file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 CF NR 8/12/98 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1997

 Technical information: (202) 606-6175 USDL 98 - 336

 Media information: (202) 606-5902 FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT

 Wednesday, August 12, 1998

 Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/oshhome.htm

 NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES, 1997

 The number of fatal work injuries that occurred during 1997 was

 6,218, about the same as the previous year's total, according to the

 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, conducted by the Bureau of Labor

 Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Decreases in deaths from

 job-related homicides and aircraft crashes in 1997 were offset by

 increases in work-related deaths from highway crashes, falls, and being

 caught in running equipment. (See table 1.) The construction industry

 reported the largest number of fatal work injuries and accounted for half

 of worker fatalities from falls. Taxicab drivers and police and detectives

 were among the occupations with the largest increases in fatalities over

 the previous year.

 Profiles of 1997 fatal work injuries
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 In 1997, job-related highway fatalities reached their highest

 level since the BLS fatality census began in 1992. Increases in the

 number of workers killed in crashes with objects on the side of the road,

 jack-knifing tractor-trailer rigs, and overturning vehicles were largely

 responsible for the rise in highway fatalities over the 1996 total. The

 following table shows the major types of highway incidents in which

 workers were killed in 1997.

 Type of highway incident Number Percent

 Collision between vehicles 639 46

 Moving in opposite directions 229 17

 Moving in intersection 142 10

 Moving in same direction 103 7

 Moving and standing vehicle 45 3

 Vehicle struck object on side of road 258 19

 Vehicle struck object in roadway 22 2

 Noncollision incident 384 28

 Jack-knifed or overturned 295 21

 Ran off highway 48 3

 Other type of incident 84 6

 Highway crashes were the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities

 and accounted for 22 percent of the 1997 fatal work injury total. (See

 table 1) Ninety percent of workers killed in highway crashes were

 driving the vehicle at the time of the incident. Almost half of the
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 highway fatality victims were employed as truckdrivers or in other jobs

 operating motor vehicles as a profession. The number of highway 

 - 2 -

 fatalities among these occupations increased by about one-fifth over the

 1996 total. Other victims worked in various fields in which highway

 travel is incidental to the primary work activities, including sales,

 farming, nursing and social work, police and firefighting, construction,

 and management.

 Twenty percent of the worker fatalities resulted from other types

 of transportation-related incidents, such as tractors and forklifts

 overturning in fields or in warehouses, workers being struck by vehicles,

 aircraft and railway crashes, and water vessels capsizing. Worker deaths

 from railway crashes, while relatively few in number, were at the highest

 level in the last six years. Most of these fatalities occurred when the

 vehicle the worker was driving or riding in was struck by a train at a

 railroad crossing. Because there were no major commercial airline crashes

 in 1997, worker deaths from aircraft crashes were at their lowest level in

 the last six years.

 Workplace homicides fell to their lowest level in the past six

 years, but continued as the second leading cause of job-related deaths.

 The 7 percent drop in workplace homicides from 1996 was consistent with a

 decline in homicides nationally during the period, as reported by the
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 Department of Justice. Four-fifths of the workplace homicides resulted

 from shootings. Robbery continued to be the primary motive of job-related

 homicide when a motive could be ascertained from the source documents.

 Disputes among coworkers and with customers and clients accounted for

 about one-tenth of the total and declined by over one-third from the

 previous year.

 Circumstances or alleged perpetrator Number Percent

 Robberies and other crimes 731 85

 Robberies 338 39

 Work associates 81 9

 Coworker, former coworker 56 7

 Customer, client 25 3

 Relatives 24 3

 Husband, ex-husband 16 2

 Other relative 8 1

 Other personal acquaintances 20 2

 Boyfriend, ex-boyfriend 11 1

 Other acquaintance 9 1

 Deaths resulting from on-the-job falls rose slightly over 1996

 totals to their highest level in the six years data have been collected

 and accounted for 11 percent of the fatality total. About one-half of

 the falls occurred to workers in the construction industry. Falls from
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 roofs, scaffolds, and ladders predominated. Services accounted for

 about one-tenth of the total.

 Nine percent of the worker fatalities occurred when workers were

 struck by objects, such as vehicles falling from jacks during repair,

 beams or other objects falling from cranes or forklifts, and trees

 falling while being cut down. Another 7 percent of the fatal work

 injuries resulted from workers being caught in running equipment, trench

 cave-ins, or collapsing structures. Workers fatally injured from being

 caught in running equipment, such as agricultural and manufacturing

 equipment, were at a six-year high.

 Electrocutions accounted for 5 percent of the fatal injuries, and

 fires and explosions accounted for 3 percent. Job-related electrocutions

 resulting from contact with overhead power lines increased by almost

 - 3 -

 one-fifth over the 1996 total, yet were consistent with counts reported

 for the previous five years.

 On average, about 17 workers were fatally injured each day during

 1997. Eighty-four percent of fatally injured workers died the day they

 were injured; 97 percent died within 30 days. There were 220

 multiple-fatality incidents (incidents that resulted in two or more

 worker deaths), resulting in 544 job-related deaths. This was an

 increase of 16 percent more multiple-fatality incidents than in 1996,
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 when 189 events resulted in 546 fatal work injuries.

 Occupation highlights (table 2):

 * Occupations with large numbers of fatal injuries included truck

 drivers, construction trades, farm occupations, and sales occupations.

 Fatal injuries to truck drivers were at their highest level in the

 six-year period, while the number of fatalities to workers in sales

 occupations fell to its lowest level in the six-year period.

 * Primarily as a result of increases in homicides and highway fatalities,

 on-the-job fatalities to police and detectives and taxicab drivers rose

 by about one-third after falling in 1996.

 * Commercial fishers experienced a 24 percent drop in fatal work injuries

 in 1997 over the 1996 total, yet this remains one of the most dangerous

 occupations. (For more information on fatalities to fishers, see

 "Fishing for a Living is Dangerous Work" in BLS Report 922, Fatal

 Workplace Injuries in 1996: A Collection of Data and Analysis.)

 Relative risk (tables 3 and 4):

 A comparison of percent distributions of fatalities and employment

 can be used to evaluate the relative risk of a job-related fatality for a

 given occupation, industry, or worker characteristic. For example, the

 construction industry accounted for about 18 percent of the fatality
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 total, 3 times its 6-percent share of total employment. While employment

 can be used to evaluate the relative risk of a fatal work injury, other

 measures, such as employee exposure hours, also can be used. (The annual

 average employment data shown in tables 3 and 4 are from the Current

 Population Survey.)

 Industry highlights (table 3):

 * Construction and transportation and public utilities together accounted

 for about one-third of the fatal work injuries and reported increases over

 1996 fatality totals consistent with increases in their employment totals.

 * Industry divisions with large numbers of fatalities relative to their

 employment include agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction;

 transportation and public utilities; and mining.

 Demographic highlights (table 4):

 * Men, the self-employed, and older workers suffer fatal injuries more

 often than their employment shares would suggest. Differences in the

 industries and occupations of these worker groups explain in part their

 high relative risk of fatal injury on the job. (For more information

 on relative risk among worker groups, see "Denominator Choice in the

 Calculation of Workplace Fatality Rates" in BLS Report 922.)
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 - 4 -

 * The majority of fatally injured workers under 16 years of age were

 killed while doing farm work, often involving a farm vehicle.

 * Highway-related incidents were the leading events for job-related

 fatalities among both men and women in 1997. In prior years, homicides

 had been more frequent than highway deaths for women.

 State highlights (table 5):

 * In general, states that have the largest number of persons employed

 also reported the largest number of work-related fatalities. Twelve

 of the largest states accounted for almost half of the total fatality

 count; three of the states--California, Texas, and Florida--accounted

 for one-fourth of the total. A state's industry mix, however, also

 must be considered when evaluating its occupational fatality profile,

 especially when large numbers of workers are employed in relatively

 dangerous industries, such as agriculture, mining, and construction.

 (For more information on variations in state fatality counts, see

 "State and Industry Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1992-96" in BLS

 Report 922.)

 Background of the program
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

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

 and health statistics program, provides the most complete count of fatal

 work injuries available because it uses diverse state and federal data

 sources 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 sixth 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 state

 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 1996

 news release on nonfatal injuries and illnesses are available from BLS by

 calling (202) 606-6304. Incidence rates for 1997 by industry will be

 published in December 1998, and information on 1997 worker and case

 characteristics will be available in April 1999. For additional

 occupational safety and health data, access the BLS World Wide Web

 Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/oshhome.htm. To request a copy of BLS
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 Report 922, e-mail your address to CFOIstaff@bls.gov or write to Bureau

 of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Room 3180, Washington,

 DC 20212.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1992-97

 

 Fatalities

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

 

 Event or exposure(1) 1992-96 

 average 1996(2) 1997 

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

 Number Number Percent

 

 Total.................... 6,331 6,202 6,218 100 

 

Transportation incidents... 2,587 2,601 2,599 42 

 Highway.................. 1,287 1,346 1,387 22 

 Collision between 

 vehicles, mobile 

 equipment........... 640 667 639 10 

 Moving in same 

 direction......... 104 96 103 2 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 Moving in opposite 

 directions, 

 oncoming.......... 228 220 229 4 

 Moving in 

 intersection...... 125 153 142 2 

 Vehicle struck 

 stationary object or 

 equipment........... 231 243 280 5 

 Noncollision........... 343 352 384 6 

 Jack-knifed or 

 overturned--no 

 collision......... 250 266 295 5 

 Nonhighway (farm, 

 industrial premises).. 400 374 377 6 

 Overturned............. 213 206 216 3 

 Aircraft................. 334 324 261 4 

 Worker struck by a 

 vehicle............... 369 353 367 6 

 Water vehicle............ 106 119 109 2 

 Railway.................. 78 74 93 1 

 

Assaults and violent acts.. 1,275 1,165 1,103 18 

 Homicides................ 1,032 927 856 14 

 Shooting............... 839 761 705 11 

 Stabbing............... 78 80 73 1 

 Other, including 

 bombing............. 115 86 78 1 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 Self-inflicted injury.... 213 204 212 3 

 

Contact with objects and 

 equipment............... 998 1,010 1,034 17 

 Struck by object......... 568 582 578 9 

 Struck by falling 

 object.............. 365 403 384 6 

 Struck by flying object 69 58 53 1 

 Caught in or compressed 

 by equipment or 

 objects............... 289 285 320 5 

 Caught in running 

 equipment or 

 machinery........... 147 146 189 3 

 Caught in or crushed in 

 collapsing materials.. 122 131 118 2 

 

Falls...................... 645 691 715 11 

 Fall to lower level...... 562 610 652 10 

 Fall from ladder....... 87 97 116 2 

 Fall from roof......... 130 149 154 2 

 Fall from scaffold, 

 staging............. 79 88 87 1 

 Fall on same level....... 56 52 44 1 

 

Exposure to harmful 

 substances or 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 environments............ 596 533 550 9 

 Contact with electric 

 current............... 327 281 297 5 

 Contact with overhead 

 power lines......... 128 116 138 2 

 Contact with temperature 

 extremes.............. 42 33 40 1 

 Exposure to caustic, 

 noxious, or allergenic 

 substances............ 121 123 123 2 

 Inhalation of substance 75 76 59 1 

 Oxygen deficiency........ 105 95 87 1 

 Drowning, submersion... 81 70 70 1 

 

Fires and explosions....... 193 185 196 3 

 

Other events or 

 exposures(3)............ 37 17 21 - 

 1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness

Classification Structures.

 3 The BLS news release issued August 7, 1997, reported a total of

6,112 fatal work injuries for calendar year 1996. Since then, an

additional 90 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the

total job-related fatality count for 1996 to 6,202.

 3 Includes the category "Bodily reaction and exertion."

 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 

 NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not

shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of

rounding. Dashes indicate less than 0.5 percent or data that are

not available or that do not meet publication criteria.

 

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

cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal

Occupational Injuries, 1992-97.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and major event or exposure,

1997

 

 Major event or exposure (2) 

 Fatalities (percent)

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

 Struck by Fall to

 Occupation(1) Total Percent Highway(3) Homicide object lower 

 level 

 

 Total.......... 6,218 100 22 14 9 10 

 

Managerial and 

 professional 

 specialty..... 667 11 26 23 4 8 

 Executive, 

 administrat- 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 ive, and 

 managerial. 417 7 23 30 5 11 

 Professional 

 specialty... 250 4 32 12 2 3 

 

Technical, sales, 

 and 

 administrative 

 support....... 733 12 20 41 2 3 

 Technicians and 

 related 

 support 

 occupations. 172 3 14 2 - 2 

 Airplane 

 pilots and 

 navigators 100 2 - - - - 

 Sales 

 occupations. 458 7 19 59 2 3 

 Supervisors 

 and 

 proprieto- 

 rs, sales 

 occupatio- 

 ns........ 223 4 10 67 2 4 

 Sales 

 workers, 

 retail and 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 personal 

 services.. 182 3 19 63 2 2 

 Cashiers... 84 1 - 92 - - 

 Administrative 

 support 

 occupations, 

 including 

 clerical.... 103 2 36 27 3 4 

 

Service 

 occupations... 492 8 20 37 3 7 

 Protective 

 service 

 occupations. 283 5 24 39 2 2 

 Firefighting 

 and fire 

 prevention 

 

 occupatio- 

 ns, 

 including 

 superviso- 

 rs........ 49 1 22 - 8 - 

 Police and 

 detective- 

 s, 

 including 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 superviso- 

 rs........ 156 3 32 43 - 4 

 Guards, 

 including 

 superviso- 

 rs........ 78 1 8 55 - - 

 

Farming, 

 forestry, and 

 fishing....... 923 15 9 1 21 6 

 Farming 

 operators 

 and managers 386 6 10 - 12 5 

 Farmers, 

 except 

 horticult- 

 ural...... 296 5 10 - 12 6 

 Managers, 

 farms, 

 except 

 horitcult- 

 ural...... 71 1 11 - 13 - 

 Other 

 agricultural 

 and related 

 occupations. 349 6 13 2 15 10 

 Farm workers, 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 including 

 superviso- 

 rs........ 213 3 14 2 11 6 

 Forestry and 

 logging 

 occupations. 128 2 2 - 74 4 

 Timber 

 cutting 

 and 

 logging 

 occupatio- 

 ns........ 110 2 3 - 75 3 

 Fishers, 

 hunters, and 

 trappers.... 60 1 - - 5 - 

 Fishers, 

 including 

 vessel 

 captains 

 and 

 officers.. 58 1 - - 5 - 

 

Precision 

 production, 

 craft, and 

 repair........ 1,094 18 10 3 12 26 

 Mechanics and 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 repairers... 325 5 13 6 18 13 

 Construction 

 trades...... 593 10 8 2 6 39 

 Carpenters 

 and 

 apprentic- 

 es........ 98 2 13 4 11 43 

 Electricians 

 and 

 apprentic- 

 es........ 94 2 6 - 4 17 

 Painters..... 39 1 - - - 64 

 Roofers...... 55 1 5 - - 75 

 Structural 

 metal 

 workers... 45 1 - - - 80 

 

Operators, 

 fabricators, 

 and laborers.. 2,161 35 34 7 9 9 

 Machine 

 operators, 

 assemblers, 

 and 

 inspectors.. 221 4 6 5 17 10 

 Transportation 

 and material 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 moving 

 occupations. 1,271 20 52 9 7 3 

 Motor vehicle 

 operators. 1,026 17 63 11 4 2 

 Truck 

 drivers. 857 14 68 3 5 3 

 Driver-sal- 

 es 

 workers. 44 1 66 25 - - 

 Taxicab 

 drivers 

 and 

 chauffe- 

 urs..... 100 2 23 76 - - 

 Material 

 moving 

 equipment 

 operators. 169 3 8 2 20 5 

 Handlers, 

 equipment 

 cleaners, 

 helpers, and 

 laborers.... 669 11 9 5 11 20 

 Construction 

 laborers.. 333 5 9 - 11 30 

 Laborers, 

 except 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 construct- 

 ion....... 208 3 7 4 13 11 

Military(4)...... 94 2 14 1 3 2

 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 51 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: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in

cooperation with State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational

Injuries, 1992-97.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1997

 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 

 1992-96 1996 Employment(2) 

 Industry(1) average (revised) 1997 (in thousands) 

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

 Number Number Number Percent Number Percent

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

 

 Total............. 6,331 6,202 6,218 100 130,810 100 

 

Private industry.... 5,638 5,597 5,594 90 111,417 85 

 

Agriculture, for- 

 estry and fishing 826 806 830 13 3,479 3 

 Agricultural 

 production - 

 crops.......... 390 337 373 6 985 1 

 Agricultural 

 production - 

 livestock...... 174 157 182 3 1,205 1 

 Agricultural 

 services....... 157 172 176 3 1,199 1 

 

Mining.............. 169 153 158 3 632 - 

 Coal mining....... 45 39 32 1 84 - 

 Oil and gas 

 extraction..... 87 83 85 1 369 - 

 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

Construction........ 996 1,047 1,107 18 7,844 6 

 General building 

 contractors.... 176 184 194 3 - - 

 Heavy 

 construction, 

 except building 247 248 252 4 - - 

 Special trades 

 contractors.... 568 606 648 10 - - 

 

Manufacturing....... 751 725 743 12 20,765 16 

 Food and kindred 

 products....... 81 73 78 1 1,697 1 

 Lumber and wood 

 products....... 204 204 199 3 817 1 

 

Transportation and 

 public utilities. 922 970 1,002 16 7,594 6 

 Local and 

 interurban 

 passenger 

 transportation. 113 79 106 2 551 - 

 Trucking and 

 warehousing.... 484 520 569 9 2,560 2 

 Transportation by 

 air............ 93 115 83 1 822 1 

 Electric, gas, and 

 sanitary 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 services....... 85 89 89 1 1,060 1 

 

Wholesale trade..... 260 270 241 4 4,896 4 

 

Retail trade........ 741 681 665 11 21,782 17 

 Food stores....... 209 180 189 3 3,643 3 

 Automotive dealers 

 and service 

 stations....... 120 98 115 2 2,217 2 

 Eating and 

 drinking places 182 166 150 2 6,581 5 

 

Finance, insurance, 

 and real estate.. 119 116 97 2 8,080 6 

 

Services............ 782 776 722 12 36,346 28 

 Business services. 207 168 181 3 6,024 5 

 Automotive repair, 

 services, and 

 parking........ 102 104 109 2 1,623 1 

 

Government(3)....... 693 605 624 10 19,393 15 

 

 Federal government 

 (including 

 resident armed 

 forces)........ 228 184 162 3 4,461 3 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 

 State government.. 127 130 127 2 5,031 4 

 

 Local government.. 331 289 331 5 9,901 8 

 Police protection. 99 76 113 2 - - 

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

 1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987.

 2 The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of

age and older, plus resident armed forces, from the Current Population

Survey, 1997.

 3 Includes fatalities to workers employed by governmental organizations

regardless of industry.

 

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

Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. There were 31 fatalities for

which there was insufficient information to determine a specific industry classification,

though 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: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with

State and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1992-97.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker

characteristics, 1997

Characteristics Fatalities Employment 
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 (in thousands)(1) Most frequent events(2)

 Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total)

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

 Total 6,218 100 130,810 100 Highway (22 percent), 

 homicide (14 percent)

 Employee status 

Wage and salary workers 4,959 80 120,126 92 Highway (24), homicide (13)

Self-employed(3) 1,259 20 10,684 8 Homicide (18), highway (14)

 Sex and age

Men 5,743 92 70,769 54 Highway (21), homicide (12)

Women 475 8 60,041 46 Highway (36), homicide (31)

 Both sexes(4)

Under 16 years 21 - - - Nonhighway vehicle-related (38)

16 to 17 years 41 1 2,650 2 Highway (22), homicide (22)

18 to 19 years 113 2 4,102 3 Highway (16), struck by object (16)

20 to 24 years 503 8 12,758 10 " (23)

25 to 34 years 1,319 21 32,288 25 " (21)

35 to 44 years 1,520 24 36,174 28 " (20)

45 to 54 years 1,298 21 26,780 20 " (24)

55 to 64 years 870 14 12,297 9 " (25)

65 years and over 519 8 3,761 3 " (22)
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 Race

White 5,098 82 110,819 85 Highway (23)

Black 676 11 14,211 11 HIghway (24)

Asian or Pacific Islander 189 3 - - Homicide (46)

American Indian, Aleut, 

 Eskimo 35 1 - - Fall to lower level (17)

Other or not reported 220 4 - - Highway (18)

 Hispanic origin

Hispanic(5) 656 11 12,813 10 Homicide (17)

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

 1 The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of

age and older, plus resident armed forces, from the Current Population Survey,

1997.

 2 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents

that occur on the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes

incidents occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on

farms. "Nonhighway" includes transport-related deaths of vehicle occupants

that occur or originate entirely off the roadway. Incidents involving

trains and deaths to pedestrians or other nonpassengers are excluded from

both categories.

 3 Includes paid and unpaid family workers and may include owners of

incorporated businesses or members of partnerships.
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 4 There were 14 fatalities for which age was not reported.

 5 Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race. Hispanic employment does

not include resident armed forces.

 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 and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational

Injuries, 1997.

Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by State and event or exposure, 1997

 Event or exposure(2) 

State of injury (percent of State total for 1997)

 

 Trans- Assaults Contact Exposure

 Total Fatalities(1) portation and with objects to harmful

 1996 1997 incidents(3) violent and substances or Fires and

 (revised) acts(4) equipment Falls environments explosions

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

 Total(5) 6,202 6,218 42 18 17 11 9 3

Alabama 155 139 50 19 17 6 7 -

Alaska 63 51 65 12 12 - 8 -

Arizona 77 58 36 26 14 12 9 -
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

Arkansas 88 102 47 15 19 5 10 5

California 641 636 36 26 12 13 8 3

Colorado 90 120 48 14 15 15 6 - 

Connecticut 35 32 47 - 16 22 - -

Delaware 18 17 53 - - - - -

District of Columbia 19 23 - 52 - 22 - -

Florida 333 366 39 22 12 13 10 3

Georgia 213 241 43 16 17 12 10 2

Hawaii 27 19 37 - - - 21 -

Idaho 62 56 45 9 34 - - -

Illinois 262 240 39 21 14 15 8 2

Indiana 143 190 42 19 17 11 6 4

Iowa 70 80 44 5 22 14 11 - 

Kansas 85 93 61 5 16 11 - 4

Kentucky 141 143 52 16 15 7 8 -

Louisiana 134 137 41 12 16 12 15 4 

Maine 23 19 47 - 26 - - -

Maryland 82 82 32 29 12 13 12 -

Massachusetts 62 69 36 19 13 25 6 -

Michigan 155 174 35 18 20 13 7 6

Minnesota 92 72 47 10 21 12 7 -

Mississippi 103 104 40 22 12 14 11 -

Missouri 140 123 44 16 14 10 15 -

Montana 50 56 45 29 14 7 - -

Nebraska 56 46 48 - 17 11 13 -

Nevada 52 55 38 25 16 13 7 -

New Hampshire 11 23 30 30 26 - - -
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

New Jersey 100 101 31 18 13 16 20 -

New Mexico 60 50 44 10 8 - 24 8

New York

 (except N.Y.C.) 169 155 43 10 21 8 7 9

New York City 148 109 13 47 9 25 4 -

North Carolina 191 210 43 15 23 10 7 2

North Dakota 23 35 40 - 26 26 - - 

Ohio 201 201 45 13 23 10 6 2

Oklahoma 87 104 46 14 15 12 5 7

Oregon 85 84 49 12 20 12 - -

Pennsylvania 282 259 43 15 17 13 9 4 

Rhode Island 6 10 80 - - - - -

South Carolina 109 129 36 36 16 5 5 -

South Dakota 32 23 52 - 30 - - -

Tennessee 152 168 41 18 18 10 7 5

Texas 514 460 46 14 16 9 12 4

Utah 64 66 50 8 27 6 - -

Vermont 7 9 78 - - - - -

Virginia 153 166 40 16 19 13 8 -

Washington 128 112 46 13 18 11 10 -

West Virginia 66 53 38 - 34 - 15 -

Wisconsin 108 114 40 10 19 13 13 4

Wyoming 28 29 41 - 14 - - -

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

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

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

 3 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatalities and fatalities to workers struck by vehicles.
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 4 Includes violence by persons, self-inflicted injuries, and assaults by animals.

 5 Includes fatalities that occurred outside the territorial boundaries of the 50 States.

 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 and Federal Agencies,

 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1996-1997.

Table 6. CFOI participating State agencies and telephone numbers

State Agency Telephone

Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3460

Alaska Department of Labor/Research & Analysis (907) 465-4539

Arizona Industrial Commission (602) 542-3739

Arkansas Department of Labor (501) 682-4542

California Department of Industrial Relations (415) 972-8625

Colorado Department of Public Health (303) 692-2163

Connecticut Labor Department (860) 566-4380

Delaware Department of Labor (302) 761-8221

District of Columbia Center for Health Statistics (202) 645-5963

Florida Dept. of Labor and Employment Security (850) 922-8953

Georgia Department of Labor (404) 656-2966

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

Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090

Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 785-7130

Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2679
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

Iowa Workforce Development (515) 281-3661

Kansas Department of Health & Environment (785) 296-5641

Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-6895

Louisiana Department of Labor (504) 342-3126

Maine Department of Labor (207) 624-6454

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

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5628

Michigan Dept. of Consumer and Industry Services (517) 322-1850

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (612) 297-7429

Mississippi Department of Health (601) 960-7741

Missouri Department of Health (573) 751-6103

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

Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (702) 687-3298

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

New Jersey Department of Health (609) 984-1863

New Mexico Health and Environment Division (505) 827-4230

New York Department of Health (518) 458-6228

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

North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337

North Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (816) 426-2483

Ohio Department of Health (614) 466-4183

Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 528-1500

Oregon Dept. of Consumer/Business Services (503) 378-8254

Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 277-2812

South Carolina Department of Labor/Licensing & Regulation (803) 734-4298

South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (816) 426-2483

Tennessee Department of Labor (615) 741-1748

Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (512) 440-3852

Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823

Vermont Bureau of Labor Statistics (617) 565-2300

Virginia Department of Labor & Industry (804) 786-8011

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

West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890

Wisconsin DWD, Workers' Compensation Research (608) 266-7850

Wyoming Bureau of Labor Statistics (816) 426-2483

 TECHNICAL NOTES

 Definitions

 For a fatality to be included in the census, the decedent must have

 been employed (that is working for pay, compensation, or profit) at the

 time of the event, engaged in a legal work activity, or present at the

 site of the incident as a requirement of his or her job. These criteria

 are generally broader than those used by federal and state agencies

 administering specific laws and regulations. (Fatalities that occur

 during a person's commute to or from work are excluded from the census
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 counts.)

 Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 1997

 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, asphyxiations, acute

 poisonings resulting from short-term exposures limited to the

 worker's shift, suicides and homicides, and work injuries listed as

 underlying or contributory causes of death.

 Information on work-related fatal illnesses are not reported in the

 BLS census and are excluded from the attached tables because the latency

 period of many occupational illnesses and the difficulty of linking

 illnesses to work make identification of a universe problematic. Partial

 information on fatal occupational illnesses, compiled separately, is

 available in BLS Report 922.

 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
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 well as news 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.

 Because some state laws and regulations prohibit enumerators from

 contacting the next-of-kin, it was not possible to independently verify

 work relationship (whether a fatality is job related) for 274 fatal work

 injuries in 1997; 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 21 fatalities submitted by

 states were not included because the initiating source document had

 insufficient information to determine work relationship, which could not

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

 questionnaire.

 States may identify additional fatal work injuries after data

 collection closeout for a reference year. In addition, other fatalities
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 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.

 Federal/state agency coverage

 The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all

 fatal work injuries, whether they are covered by the Occupational Safety

 and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or

 are outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison

 between the BLS 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 of America's workers. However,

 injuries and illnesses occurring in several other industries, such as

 coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and water, rail, and air transportation,

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

 agencies, such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the U.S.
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 Coast Guard, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Federal Aviation

 Administration. Fatalities occurring in activities regulated by federal

 agencies other than OSHA accounted for about 15 percent of the fatal work

 injuries for 1997.

 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 20 percent of the fatalities; laborers on small farms, accounting

 for about 3 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 for their efforts

 in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work

 injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state,

 local, and private sector agencies that submitted source documents used

 to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the

 Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National

 Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety

 and Health Administration; the Employment Standards Administration

 (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers'

 divisions); the Department of Energy; the National Association of

 Chiefs of Police; United Steelworkers of America; state vital
file:///C|/Users/mames/Desktop/test/lps51706/cfoi_081298.txt[4/2/2015 9:32:26 AM]

 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.