503 fatal work injuries in 2013 compared to 519 in 2012. This total includes 245

workers struck by falling objects or equipment. Another 105 workers were fatally injured after being 

caught in running equipment or machinery. 

Total=4,405

Roadway incidents

22%

Homicides

9%

Falls, slips, trips

16%

Falls to lower level

13%

7%

Violence and other injuries 

by persons or animals 17%

Contact with objects

and equipment 16%

Exposure to harmful 

substances or environments

Other

17%

Transportation incidents

40%

Fires and explosions 3%

Struck by object 

or equipment

11%

Chart 1. Fatal occupational injuries, by major event, 2013*

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.

Note: Transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are released in spring 2015 because key source documentation detailing

specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

*Data for 2013 are preliminary.

Other

Other

5%

8%

Other

3%

Fatal injuries involving fires and explosions were 21 percent higher in 2013 – 148 fatalities compared to 

122 in 2012. This was due in part to some incidents in which more than one worker was killed,

including the Yarnell Hill wildfires in Arizona which took the lives of 19 firefighters. Overall, there 

were 146 multiple-fatality incidents in 2013 including transportation, explosion, homicide, and other

events, in addition to fires. A total of 375 workers died in these 146 incidents.

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by incident, see the event tables in the 2013 data section 

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

Industry

In the private sector, a total of 3,929 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2013, 6 percent lower than the 

final total of 4,175 in 2012. Fatal work injuries were lower in both goods-producing industries and 

service-providing industries. The preliminary counts for all private industry and for goods-producing 

and service-providing industries are currently series lows for CFOI, but may be revised upward when 

final data are released in spring 2015.
4

Among goods-producing sectors, the number of fatal work injuries in the private construction sector in 

2013 remained about the same as in 2012, though overall construction fatalities are down 36 percent

since 2006. The 796 fatal work injuries in construction, nevertheless, accounted for the highest number 

of fatal work injuries of any industry sector in 2013. (See chart 2.)

Fatal work injuries in the private mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector were 15 percent

lower in 2013 at 154 from 181 in 2012. The number of fatal work injury cases in oil and gas extraction 

industries were over 20 percent lower in 2013 to 112 from 142 in 2012. CFOI has used the North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to define industry since 2003. Data on oil and gas 

extraction industries in CFOI comprise NAICS 21111 Oil and gas extraction, NAICS 213111 Drilling 

oil and gas wells, and NAICS 213112 Support activities for oil and gas operations.

*Data for 2013 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, please see http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.

Fatal work injury rate

(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)

Total fatal work injuries = 4,405

All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.2

Number of fatal work injuries

Utilities

Information

Financial activities

Educational and health services

Other services (exc. public admin.)

Wholesale trade

Leisure and hospitality

Retail trade

Manufacturing

Professional and business services

Government

Transportation and warehousing

Construction 796

0 30

0.7

0.9

1.4

1.8

1.8

2.0

2.0

2.4

2.6

2.6

5.1

9.4

12.3

13.1

22.2

687

479

476

408

304

253

202

190

179

154

131

84

39

23

Chart 2. Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries, by industry sector, 2013*

10 20

Agriculture, forestry, fishing

and hunting

Mining, quarrying, and 

oil and gas extraction

900 600 300

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting fatalities were 6 percent lower in 2013 at 479 compared to 509 

in 2012—the third straight year of declines. Fatal injuries in the crop production; animal production; and 

fishing, hunting, and trapping industries were lower, but fatal work injuries in forestry and logging were 

higher by 25 percent at 81—the highest number since 2008. Despite the declines in fatal work injuries 

overall in this sector, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting still recorded the highest fatal injury rate 

of any industry sector at 22.2 fatal injuries per 100,000 FTE workers in 2013.

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

warehousing accounted for 687 fatal work injuries in 2013, 7 percent lower than the revised 2012 count 

of 741 fatalities. The number of fatal injuries in truck transportation, the largest subsector within 

transportation and warehousing in terms of employment, was 8 percent lower in 2013 at 461 fatalities. 

(As noted previously, transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 

2013 data are released in the late spring of 2015.) Among other transportation subsectors, fatal work

injuries in air transportation were lower in 2013, but fatal work injury totals in water and rail 

transportation were about the same as in 2012.

Fatal occupational injuries among government workers were higher by 5 percent to 476 fatal work 

injuries in 2013, up from 453 in 2012. Both federal government and local government had higher fatal 
5

work injury totals in 2013 (up 19 percent and 10 percent, respectively), though fatal injuries among state 

government workers were lower by 22 percent.

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by industry, see the industry tables in the 2013 data 

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

Occupation

Fatal work injuries in construction and extraction occupations were 6 percent lower in 2013 at 818. (See 

chart 3.) Fatal injuries among construction trades workers were lower by 5 percent in 2013 to 571 

fatalities. The 2013 count of construction trades workers is also 42 percent lower than the high of 977 

fatal work injuries reported in 2006. Fatal work injuries to construction laborers, the subgroup within 

construction trades with the highest number of fatalities, remained about the same in 2013. 

Chart 3. Occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2013*

*Data for 2013 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, please see http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.

Fatal work injury rate

(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)

100 50 200 400

Number of fatal work injuries

Construction laborers

Farmers, ranchers, and 

other agricultural managers

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

Electrical power-line installers

and repairers

Refuse and recyclable 

material collectors

Roofers

Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

Fishers and related fishing workers

Logging workers

150 0 600 800

Total fatal work injuries = 4,405

All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.2

91.3

75.0

50.6

38.7

33.0

16

27

27

33

59

63

69

215

220

748

26.9

22.0

21.8

21.5

17.7

Mining machine operators

Fatal work injuries in transportation and material moving occupations were 5 percent lower to 1,184 in 

2013. Drivers/sales workers and truck drivers accounted for more than 3 out of every 5 fatal injuries in 

this sector (748 of the 1,184 fatal injuries in 2013). As noted previously, transportation and material 

moving counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are released in the 

late spring of 2015.

The number of fatal work injuries among protective service occupations was higher by 7 percent in 2013 

to 247 fatalities. This was led by higher numbers of fatal injuries involving firefighting and prevention 

workers. Fatal injuries among firefighters rose 194 percent to 53 fatal work injuries from 18 in 2012. 

Two incidents alone accounted for over half of the 53 fatal injuries involving firefighters. Fatal work 

injuries among law enforcement workers were down 20 percent to a new series low of 97 fatalities.

Fatalities among farming, fishing, and forestry occupations were lower by 13 percent to 225 in 2013. 

The decline was led by the 19 percent drop in fatalities involving agricultural workers to a series low of 

123 in 2013 from 152 in 2012. 
6

Fatal injuries to resident military personnel were higher in 2013 – 67 fatal work injuries compared to 50

in 2012.

For more detailed information on fatal injuries by occupation, see the occupation tables in the 2013 data 

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

Contract workers

In addition to identifying the industry in which a decedent was employed, CFOI began in 2011 to 

identify whether a worker was a contractor. A contractor is defined as a worker employed by one firm 

but working at the behest of another firm that exercises overall responsibility for the operations at the 

site where the decedent was fatally injured. This information helps to identify the location and type of 

work being performed when the fatal work injury occurred.

In 2013, the number of fatal occupational injuries incurred by contractors was 734, or 17 percent of all 

fatal injuries, compared to 715 (15 percent) reported in 2012. Falls to a lower level accounted for 31

percent of contractor deaths while struck by object or equipment (18 percent), pedestrian struck by 

vehicle (11 percent), and exposure to electricity (7 percent) incidents also were frequent events among 

contractors. These four types of incidents each constituted a greater share of contractor fatalities than 

they did for all workers.

Fatally-injured contractors were most often contracted by a government entity (146 or 20 percent of all 

contractors) and by firms in the private construction (139 or 19 percent); financial activities (61 or 8

percent); mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (59 or 8 percent); and manufacturing (58 or 8

percent) industry sectors.

Half of all contractors (367) were working in construction and extraction occupations when fatally 

injured. Decedents in this occupation group were most often employed as construction laborers (95), 

first-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers (48), roofers (39), 

carpenters (26), and electricians (26). Among contractors who were employed outside the construction 

and extraction occupations group, the largest number of fatal occupational injuries was incurred by 

heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (55); security guards (22); landscaping and groundskeeping 

workers (14); tree trimmers and pruners (14); and welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (13).

For more detailed information on fatal injuries incurred by contract workers, see the contractor table in 

the miscellaneous CFOI data tables section at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm#other.

State and metropolitan statistical area (MSA)

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia reported higher numbers of fatal work injuries in 2013 

than in 2012, while 30 states reported lower numbers. Three states reported the same number as in 2012. 

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. For more detailed information 

on fatal injuries in a particular state, please contact the individual state agency. 
7

Detailed data are available on fatal work injuries for more than 50 MSAs and counts of fatal work 

injuries are available for over 300 MSAs. For additional data by MSA, see the tables in the MSA data 

tables section at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm#MSA.

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 ensures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. 

For the 2013 data, over 19,100 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection 

process. For technical information and definitions for CFOI, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods 

on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch9.pdf. 

The Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), another component of the OSHS program, 

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 2013 by industry and case type will be published in October 2014, and 

information on 2013 case circumstances and worker characteristics will be available in November 2014. 

For additional data, access the BLS website: www.bls.gov/iif/. 

These data are being released 13 years after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. 

Information on the 2,886 workers who were killed while working at the time of the 9/11 attacks is 

available at: www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfnr0008.pdf. 
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 2012-2013

Event or exposure1

20122

(revised) 2013p

Number Percent

Total ................................................................................................... 4,628 4,405 100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals .......................... 803 753 17

Homicides - intentional injury by other person ................................... 475 397 9

Shooting by other person - intentional ........................................... 381 316 7

Stabbing, cutting, slashing, piercing .............................................. 35 38 1

Self-inflicted injury - intentional .......................................................... 249 270 6

Transportation incidents ..................................................................... 1,923 1,740 40

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle ......................... 1,153 991 22

Roadway collision with other vehicle ............................................. 565 517 12

Roadway collision - moving in same direction ........................... 124 127 3

Roadway collision - moving in opposite directions, oncoming ... 204 178 4

Roadway collision - moving perpendicularly .............................. 134 124 3

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle ........................... 338 288 7

Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway ................... 318 270 6

Roadway noncollision incident ....................................................... 247 182 4

Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway ........................................... 202 157 4

Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles .................. 233 223 5

Nonroadway noncollision incident .................................................. 175 178 4

Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway ..................................... 115 116 3

Pedestrian vehicular incident ............................................................. 293 284 6

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in work zone ..................................... 65 48 1

Rail vehicle incidents ......................................................................... 38 41 1

Water vehicle incidents ...................................................................... 63 60 1

Aircraft incidents ................................................................................ 127 133 3

Fires and explosions ........................................................................... 122 148 3

Falls, slips, trips ................................................................................... 704 699 16

Falls to lower level ............................................................................. 570 574 13

Fall from collapsing structure or equipment ................................... 35 44 1

Fall through surface or existing opening ........................................ 72 69 2

Fall on same level .............................................................................. 120 106 2

Exposure to harmful substances or environments .......................... 340 330 7

Exposure to electricity ........................................................................ 156 139 3

Exposure to temperature extremes .................................................... 41 38 1

Exposure to other harmful substances .............................................. 110 121 3

Inhalation of harmful substance ..................................................... 40 37 1

Contact with objects and equipment ................................................. 723 717 16

Struck by object or equipment ........................................................... 519 503 11

Struck by falling object or equipment - other than powered vehicle 241 245 6

Struck by discharged or flying object ............................................. 27 29 1

Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects ............................ 124 131 3

Caught in running equipment or machinery ................................... 93 105 2

Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or

material ........................................................................................ 73 78 2

1 Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data

forward.

2 Totals for 2012 are revised and final. The BLS news release issued August 22, 2013, reported a total of 4,383 fatal

work injuries for calendar year 2012. Since then, an additional 245 job-related fatal injuries were identified, bringing the total

job-related fatal injury count for 2012 to 4,628. p Data for 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.

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

8
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry and selected event or exposure, 2013p

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 ............................................................................... 4,405 100 9 22 16 11

Private industry .................................................................. 3,929 89 9 22 16 12

Goods producing ............................................................. 1,733 39 2 14 22 16

Natural resources and mining ...................................... 633 14 2 14 8 24

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ....................... 479 11 2 11 6 25

Crop production ......................................................... 210 5 2 11 7 19

Animal production ...................................................... 129 3 3 11 8 18

Forestry and logging .................................................. 81 2 – 16 – 63

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction4 .............. 154 3 – 25 12 20

Mining, except oil and gas ......................................... 39 1 – – 8 23

Support activities for mining ....................................... 103 2 – 33 14 18

Construction .................................................................. 796 18 1 12 37 10

Construction ................................................................... 796 18 1 12 37 10

Construction of buildings ........................................... 145 3 3 12 41 12

Heavy and civil engineering construction .................. 162 4 – 13 12 14

Specialty trade contractors ........................................ 476 11 1 12 43 9

Manufacturing ................................................................ 304 7 3 16 13 17

Manufacturing ................................................................ 304 7 3 16 13 17

Food manufacturing ................................................... 46 1 – 26 13 9

Fabricated metal product manufacturing ................... 47 1 – 9 17 30

Service providing ............................................................. 2,196 50 14 29 12 9

Trade, transportation, and utilities ............................... 1,153 26 12 42 8 8

Wholesale trade ............................................................. 190 4 3 37 12 13

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods ....................... 107 2 4 31 15 17

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods ................. 81 2 – 43 9 9

Retail trade .................................................................... 253 6 37 17 12 6

Motor vehicle and parts dealers ................................. 41 1 7 24 7 20

Food and beverage stores ......................................... 46 1 63 – 11 –

Transportation and warehousing ................................... 687 16 5 53 5 8

Truck transportation ................................................... 461 10 1 67 5 9

Transit and ground passenger transportation ............ 59 1 44 37 – 5

Utilities ........................................................................... 23 1 – 30 – 13

Information ..................................................................... 39 1 8 33 26 –

Financial activities ......................................................... 84 2 29 18 18 4

Finance and insurance .................................................. 21 5 ( ) 38 29 – –

Real estate and rental and leasing ................................ 63 1 25 14 21 5

Professional and business services ............................ 408 9 8 16 21 15

Professional and technical services ............................... 80 2 18 20 9 5

Administrative and waste services ................................. 327 7 5 16 24 18

Educational and health services .................................. 131 3 11 21 10 –

Educational services ...................................................... 31 1 13 10 10 –

Health care and social assistance ................................. 100 2 10 24 10 –

Leisure and hospitality .................................................. 202 5 38 6 11 3

Arts, entertainment, and recreation ............................... 68 2 9 7 12 7

Accommodation and food services ................................ 134 3 52 5 11 –

Other services, except public administration ............. 179 4 16 15 15 14

Government6 ...................................................................... 476 11 12 24 11 4

Federal government ........................................................... 124 3 8 18 10 4

State government .............................................................. 70 2 10 24 10 6

Local government .............................................................. 281 6 14 26 11 4

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, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (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 Less than or equal to 0.5 percent. 6 Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry. p Data for 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.

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 zero 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

9
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2013p

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 ................................................................................................... 4,405 100 9 22 16 11

Management occupations ................................................................... 389 9 13 14 10 13

Top executives ................................................................................... 30 1 13 23 13 –

Operations specialties managers ....................................................... 19 4 ( ) 26 – 26 –

Other management occupations ........................................................ 322 7 12 11 9 15

Business and financial operations occupations .............................. 21 4 ( ) 33 14 14 –

Computer and mathematical occupations ........................................ 11 4 () – – – –

Architecture and engineering occupations ....................................... 34 1 6 12 18 –

Engineers ........................................................................................... 20 4 ( ) 5 20 15 –

Life, physical, and social science occupations ................................ 23 1 – 13 – –

Community and social services occupations ................................... 18 4 ( ) – 39 17 –

Legal occupations ............................................................................... 14 4 ( ) 36 – 29 –

Education, training, and library occupations .................................... 19 4 ( ) 21 – 26 –

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations ......... 50 1 10 22 16 –

Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers .................. 33 1 12 15 15 –

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations ........................ 59 1 12 27 5 –

Health diagnosing and treating practitioners ...................................... 36 1 19 19 – –

Health technologists and technicians ................................................. 19 4 ( ) – 37 – –

Healthcare support occupations ........................................................ 18 4 ( ) – 39 – –

Protective service occupations .......................................................... 247 6 26 21 5 1

Fire fighting and prevention workers .................................................. 53 1 – 11 2 –

Law enforcement workers .................................................................. 97 2 31 34 5 –

Other protective service workers ....................................................... 67 2 48 10 6 –

Food preparation and serving related occupations ......................... 70 2 41 6 17 –

Supervisors, food preparation and serving workers ........................... 23 1 48 13 17 –

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations ...... 242 5 2 8 31 21

Building cleaning and pest control workers ........................................ 54 1 6 9 28 –

Grounds maintenance workers .......................................................... 146 3 – 9 31 27

Personal care and service occupations ............................................ 47 1 19 15 13 9

Sales and related occupations ........................................................... 211 5 46 15 9 2

Supervisors, sales workers ................................................................ 100 2 46 8 11 3

Retail sales workers ........................................................................... 64 1 66 5 5 –

Sales representatives, services ......................................................... 5 4 ( ) – 80 – –

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing ........................ 25 1 – 64 12 –

Office and administrative support occupations ............................... 70 2 14 31 24 4

Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers 41 1 – 46 17 –

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...................................... 225 5 2 6 4 32

Agricultural workers ........................................................................... 123 3 3 10 6 15

Fishing and hunting workers .............................................................. 28 1 – – – –

Forest, conservation, and logging workers ........................................ 62 1 – – – 79

Construction and extraction occupations ......................................... 818 19 2 11 36 11

Supervisors, construction and extraction workers ............................. 119 3 – 13 30 12

Construction trades workers .............................................................. 571 13 2 8 42 9

Extraction workers ............................................................................. 82 2 – 16 16 26

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations .......................... 356 8 4 13 20 17

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers 100 2 – 11 6 40

Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................... 202 5 2 14 24 9

Production occupations ...................................................................... 210 5 3 8 18 20

Supervisors, production workers ........................................................ 27 1 – – 15 19

Metal workers and plastic workers ..................................................... 78 2 – 5 23 31

Transportation and material moving occupations ........................... 1,184 27 4 49 6 10

Air transportation workers .................................................................. 65 1 – – – –

Motor vehicle operators ..................................................................... 831 19 5 66 4 8

Water transportation workers ............................................................. 24 1 – – – –

Material moving workers .................................................................... 222 5 3 9 14 21

Military occupations5 .......................................................................... 67 2 – 6 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 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.

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

10
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected worker characteristics and selected event or exposure, 2013p

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 ....................................................................................... 4,405 100 9 22 16 11

Employee status

Wage and salary3 .................................................................. 3,513 80 8 25 15 11

Self-employed4 ...................................................................... 892 20 13 11 18 15

Gender5

Male ....................................................................................... 4,101 93 8 22 16 12

Female ................................................................................... 302 7 22 26 12 5

Age6

Under 16 years ...................................................................... 5 7 ( ) – – 20 –

16 to 17 years ........................................................................ 9 7 ( ) – – 11 –

18 to 19 years ........................................................................ 53 1 13 26 – 11

20 to 24 years ........................................................................ 268 6 11 21 10 13

25 to 34 years ........................................................................ 754 17 12 21 11 10

35 to 44 years ........................................................................ 820 19 10 22 15 10

45 to 54 years ........................................................................ 1,071 24 10 23 16 12

55 to 64 years ........................................................................ 890 20 7 23 19 12

65 years and over .................................................................. 534 12 4 24 23 11

Race or ethnic origin8

White (non-Hispanic) ............................................................. 2,995 68 6 24 15 11

Black or African-American (non-Hispanic) ............................. 414 9 24 26 11 8

Hispanic or Latino .................................................................. 797 18 8 17 22 14

American Indian or Alaska Native (non-Hispanic) ................. 36 1 – 14 14 8

Asian (non-Hispanic) ............................................................. 115 3 37 12 10 4

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) ............... 7 7 () – – – –

Multiple races (non-Hispanic) ................................................ 11 7 ( ) – 27 – –

Other or not reported (non-Hispanic) ..................................... 30 1 17 27 – –

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 were two fatal injuries for which there was insufficient information to determine the gender of the decedent. 6 There was one fatal injury for which there was insufficient information to determine the age of the decedent. 7 Less than or equal to 0.5 percent. 8 Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude Hispanic and Latino workers. p Data for 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.

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

11
Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 2012-2013

State of injury

Total fatal injuries1 Event or exposure4

2013

20122

(revised) 20133,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 ......................................................................... 4,628 4,405 753 1,740 148 699 330 717

Alabama ....................................................................... 84 66 11 32 – 10 4 8

Alaska .......................................................................... 31 32 6 19 – – 3 –

Arizona ......................................................................... 60 90 25 22 19 11 5 8

Arkansas ...................................................................... 63 62 2 28 3 11 8 10

California ...................................................................... 375 385 76 133 10 63 38 64

Colorado ....................................................................... 82 65 11 28 – 9 9 7

Connecticut .................................................................. 36 26 7 7 – 6 – 5

Delaware ...................................................................... 14 11 – 3 – 3 – 2

District of Columbia ...................................................... 11 24 19 – 1 – – –

Florida .......................................................................... 218 234 47 84 – 56 19 26

Georgia ........................................................................ 101 70 10 24 – 14 3 17

Hawaii .......................................................................... 20 11 – 4 – 4 – –

Idaho ............................................................................ 19 29 – 14 – 5 3 5

Illinois ........................................................................... 146 172 32 63 6 21 14 35

Indiana ......................................................................... 115 123 26 58 3 9 10 16

Iowa .............................................................................. 97 71 4 28 1 13 8 16

Kansas ......................................................................... 76 54 3 30 3 6 4 8

Kentucky ...................................................................... 91 82 12 33 – 13 9 13

Louisiana ...................................................................... 116 114 15 42 – 21 14 17

Maine ........................................................................... 19 19 2 6 – 4 – 4

Maryland ...................................................................... 72 78 17 22 3 17 7 12

Massachusetts ............................................................. 44 55 20 12 1 11 5 6

Michigan ....................................................................... 137 133 40 42 2 16 7 25

Minnesota ..................................................................... 70 67 6 32 – 11 4 12

Mississippi .................................................................... 63 64 8 32 3 9 3 9

Missouri ........................................................................ 88 113 23 45 3 18 7 17

Montana ....................................................................... 34 28 5 12 1 4 – 5

Nebraska ...................................................................... 48 39 4 21 – 4 1 9

Nevada ......................................................................... 42 42 7 15 8 6 – 4

New Hampshire ............................................................ 14 14 – 1 1 4 – 6

New Jersey .................................................................. 92 101 28 36 – 16 8 11

New Mexico .................................................................. 39 53 4 34 – 6 3 6

New York (including N.Y.C.) ........................................ 202 160 34 49 3 33 11 29

New York City .......................................................... 76 56 15 11 – 15 6 7

North Carolina .............................................................. 146 104 20 41 – 11 7 23

North Dakota ................................................................ 65 55 3 31 3 5 – 13

Ohio .............................................................................. 161 148 23 51 4 33 7 30

Oklahoma ..................................................................... 97 86 5 51 – 12 7 8

Oregon ......................................................................... 43 49 4 19 1 8 5 12

Pennsylvania ................................................................ 194 178 29 70 4 25 19 31

Rhode Island ................................................................ 8 10 – – – – – 3

South Carolina ............................................................. 63 72 14 27 1 13 8 9

South Dakota ............................................................... 31 19 – 12 – 2 1 1

Tennessee ................................................................... 101 93 15 39 – 12 8 18

Texas ........................................................................... 536 493 66 213 32 73 31 76

Utah .............................................................................. 39 37 7 11 – 5 – 11

Vermont ........................................................................ 11 7 – 4 – – – –

Virginia ......................................................................... 149 126 27 54 – 21 6 16

Washington .................................................................. 67 56 8 23 – 10 3 11

West Virginia ................................................................ 49 60 6 24 7 5 3 15

Wisconsin ..................................................................... 114 96 11 40 – 23 6 15

Wyoming ...................................................................... 35 26 – 13 – – – 9

1 State totals include other events and exposures, such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately. 2 Totals for 2012 are revised and final. Preliminary 2012 data issued August 22, 2013, reported a total of 4,383 fatal work injuries for calendar year 2012. Since then, an

additional 245 job-related fatal injuries were identified, bringing the total job-related fatal injury count for 2012 to 4,628. Includes zero fatal injuries that occurred within the

territorial boundaries of the United States, but a State of incident could not be determined. 3 Includes three 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 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.

 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

12
13

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) 472-6862 ext. 5443

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (303) 692-2970

Connecticut Department of Labor (860) 263-6291

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) 463-0735

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

Idaho Department of Labor (208) 332-3570 ext. 3220

Illinois Department of Public Health (312) 814-5278

Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668

Iowa Division of Labor Services (515) 281-5151

Kansas Department of Labor (785) 296-5000 ext. 2595

Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-4136

Louisiana Workforce Commission (225) 342-7568

Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 623-7907

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

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5632

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

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

Mississippi Department of Health (601) 206-8247

Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (573) 751-2663

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) 476-8702

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

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (646) 632-6729

North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337

North Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics - Chicago Region (312) 353-7253

Ohio Department of Health (614) 644-0135

Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 521-6858

Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (503) 947-7838

Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548

Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 222-2804

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

South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics - Chicago Region (312) 353-7253

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

Texas Dept. of Insurance, Div. of Workers' Compensation (512) 804-5020

Utah Labor Commission, Statistics Program (801) 530-6926

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) 300-6339

Puerto Rico Negociado de Estadisticas (787) 754-5353 ext. 3056

U.S. Virgin Islands Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (340) 776-3700 ext. 2019
14

TECHNICAL NOTES 

Identification and verification of work-related fatalities

In 2013, 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 were included in the Census of 

Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) counts. An additional 46 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 fatal

occupational injury data are disseminated as quickly as possible and that legitimate cases are not 

excluded from the revised counts.

Thus, each year's initial release of data should be considered preliminary. Revised data are released in 

the late spring of the following year; revised counts for 2013 will be available in 2015.

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 provided 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.

Information in this release is available to sensory-impaired individuals. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; 

Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.