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Technical information: (202) 691-6175 USDL 02-541

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

Internet address: Wednesday, September 25, 2002

http://stats.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm

National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2001

A total of 8,786 fatal work injuries were reported in 2001, including 

fatalities related to the September 11th terrorist attacks, according to 

the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 

U.S. Department of Labor. A total of 2,886 work-related fatalities 

resulted from the events of September 11th. Excluding these fatalities, 

the overall workplace fatality count was 5,900 for 2001. 

 

Profile of fatal work injuries resulting from the September 11th attacks

Most of the more than 3,000 people killed were at work (as defined by the 

fatality census) in the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, were on 

business travel or were crew aboard the commercial airliners that crashed 

in Pennsylvania, New York City, and Virginia, or were involved in rescue 

duties. The events of that day killed 2,886 workers from a wide range 

of backgrounds - janitors to managers, native and foreign-born workers, 

and the young and the old. (See tables A. and B.)

Industry

Seventy-eight percent of the 2,198 non-rescue workers killed in the 

World Trade Center were working in the finance, insurance, and real 

estate industry. All of the 412 fatally injured rescue workers were 

killed at the World Trade Center; 99 percent worked for state and 

local government. Of the 125 workers killed at the Pentagon, 91 percent 

were civilian or military federal government employees. Of the 151 

workers who were killed on the planes that crashed in Pennsylvania, 

Virginia, and New York City, 39 percent were employed in the services 

industry. 

Occupation

Of the rescue workers fatally injured, 335 were firefighters and 

61 were police or detectives. Fifty percent of the other workers fatally 

injured in the World Trade Center were employed as managerial or 

professional specialty workers. Forty-three percent of the workers 

fatally injured at the Pentagon were working in military occupations 

and slightly less than half, 47 percent, were working in civilian 

managerial and professional specialty occupations. 

Twenty five of the workers killed on the passenger airliners were 

flight attendants, 8 were pilots. The majority of the workers killed 

on the airliners, 69 percent, were in managerial and professional 
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specialty occupations.

Worker characteristics

 

Of the fatally injured workers in the World Trade Center, 66 percent 

were between the ages of 25 and 44, 9 percent were black, 10 percent 

were Hispanic, and 26 percent were women. Of those working in the 

Pentagon office building, 54 percent were between the ages of 25 and 44, 

33 percent were black, 4 percent were Hispanic, and 37 percent were 

women. Of the workers involved in the rescue efforts, 70 percent 

were between the ages of 25 and 44. Ninety-nine percent were male. 

Of the workers on the passenger airliners 62 percent were men, 7 percent 

were black, and 5 percent were Hispanic. 

Overall, two-thirds of the workers fatally injured on September 11th 

were over 34 years old and 23 percent were women. Almost 20 percent of 

the workers were foreign-born. 

Profiles of 2001 fatal work injuries excluding fatalities resulting 

from the September 11th attacks

 

Excluding the fatalities on September 11th, the overall workplace 

fatality count of 5,900 for 2001 was down slightly, less than 1 percent 

from 2000. Total employment also declined slightly in 2001. As a 

result, the occupational fatality rate was same in 2001 as in 2000, 4.3 

fatalities per 100,000 employed. 

The construction industry, with fatalities at their highest level since 

the fatality census was first conducted in 1992, continued to report 

the largest number of fatal work injuries of any industry. From 2000 to 

2001, decreases in fatalities from transportation incidents and 

job-related homicides were offset by increases in fatalities from 

falls and from electrocutions. 

Profile of 2001 fatal work injuries (excluding September 11th) by 

type of incident

 

Fatalities resulting from transportation incidents decreased for the 

third year in a row, from 2,573 in 2000 to 2,517 in 2001. Highway 

incidents, however, increased about 3 percent from 2000 and continued 

to be the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities. Fatal work injuries 

resulting from workers being struck by vehicles or mobile equipment 

also increased slightly in 2001. In contrast, the number of workers 

killed in non-highway incidents, aircraft incidents, and railway 

incidents decreased. Non-highway fatal incidents, which include tractor 

and forklift overturns, were at their lowest levels since the census 

began in 1992.

Work-related homicides, at 639 (excluding fatalities resulting from 

September 11th), fell to their lowest levels since the census began; 

the record high was 1,080 in 1994. Homicides among technical, sales, 
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and administrative support workers decreased 14 percent to 203 fatalities. 

However, homicides increased sharply among workers in service occupations, 

which include police and detectives, food preparation workers, barbers, 

and hairdressers. The number of workplace suicides and fatal assaults 

by animals increased slightly. 

Fatalities resulting from falls increased to 808 in 2001, a 10 percent 

rise over 2000 levels. This was the highest total since the fatality 

census began in 1992. Falls to lower levels increased by 39 to 698 

in 2001. Falls on the same level increased by 28 to a ten-year high 

of 84 in 2001.

Fatal falls in the construction industry increased 13 percent from 

2000 levels and accounted for over half of all fatal falls. Worker 

deaths resulting from electrocutions and from fires and explosions 

increased to levels of the late 1990's after falling to a near 10-year 

low in 2000.

Profile of fatal work injuries by industry

While fatalities in the construction industry increased 6 percent in 

2001 to a record high, fatalities in manufacturing decreased 10 percent 

from 2000 to their lowest recorded level since the census began in 1992. 

Other industries showing decreases in work-related fatalities were 

transportation and public utilities, wholesale trade, and retail trade. 

The decrease in retail trade fatalities was largely a result of the 

decline in workplace homicides. Fatalities to workers in services 

remained relatively unchanged, while fatalities in agriculture, forestry 

and fishing; finance, insurance, and real estate, and mining increased. 

Fatalities in government (excluding September 11th) increased 10 percent 

from 2000. 

 

Occupational fatality rates in 2001 were highest in the mining; 

agriculture; forestry and fishing; construction; and transportation 

industries. The fatality rate for the mining industry, which includes 

oil and gas extraction, remained at 30.0 fatal work injuries per 

100,000 workers for the second year in a row, the highest fatality 

rate. The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry had the second 

highest rate, at 22.8 fatalities per 100,000 employed. The private 

sector construction industry reported 13.3 fatalities per 100,000 

employed, and the rate was 11.2 fatalities per 100,000 employed in 

the transportation industry.

Profile of fatal work injuries by occupation

 

Operators, fabricators, and laborers again recorded the largest 

number of fatal work injuries of any occupational group, accounting 

for more than one out of every three fatalities in 2001. However, the 

number of fatalities in this occupational group dropped 4 percent for 

the second year in a row. Most of this decrease resulted from fewer 

fatalities among motor vehicle operators, particularly truck drivers. 

There also were fewer fatalities among material moving equipment 

operators, machine operators, and workers in railroad transportation 
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and water transportation. Fatalities among handlers, equipment cleaners, 

helpers, and laborers increased, mainly due to an increase in 

fatalities to construction laborers; fatalities to non-construction 

laborers decreased.

Service occupations showed an increase of 18 percent in fatalities, 

the highest percentage increase among the major occupation categories. 

Within this occupation group, police and detectives, including 

supervisors, had the highest number of fatalities. Fatalities in 

personal service occupations increased from 37 in 2000 to 59 in 

2001. Precision production, craft, and repair occupations showed 

a small increase in the number of fatalities (3 percent). However, 

within this occupation group, fatalities in the extractive 

occupations (drillers and mining machine operators) increased from a 

low of 47 in 1999 to match its 10 year high of 97 fatalities in 1993.

 

While fatalities to truck drivers declined by 6 percent, they 

continued to incur more workplace fatalities than any other 

individual occupation. Truck drivers reported a rate of 25.3 workplace 

fatalities per 100,000 employed. Farm occupations had the second 

highest number of fatalities with 499 and rate of 27.9 fatalities, 

which increased from the previous year. Other occupations that typically 

have large numbers of worker fatalities but showed decreasing 

fatalities in 2001 included timber cutters; groundskeepers and 

gardeners; and aircraft pilots. 

Fatalities to workers in military occupations increased over 25 percent 

from 87 in 2000 to 110 in 2001 (excluding September 11th). Almost half 

of these fatalities resulted from aircraft crashes. The occupational 

fatality rate for military occupations increased in 2001 to 9.3 

fatalities per 100,000 employed.

Profile of fatal work injuries by demographic characteristics

 

Fatal injuries to Hispanic or Latino workers were up 9 percent, from 

815 in 2000 to 891 in 2001 (excluding September 11th). This resulted 

from a rise in Hispanic worker fatalities in the services and agriculture 

industries, rather than in construction as in prior years. Fatalities 

to white (non-Hispanic) workers fell for the sixth year in a row; 

fatalities among black (non-Hispanic) workers fell for the second 

year in a row. Fatal work injuries to men were down slightly, although 

fatalities to women increased by 5 percent over 2000. The number of 

occupational fatalities to workers aged 17 years and younger decreased 

to 53 in 2001 from 73 in 2000. In 2001 fatalities to the self-employed 

were down by 5 percent to their lowest level recorded since 1992. 

On average, about 16 workers were fatally injured each day during 

2001. The total number of multiple fatality incidents (incidents 

that resulted in two or more worker deaths) decreased from 214 in 2000 

to 197 in 2001. However, the total number of job-related deaths in 

multiple fatality incidents increased from 531 in 2000 to 563 in 

2001 (excluding September 11th).
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Profile of fatal work injuries by state and region

 

Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia reported fewer fatal 

work injuries in 2001 than in 2000. The number of work injuries 

also declined in 2 of the 4 census regions in 2001. For state results 

beyond those presented here, please contact the individual state 

agency responsible for the collection of CFOI data in that state. A 

list of those agencies, with telephone numbers, is provided in table 6.

Background of the program

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational 

safety and health statistics program, provides the most complete count 

of fatal work injuries available. The program uses diverse state and 

federal data sources to identify, verify, and profile fatal work 

injuries. Information about each workplace fatality (occupation and 

other worker characteristics, equipment being used, and circumstances of 

the event) is obtained by cross-referencing source documents, such as 

death certificates, workers' compensation records, and reports to federal 

and state agencies. This method assures counts are as complete and 

accurate as possible. 

This is the tenth year that the fatality census has been conducted in 

all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The BLS fatality census is 

a federal/state cooperative venture in which costs are shared 

equally. Additional state-specific data are available from the 

participating agencies, listed in table 6.

Another BLS program, the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 

profiles worker and case characteristics of nonfatal workplace injuries 

and illnesses that result in lost worktime and presents frequency counts 

and incidence rates by industry. Copies of the news release on nonfatal 

injuries and illnesses in 2000 are available from BLS by 

calling (202) 691-6179 or by accessing the website listed below. 

Incidence rates for 2001 by industry will be published in December 

2002, and information on 2001 worker and case characteristics will be 

available in April 2003. For additional data, access the BLS Internet 

site: http://www.bls.gov/iif/. 

To request a copy of BLS Report 961 which includes several articles and 

highlights 2000 fatality data, e-mail your address to 

CFOIstaff@bls.gov or write to Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts 

Avenue, NE, Room 3180, Washington, DC 20212.

The following charts appear in the print version of this release. For copies 

of these charts, contact CFOIstaff@bls.gov or write to Bureau of Labor Statistics, 

2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Room 3180, Washington, DC 20212. 

Chart 1: The three most frequent work-related fatal events, 1992-2001

Chart 2: Numbers and rates of fatal occupational injuries by industry division, 2001

Chart 3: Numbers and rates of fatal occupational injuries for selected occupations, 2001
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Table A. Fatal occupational injuries from events on September 11, 2001, by industry and occupation

 Characteristics Passenger 

 Total Office building airliner Rescue efforts

 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

 --------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------

 Total 2,886 100 2,323 100 151 100 412 100

 Industry

Private industry 2,264 78 2,119 91 141 93 - -

 Construction 58 2 57 2 - - - -

 General building contractors 12 (1) 11 (1) - - - -

 Heavy construction, except building 13 (1) 13 1 - - - -

 Special trade contractors 32 1 32 1 - - - -

 Transportation and public utilities 78 3 35 2 42 28 - -

 Transportation by air 37 1 - - 36 24 - -

 Wholesale trade 27 1 18 1 9 6 - -

 Retail trade 118 4 108 5 10 7 - -

 Eating and drinking places 103 4 103 4 - - - -

 Finance, insurance, and real estate 1,715 59 1,708 74 7 5 - -

 Depository institutions 192 7 192 8 - - - -

 Security and commodity brokers 973 34 971 42 - - - -

 Insurance carriers 202 7 202 9 - - - -

 Insurance agents, brokers, and service 330 11 329 14 - - - -

 Real estate 13 (1) 12 1 - - - -

 Holding and other investment offices 5 (1) - - 3 2 - -

 Services 230 8 168 7 59 39 3 1

 Business services 141 5 120 5 21 14 - -

Government(2) 622 22 204 9 10 7 408 99

 Federal government (including resident armed forces) 124 4 116 5 7 5 - -

 National security 118 4 114 5 4 3 - -

 State government 49 2 43 2 3 2 3 1

 Local government 449 16 45 2 - - 404 98

 Police protection 25 1 - - - - 23 6

 Fire protection 344 12 - - - - 343 83

 Administration of economic programs 79 3 41 2 - - 38 9

 

 Occupation

Managerial and professional specialty 1,271 44 1,157 50 104 69 10 2

 Executive, administrative, and managerial 1,072 37 993 43 70 46 9 2

 Professional specialty 199 7 164 7 34 23 - -

Technical, sales, and administrative support 930 32 905 39 19 13 6 1

 Technicians and related support occupations 92 3 78 3 8 5 6 1

 Health technologists and technicians 8 (1) - - - - 6 1

 Airplane pilots and navigators 8 (1) - - 8 5 - -

 Sales occupations 565 20 557 24 8 5 - -

Service occupations 549 19 128 6 25 17 396 96

 Protective service occupations 433 15 37 2 - - 396 96

 Firefighting, including supervisors 336 12 - - - - 335 81

 Police and detectives, including supervisors 64 2 3 (1) - - 61 15

 Guards, including supervisors 33 1 33 1 - - - -

 Food preparation and service occupations 64 2 64 3 - - - -
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 Cleaning and building service 25 1 25 1 - - - -

 Personal service occupations 27 1 - - 25 17 - -

 Transportation attendants 25 1 - - 25 17 - -

Precision production, craft, and repair 61 2 60 3 - - - -

 Mechanics and repairers 20 1 20 1 - - - -

 Construction trades 39 1 38 2 - - - -

Operators, fabricators, and laborers 14 (1) 12 1 - - - -

Military occupations 54 2 54 2 - - - -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--- 

1 Less than 0.5 percent.

2 Includes fatalities to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry

NOTE: These totals include work-related fatalities only. They may differ from totals published by other 

organizations

primarily due to the differences in how work relationship, industry and occupation are categorized. 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.

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

federal

agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

Table B. Fatal occupational injuries from events on September 11, 2001, by selected demographic characteristics

 Characteristics Passenger

 Total Office building airliner Rescue efforts

 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

 --------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------

Total 2,886 100 2,323 100 151 100 412 100

 State

New York (New York City only) 2,699 94 2,198 95 89 59 412 100

Virginia 165 6 125 5 40 26 - -

Pennsylvania 22 1 - - 22 15 - -

 Sex

Men 2,212 77 1,710 74 93 62 409 99

Women 674 23 613 26 58 38 3 1

 Age

20 to 24 years 112 4 104 4 4 3 4 1

25 to 34 years 822 28 682 29 32 21 108 26

35 to 44 years 1,068 37 831 36 56 37 181 44

45 to 54 years 608 21 465 20 43 28 100 24

55 to 64 years 237 8 211 9 13 9 13 3

65 and over 30 1 25 1 3 2 - -

 Race or ethnic origin(1)
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White 2,122 74 1,653 71 117 77 352 85

Black or African American 261 9 232 10 10 7 19 5

Hispanic or Latino(2) 259 9 231 10 8 5 20 5

Asian 149 5 142 6 6 4 - -

Native Hawaii or Pacific Islander 29 1 29 1 - - - -

Other races or not reported 63 2 33 1 10 7 20 5

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

1 The categories "White" and "Black or African American" do not include "Hispanic or Latino" persons.

2 Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race.

NOTE: These totals include work-related fatalities only. They may differ from totals published by other organizations

primarily due to the differences in how work relationship, industry and occupation are categorized. Totals for major 

categories

may include subcategories no shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes 

indicate no data

reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

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

federal agencies,

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1996-2001

 Event or exposure(1) Fatalities

 1996-2000 2000(2) 2001

 average Number Number Percent

 --------- ------- ---------------

 Total, including fatalities from September 11th N/A N/A 8,786 --

 Total, excluding fatalities from September 11th 6,094 5,920 5,900 100

Transportation incidents 2,608 2,573 2,517 43

 Highway 1,408 1,365 1,404 24

 Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment 685 696 723 12

 Moving in same direction 117 136 142 2

 Moving in opposite directions, oncoming 247 243 256 4

 Moving in intersection 151 154 137 2

 Vehicle struck stationary object or equipment 289 279 295 5

 Noncollision 372 356 339 6

 Jackknifed or overturned--no collision 298 304 273 5

 Nonhighway (farm, industrial premises) 378 399 324 5

 Overturned 212 213 157 3

 Aircraft 263 280 247 4

 Worker struck by a vehicle 376 370 383 6

 Water vehicle 105 84 90 2

 Rail vehicle 71 71 62 1

Assaults and violent acts 1,015 930 902 15

 Homicides 766 677 639 11

 Shooting 617 533 505 9

 Stabbing 68 66 58 1

 Other, including bombing 80 78 76 1

 Self-inflicted injuries 216 221 228 4
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Contact with objects and equipment 1,005 1,006 962 16

 Struck by object 567 571 553 9

 Struck by falling object 364 357 343 6

 Struck by flying object 57 61 60 1

 Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects 293 294 266 5

 Caught in running equipment or machinery 157 157 144 2

 Caught in or crushed in collapsing materials 128 123 122 2

Falls 714 734 808 14

 Fall to lower level 636 659 698 12

 Fall from ladder 106 110 122 2

 Fall from roof 153 150 159 3

 Fall from scaffold 90 85 91 2

 Fall on same level 55 56 84 1

Exposure to harmful substances or environments 535 481 499 8

 Contact with electric current 290 256 285 5

 Contact with overhead powerlines 132 128 124 2

 Contact with temperature extremes 40 29 35 1

 Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances 112 100 96 2

 Inhalation of substance 57 48 49 1

 Oxygen deficiency 92 94 83 1

 Drowning, submersion 73 75 59 1

Fires and explosions 196 177 188 3

Other events or exposures(3) 20 19 24 -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 14, 2001, reported a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for calendar year

 2000. Since then, an additional 5 job-related fatalities were identified,

 bringing the total job-related fatality count for 2000 to 5,920.

3 Includes the category "Bodily reaction and exertion."

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

totals

because of rounding. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent.

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

of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1996-2001.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 2001

 

 Fatalities 

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

 Industry 

 

 1996-2000 2000 Employment(3) 

Fatalities Relative

 SIC average (revised)(2) 2001 (in thousands) per 

100,000 standard 

 Code(1) Number Number Number Percent Number 

employed(4) error(5)

-------------------------------------------------- ----------- -------- ----------- ------------------------ 

-------------- ----------- -------- 
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 Total, including fatalities from September 11th N/A N/A 8,786 - 

136,252 6.4 0.1

 Total, excluding fatalities from September 11th 6,094 5,920 5,900 100 

136,252 4.3 0.1

Private industry 5,501 5,347 5,270 89 115,934 

4.5 0.2

 Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 803 720 740 13 3,208 

22.8 1.4

 Agricultural production - crops 1 345 277 301 5 888 

33.3 2.7

 Agricultural production - livestock 2 162 132 128 2 966 

13.0 2.6

 Agricultural services 7 179 213 191 3 1,277 

15.0 2.3

 Mining(6) 147 156 170 3 566 30.0 

3.4

 Coal mining 12 35 40 42 1 88 47.7 

8.7

 Oil and gas extraction 13 75 83 98 2 353 27.8 

4.4

 Construction 1,135 1,155 1,225 21 9,125 

13.3 0.8

 General building contractors 15 190 175 201 3 - 

- -

 Heavy construction, except building 16 267 284 267 5 - 

- -

 Special trades contractors 17 663 673 735 12 - - 

-

 Manufacturing 711 668 599 10 18,897 3.2 

0.6

 Food and kindred products 20 75 68 57 1 1,632 

3.5 2.0

 Lumber and wood products 24 190 186 151 3 691 

21.9 3.1

 Transportation and public utilities 971 957 911 15 8,131 

11.2 0.9

 Local and interurban passenger transportation 41 91 84 80 1 622 

12.9 3.3

 Trucking and warehousing 42 566 566 533 9 2,691 

19.8 1.6

 Transportation by air 45 89 97 85 1 884 9.6 

2.7

 Electric, gas, and sanitary services 49 86 84 88 1 982 

- -

 Wholesale trade 242 230 220 4 5,086 4.3 

1.1

 Retail trade 606 594 537 9 22,478 2.4 

0.5

 Food stores 54 154 145 132 2 2,862 - 

-

 Automotive dealers and service stations 55 102 95 83 1 - 
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- -

 Eating and drinking places 58 142 138 147 2 6,870 

2.1 1.0

 Finance, insurance, and real estate 98 79 86 1 8,616 

1.0 0.9

 Services 754 769 767 13 39,904 1.9 

0.4

 Business services 73 181 199 191 3 9,698 2.0 

0.8

 Automotive repair, services, and parking 75 122 132 115 2 - 

- -

Government(7) 593 573 630 11 20,318 

3.1 0.5

 Federal (including resident armed forces) 161 149 161 3 4,436 

3.6 1.2

 State 122 109 112 2 5,678 2.0 

1.1

 Local 306 311 332 6 10,205 3.3 

0.8

 Police protection 9221 99 112 121 2 - - 

-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------- 

1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.

2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 14, 2001, reported a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for calendar year 2000. 

Since then, an additional 5 job-related fatalities were 

 identified, bringing the total job-related fatality count for 2000 to 5,920.

3 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older from the Current Population 

Survey, 2001, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from 

 the Department of Defense.

4 The employment figures, except for military, are annual average estimates of employed civilians, 16 years of age and

older, from the Current Population Survey (CPS), 2001. The 

 resident military figure, obtained from the Department of Defense, was added to the CPS employment total.

5 The rate represents the number of fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 employed workers and was calculated as 

 follows: (N/W) x 100,000, where N = the number of fatal work injuries, and W = the number of employed workers. 

There were 20 fatally injured workers under the age of 16 years 

 that were not included in the rate calculations to maintain consistency with the CPS employment.

6 Includes fatalities at all establishments categorized as Mining (Division B) in the Standard Industrial Classification 

Manual, 1987 Edition, including establishments not governed 

 by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction.

7 Includes fatalities to workers employed by government organizations regardless of industry.

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

totals because of rounding. There were 15 fatalities for which there 

was insufficient information to determine a specific industry classification, although a distinction between private 

sector and government was made for each. Dashes indicate less 

than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.

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

of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of Fatal 

Occupational Injuries, 1996-2001.
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Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2001

 Occupation(1) Fatalities Selected event or exposure(2)(percent of 

total for occupation)

 Number Percent Highway(3) Homicide Struck by 

Fall to lower level

 object 

---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------- -------- -------- -

--------- ------------- 

 Total, including fatalities from September 11th 8,786 - - - - 

-

 Total, excluding fatalities from September 11th 5,900 100 24 11 9 

12

Managerial and professional specialty 637 11 23 19 5 

8

 Executive, administrative, and managerial 378 6 20 24 5 

10

 Managers, food serving and lodging establishments 63 1 - 67 - 

-

 Professional specialty 259 4 27 11 5 7

Technical, sales, and administrative support 641 11 25 32 3 

4

 Technicians and related support occupations 154 3 20 3 - 

3

 Airplane pilots and navigators 87 1 - - - -

 Sales occupations 388 7 23 47 2 3

 Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations 191 3 18 53 3 

3

 Sales workers, retail and personal services 148 3 17 51 - 

4

 Cashiers 55 1 - 82 - -

 Administrative support occupations, including clerical 99 2 39 16 8 

7

Service occupations 511 9 19 33 3 6

 Protective service occupations 287 5 24 35 4 3

 Firefighting occupations, including supervisors 50 1 22 - - 

-

 Police and detectives, including supervisors 159 3 34 39 - 

-

 Guards, including supervisors 78 1 - 49 9 -

 Cleaning and building services 78 1 12 13 - 24

Farming, forestry, and fishing 805 14 13 1 18 7

 Farm operators and managers 321 5 12 - 17 4

 Farmers, except horticultural 305 5 11 - 16 4

 Managers, farms, except horticultural 11 0 - - - -

 Other agricultural and related occupations 327 6 19 - 9 

13

 Farm occupations, except managerial 185 3 23 - 6 
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5

 Farm workers, including supervisors 170 3 22 - 6 

6

 Related agricultural occupations 142 2 15 - 13 22

 Groundskeepers and gardeners, except farm 120 2 12 - 15 

23

 Forestry and logging occupations 95 2 - - 63 6

 Timber cutting and logging occupations 82 1 - - 67 

6

 Fishers, hunters, and trappers 62 1 - - - -

 Fishers, including vessel captains and officers 62 1 - - - -

Precision production, craft, and repair 1,140 19 11 3 11 

29

 Mechanics and repairers 287 5 15 4 20 11

 Construction trades 666 11 8 2 5 42

 Carpenters and apprentices 112 2 6 - 4 62

 Electricians and apprentices 109 2 8 - - 16

 Roofers 78 1 - - - 72

 Structural metal workers 45 1 - - - 87

 Extractive occupations 97 2 12 - 21 -

Operators, fabricators, and laborers 2,043 35 37 5 10 

10

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors 208 4 5 2 15 

12

 Transportation and material moving occupations 1,185 20 55 6 8 

3

 Motor vehicle operators 966 16 65 7 5 3

 Truck drivers 799 14 68 2 6 3

 Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs 62 1 40 55 - -

 Material moving equipment operators 183 3 11 - 20 

8

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers 650 11 14 3 14 

20

 Construction laborers 349 6 13 - 13 26

 Laborers, except construction 167 3 14 4 14 14

Military(4) 110 1 15 - 6 -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------

 1 Based on the 1990 Occupational Classification System developed by the Bureau of the Census.

 2 The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that occupational group.

 3 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on the public roadway, 

shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes 

 incidents occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents involving trains; and 

deaths to pedestrians or other nonpassengers.

 4 Resident armed forces.

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

totals because of rounding. There were 13 fatalities 

for which there was insufficient information to determine an occupation classification. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 

percent or data that are not available or that 

do not meet publication criteria.

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

of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of 

Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2001.
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Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 2001

 Characteristics Fatalities Employment (in thousands)(1) Most frequent events(2)

 Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total)

------------------------------------------- ----------------------- --------------------------- ------------------------

------- 

Total, including fatalities from Sept. 11th 8,786 -- -- --

Total, excluding fatalities from Sept. 11th 5,900 100 136,252 100 Highway (24), falls 

(14)

 Employee status

Wage and salary workers 4,770 81 126,298 93 Highway (26), falls (14)

Self-employed(3) 1,130 19 9,954 7 Homicides (15), highway (14)

 Sex

Men 5,429 92 73,087 54 Highway (23), falls (14)

Women 471 8 63,164 46 Highway (29), homicides (27)

 Age(4)

Under 16 years 20 - - - Nonhighway (25)

16 to 17 years 33 1 2,576 2 Highway (30)

18 to 19 years 122 2 4,432 3 Highway (25), homicides (11)

20 to 24 years 440 7 13,682 10 Highway (24), falls (15)

25 to 34 years 1,140 19 30,091 22 Highway (27), falls (12)

35 to 44 years 1,474 25 36,474 27 Highway (23), homicides (12)

45 to 54 years 1,363 23 30,627 22 Highway (23), falls (14)

55 to 64 years 773 13 14,135 10 Highway (24), falls (14)

65 years and over 529 9 4,175 3 Falls (20), highway (20)

 Race or ethnic origin(5)

White 4,168 71 99,963 73 Highway (25), falls (14)

Black or African American 563 10 14,815 11 Highway (28), homicides (20)

Hispanic or Latino 891 15 14,815 11 Highway (19), falls (18)

American Indian or Alaskan Native 48 1 - - Highway (23), aircraft (21)

Asian 172 3 - - Homicides (41), falls (13)

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 9 - - - -

Multiple races 6 - - - -

Other races or not reported 43 1 - - Homicides (30), highway (19)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------

1 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, plus resident armed forces, from 

the Current Population 

 Survey, 2001, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from the Department of Defense.

2 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on the public roadway, 

shoulder, or surrounding 

 area. It excludes incidents occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms. "Nonhighway" 
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includes transport-related 

 deaths of vehicle occupants that occur or originate entirely off the roadway. Incidents involving trains and deaths to 

pedestrians or other 

 nonpassengers are excluded from both categories.

3 Includes paid and unpaid family workers and may include owners of incorporated businesses or members of 

partnerships.

4 There were 6 fatalities for which age was not reported.

5 The categories "White" and "Black or African American" do not include "Hispanic or Latino" persons. Persons 

identified as Hispanic or Latino 

 may be of any race.

 

NOTE: Totals may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of 

rounding. Dashes indicate less 

than 0.5 percent or data that are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.

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

of Columbia, and federal 

agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2001

Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 2001

 Total fatalities Event or exposure2 (percent of state total for 2001)

 ------------------------ -----------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------

 Contact Exposure to 

 Assaults with objects harmful 

Fires 

 Transportation and violent and substances or 

and 

 State of injury 2000(3) 2001(4) incidents acts equipment Falls 

environments explosions 

 (revised) 

-------------------------------------------- -------------------------- --------------- ----------- ------------- ---

------ -------------- ------------- 

Total, including fatalities from Sept. 11th N/A 8,786 -- -- -- -- -- 

--

Total, excluding fatalities from Sept. 11th 5,920 5,900 43 15 16 14 

8 3

 Northeast 733 722 39 19 15 16 7 

5

Connecticut 55 40 48 15 - 22 - -

Maine 26 23 43 - - 22 - -

Massachusetts 70 53 21 25 21 21 - -

New Hampshire 13 9 - - - - - -

New Jersey 115 129 33 19 14 17 9 

7

New York (including N.Y.C.) 233 220 40 20 15 17 4 

5

 New York City 111 100 39 27 12 13 - 

5
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Pennsylvania 199 225 42 17 17 12 8 

4

Rhode Island 7 17 35 - - - - -

Vermont 15 6 - - - - - -

 Midwest 1,335 1,368 42 14 18 13 8 

4

Illinois 206 231 32 19 16 17 12 4

Indiana 159 152 43 16 18 9 8 7

Iowa 71 62 48 - 26 13 8 -

Kansas 85 93 53 6 15 14 9 -

Michigan 156 175 37 21 18 13 6 

4

Minnesota 68 76 37 - 29 21 9 -

Missouri 148 143 41 12 21 14 10 -

Nebraska 59 57 58 - 19 9 - -

North Dakota 34 25 64 - - - - -

Ohio 207 209 40 21 11 12 9 7

South Dakota 35 35 51 - 23 - - -

Wisconsin 107 110 52 7 19 14 5 -

 South 2,600 2,513 43 15 16 13 10 

3

Alabama 103 138 47 9 16 9 9 

9

Arkansas 106 68 53 - 19 10 7 -

Delaware 13 10 50 - - - - -

District of Columbia 13 11 - 55 - - - -

Florida 329 368 41 18 9 17 13 -

Georgia 195 235 41 20 13 16 8 -

Kentucky 132 105 39 10 28 11 7 

5

Louisiana 143 117 49 8 21 11 10 -

Maryland 84 64 38 28 11 11 11 -

Mississippi 125 111 48 11 14 11 14 -

North Carolina 234 203 46 15 16 13 9 

-

Oklahoma 82 115 38 11 22 13 11 -

South Carolina 115 89 42 11 11 21 9 

6

Tennessee 160 136 47 9 19 12 8 

4

Texas 572 534 39 18 16 13 10 

4

Virginia 148 146 47 7 21 11 8 6

West Virginia 46 63 52 - 21 14 - -

 West 1,248 1,294 45 16 16 14 7 

2

Alaska 53 64 75 8 8 - - -

Arizona 118 87 43 24 13 10 9 -

California 553 510 41 19 12 18 9 -

Colorado 117 139 40 19 19 14 6 -

Hawaii 20 41 44 20 24 - - -
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Idaho 35 45 47 11 29 - - -

Montana 42 58 47 22 17 - - -

Nevada 51 40 52 18 12 - - -

New Mexico 35 59 47 14 22 10 - -

Oregon 52 44 45 - 23 18 - -

Utah 61 65 45 12 22 9 8 -

Washington 75 102 43 9 18 18 6 

7

Wyoming 36 40 55 - 22 - 12 -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------

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

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

3 The BLS news release issued Aug. 14, 2001 reported a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for 

 calendar year 2000. Since then, an additional 5 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the 

 total job-related fatality count for 2000 to 5,920.

4 Includes 3 fatalities that occurred within the territorial boundaries of the United States, but a State of 

 incident could not be determined.

5 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatalities and fatalities to workers struck by vehicles.

6 Includes homicides, self-inflicted injuries, and animal attacks.

NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that 

are not available or that do not meet publication criteria.

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

of Columbia, and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2000-2001.

Table 6. CFOI participating agencies and telephone numbers

State Agency Telephone number

Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3460

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

Arizona Industrial Commission of Arizona (602) 542-3739

Arkansas Department of Labor (501) 682-4542

California Department of Industrial Relations (415) 703-4776

Colorado Department of Public Health (303) 692-2173

Connecticut Labor Department (860) 566-4380

Delaware Department of Labor (302) 761-8223

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

Florida Department of Insurance (850) 922-8953

Georgia Department of Labor (404) 679-0687

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

Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090

Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 782-5750

Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668

Iowa Division of Labor Services (515) 281-5151

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

Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-3070

Louisiana Department of Labor (225) 342-3126

Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 624-6440
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Maryland Division of Labor and Industry (410) 767-2356

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5627

Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (517) 322-5258

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

Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7186

Missouri Department of Health (573) 751-6155

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

Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 684-7081

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

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

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

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

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

North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337

North Dakota U.S. Department of Labor (312) 353-7200

Ohio Department of Health (614) 466-4183

Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 528-1500

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

Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548

Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 222-2812

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

South Dakota U.S. Department of Labor (312) 353-7200

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

Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (512) 804 4637

Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823

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

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

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

West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (608) 266-7850

Wyoming U.S. Department of Labor (816) 426-2483

TECHNICAL NOTES

Definitions

For a fatality to be included in the census, the decedent must have been employed (that is 

working for pay, compensation, or profit) at the time of the event, engaged in a legal work 

activity, or present at the site of the incident as a requirement of his or her job. These 

criteria are generally broader than those used by federal and state agencies administering 

specific laws and regulations. (Fatalities that occur during a person's commute to or from 

work are excluded from the census counts.)

Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 2001 that resulted from traumatic 

occupational injuries. An injury is defined as any intentional or unintentional wound or 

damage to the body resulting from acute exposure to energy, such as heat, electricity, or 

kinetic energy from a crash, or from the absence of such essentials as heat or oxygen caused by 

a specific event, incident, or series of events within a single workday or shift. Included 

are open wounds, intracranial and internal injuries, heatstroke, hypothermia, asphyxiation, 

acute poisonings resulting from short-term exposures limited to the worker's shift, suicides 

and homicides, and work injuries listed as underlying or contributory causes of death.
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Information on work-related fatal illnesses is not reported in the BLS census and is 

excluded from the attached tables because the latency period of many occupational illnesses 

and the difficulty of linking illnesses to work make identification of a universe problematic. 

Measurement techniques and limitations

Data for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries are compiled from various federal, state, 

and local administrative sources--including death certificates, workers' compensation 

reports and claims, reports to various regulatory agencies, medical examiner reports, 

and police reports--as well as news and other non-governmental reports. Diverse sources 

are used because studies have shown that no single source captures all job-related 

fatalities. Source documents are matched so that each fatality is counted only once. 

To ensure that a fatality occurred while the decedent was at work, information is verified 

from two or more independent source documents or from a source document and a follow-up 

questionnaire. Approximately 30 data elements are collected, coded, and tabulated, including 

information about the worker, the fatal incident, and the machinery or equipment involved.

 Identification and verification of work-related fatalities.

In 2001, there were 148 cases included for which work relationship could not be 

independently verified; however, the information on the initiating source document for 

these cases was sufficient to determine that the incident was likely to be job related. 

Data for these fatalities, which primarily affected self-employed workers, are included in 

the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries counts. An additional 16 fatalities submitted by 

states were not included because the initiating source document 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 one year to update their initial published state counts. 

This procedure ensures that fatality data are disseminated as quickly as possible and that 

no legitimate case is excluded from the counts. Thus, each year's report should be 

considered preliminary until the next year's data are issued. Increases in the published 

counts based on additional information have averaged less than 100 fatalities per year or 

less than 1.5 percent of the total. The BLS news release issued August 14, 2001, reported 

a total of 5,915 fatal work injuries for 2000. Since then, an additional 5 fatal work injuries 

were identified, bringing the total for 2000 to 5,920.

Federal/state

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all fatal work injuries, whether 

they are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other 

federal or state agencies or are outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison 

between the BLS fatality census counts and those released by other agencies should take 

into account the different coverage requirements and definitions being used.

Several federal and state agencies have jurisdiction over workplace safety and health. OSHA 

and affiliated agencies in states with approved safety programs cover the largest portion 
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of the nation's workers. However, injuries and illnesses occurring in certain industries or 

activities, such as coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and highway, water, rail, and air 

transportation, are excluded from OSHA coverage because they are covered by other federal 

agencies, such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration and various agencies within the 

Department of Transportation. Fatalities occurring in activities regulated by federal 

agencies other than OSHA accounted for about 16 percent of the fatal work injuries in 2001.

Fatalities occurring among several other groups of workers are generally not covered by 

any federal or state agencies. These groups include self-employed and unpaid family workers, 

which accounted for about 19 percent of the fatalities; laborers on small farms, accounting 

for about 1 percent of the fatalities; and state and local government employees in states 

without OSHA-approved safety programs, which accounted for about 4 percent. (Approximately 

one-half of the states have approved OSHA safety programs, which cover state and local 

government employees.) 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: BLS thanks the participating states, New York City, and the District of 

Columbia for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal 

work injuries. BLS would like to thank in particular the New York City Department of Health, 

the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry 

for an exceptional job when faced with a unusually heavy workload. BLS also appreciates the 

efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector agencies that submitted source 

documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast 

Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Employment Standards Administration 

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

Department of Energy; state vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; 

state departments of health, labor and industries, and workers' compensation agencies; state 

and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.