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Technical information: (202) 691-6175 

Media information: (202) 691-5902 

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

USDL 00-236

FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT

Thursday, August 17, 2000

NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES, 1999

 The number of fatal work injuries that occurred during 1999 was 6,023,

nearly the same as the previous year's total despite an increase in

employment, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries,

conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

Decreases in job-related deaths from homicides and electrocutions in

1999 were offset by increases from workers struck by falling objects or

caught in running machinery. Homicides fell from the second-leading

cause of fatal work injuries to the third, behind highway fatalities

and falls. Construction reported the largest number of fatal work

injuries for any industry and accounted for one-fifth of the fatality total.

Profiles of 1999 fatal work injuries

 Highway crashes continued as the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities

during 1999, accounting for one-fourth of the fatal work injury total.

(See table 1 and chart 1.) The number of these fatalities increased slightly over

1998 to reach the highest level since the BLS fatality census began in 1992.

Slightly over two-fifths of the 1,491 victims of job-related highway

fatalities were employed as truck drivers.

 In contrast to fatalities resulting from crashes that occurred on public

roadways, the number of workers killed in nonhighway crashes and

overturnings or killed after being struck by a vehicle declined from the

previous year. The number of workers killed in air, water, and rail

vehicle incidents during 1999 was about the same as in 1998.

 In 1999, deaths resulting from on-the-job falls increased slightly to 717.

This increase, coupled with a decline in homicides, made falls the

second-leading cause of fatal work injuries for the first time since the

fatality census began in 1992. (See chart 2.) About half of the fatal falls 

were from a roof, ladder, or scaffold, and slightly over half of the fatal falls

occurred in the construction industry.

 Now the third-leading cause of on-the-job deaths, workplace homicides

fell to the lowest level since the fatality census' inception in 1992.

Job-related homicides totaled 645 in 1999, a 10 percent drop from the

1998 total and a 40 percent decline from the 1,080 homicides that occurred

in 1994, which had the highest count in the 8-year period. The drop

in homicides at work was most pronounced in retail trade, where homicides

fell by 51 percent from 1994. The following table shows counts of

workplace homicides for selected industries during 1994-99.
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(Chart 1. and Chart 2. appear here in the printed version of the News Release.)

Industry 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

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

 Total homicides 1,080 1,034 927 860 714 645

Retail trade 530 422 437 395 286 260

 Grocery stores 196 152 146 141 95 76

 Eating and drinking places 135 121 135 109 69 94

 Gasoline service stations 41 36 23 34 24 17

Taxicab 87 68 50 74 48 51

Detective and armored

 car services 49 27 29 21 18 17

Police protection 65 61 45 61 50 41

 Among the job-related homicides for which a motive could be ascertained

from the source documents, robbery continued to be the primary motive,

followed by violence by co-workers and customers or clients. Occupations

with high numbers of homicides include those that typically engage in

cash transactions or have valuables on hand, including managers of food

and lodging establishments, sales supervisors and proprietors, cashiers,

and taxicab drivers.

 Workers struck by objects or equipment accounted for 10 percent of the

fatal work injuries in 1999. These types of injuries increased from the

previous year. Electrocutions accounted for 5 percent of the fatal

injuries and decreased by 17 percent from 1998. Contact with overhead

power lines accounted for about two-fifths of the electrocutions.

 On average, about 17 workers were fatally injured each day during 1999.

Eighty-three percent of fatally injured workers died the day they were

injured; 97 percent died within 30 days. There were 235 multiple-fatality

incidents (incidents that resulted in two or more worker deaths), resulting

in 617 job-related deaths. Although this was a slight increase over the

227 multiple-fatality events reported for 1998, there was a more

substantial increase in the number of deaths resulting from these types of

incidents in 1999 than in the previous year, when 555 worker deaths occurred.

Occupation highlights (table 2 and chart 3):

* Occupations with large numbers of fatal injuries included truck drivers,

construction trades, and farm occupations.

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

8-year period.

* Mechanics and repairers also reported a noticeable increase in fatal

work injuries over the previous year, reaching its highest level in

the 8-year period.
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* In contrast, the number of fatalities in sales occupations fell to its

lowest level during the same period, primarily because of the drop in

homicides.

(Chart 3 appears here in the printed version of the News Release.)

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 industry or worker characteristic. For example, the construction

industry accounted for 20 percent of the fatality 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 hours worked, also can be used.

Industry highlights (table 3):

* Industry divisions with large numbers of fatalities relative to their

employment include agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction;

transportation and public utilities; and mining.

* Retail trade posted a substantial decline in the number of fatal work

injuries in 1999 over the previous year; transportation and public

utilities posted a substantial increase.

* A decline in fatal work injuries among government workers resulted in

the lowest levels during the 8-year period.

Demographic highlights (table 4):

* Men, the self-employed, and older workers suffered 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.

* Highway-related incidents were the leading cause of job-related

fatalities among both men and women. Homicides, which had been the

leading cause for women, were the second-leading cause in 1999. Falls

ranked second for men.

* Two-fifths of fatally injured workers under 18 years of age were

killed while doing farm work; another one-fifth were killed while working

for a retail trade establishment.

State highlights by major regional area (table 5):

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

the largest number of work-related fatalities. Four of the largest

states--California, Texas, Florida, and New York--accounted for over

one-fourth of the total fatalities in the U.S. Each state's and

region's industry mix, geographical features, age of population, and

other characteristics of the workforce must be considered when evaluating
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state and region fatality profiles.

* In all four regions of the U.S.--Northeast, Midwest, South, and

West--highway motor vehicle incidents were the leading event for

occupational fatalities. In the Southern and Western states, the

second leading event was homicide. In the Northeast and Midwest states,

the second-leading events were falls to lower level and being struck by

an object, respectively.

* About 44 percent of the fatal occupational highway incidents and almost

half of the work-related homicides occurred in the South, which has

35 percent of total employment.

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 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 eighth 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 1998 news release

on nonfatal injuries and illnesses are available from BLS by

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

Incidence rates for 1999 by industry will be published in December 2000,

and information on 1999 worker and case characteristics will be available

in April 2001. For additional data, access the BLS Internet site:

http://www.bls.gov/oshhome.htm. To request a copy of BLS Report 934, which

includes several articles and highlights 1997 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.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1994-99

Event or exposure(1) Fatalities

 1994-98 1998(2) 1999

 Average Number Number Percent
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 Total 6,280 6,055 6,023 100

Transportation incidents 2,640 2,645 2,613 43

 Highway 1,374 1,442 1,491 25

 Collision between vehicles,

 mobile equipment 662 707 711 12

 Moving in same direction 113 120 129 2

 Moving in opposite

 directions, oncoming 240 272 269 4

 Moving in intersection 136 143 160 3

 Vehicle struck stationary

 object or equipment 272 307 334 6

 Noncollision 368 375 388 6

 Jackknifed or

 overturned--no collision 280 302 321 5

 Nonhighway (farm, industrial

 premises) 387 388 353 6

 Overturned 215 217 206 3

 Aircraft 304 224 227 4

 Worker struck by a vehicle 382 413 377 6

 Water vehicle 104 112 102 2

 Rail vehicle 78 60 56 1

Assaults and violent acts 1,168 962 893 15

 Homicides 923 714 645 11

 Shooting 748 574 506 8

 Stabbing 68 61 60 1

 Other 107 79 79 1

 Self-inflicted injuries 215 221 208 3

Contact with objects and

 equipment 984 944 1,029 17

 Struck by object 564 520 585 10

 Struck by falling object 364 319 358 6

 Struck by flying object 60 59 55 1

 Caught in or compressed by

 equipment or objects 281 266 302 5

 Caught in running equipment

 or machinery 148 129 163 3

 Caught in or crushed in

 collapsing materials 124 140 128 2

Falls 686 706 717 12

 Fall to lower level 609 625 634 11

 Fall from ladder 101 111 96 2

 Fall from roof 146 157 153 3

 Fall from scaffold 89 98 92 2

 Fall on same level 53 51 66 1

Exposure to harmful substances

 or environments 583 576 529 9

 Contact with electric current 322 334 278 5

 Contact with overhead

 powerlines 136 153 124 2
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 Contact with temperature extremes 45 48 50 1

 Exposure to caustic, noxious,

 or allergenic substances 118 105 106 2

 Inhalation of substance 66 48 55 1

 Oxygen deficiency 96 87 93 2

 Drowning, submersion 77 75 75 1

Fires and explosions 199 206 216 4

Other events or exposures(3) 21 16 26 -

1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification

Structures.

2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 4, 1999, reported a total of 6,026 fatal

work injuries for calendar year 1998. Since then, an additional 29

job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related

fatality count for 1998 to 6,055.

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 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, 1994-99.

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

exposure, 1999

Occupation(1) Fatalities Major event or exposure(2)

 (percent of total for occupation)

 Number Percent Highway Homicide Struck by Fall to 

 object lower level

 

 Total..................| 6,023 | 100 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 11 

 | | | | | | 

Managerial and | | | | | | 

 professional specialty..| 597 | 10 | 24 | 19 | 4 | 7 

 Executive, | | | | | | 

 administrative, and | | | | | | 

 managerial...........| 371 | 6 | 22 | 26 | 5 | 8 

 Professional specialty.| 226 | 4 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 6 

 | | | | | | 

Technical, sales, and | | | | | | 

 administrative support..| 610 | 10 | 27 | 32 | 2 | 3 

 Technicians and related| | | | | | 

 support occupations...| 158 | 3 | 16 | - | 3 | 3 

 Airplane pilots and | | | | | | 

 navigators..........| 94 | 2 | - | - | - | - 

 Sales occupations......| 356 | 6 | 28 | 49 | 2 | 2 

 Supervisors and | | | | | | 
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 proprietors, sales | | | | | | 

 occupations.........| 140 | 2 | 13 | 62 | 4 | 2 

 Sales workers, retail| | | | | | 

 and personal | | | | | | 

 services............| 144 | 2 | 27 | 51 | - | - 

 Cashiers...........| 55 | 1 | - | 80 | - | - 

 Administrative support | | | | | | 

 occupations, including| | | | | | 

 clerical..............| 96 | 2 | 44 | 19 | - | 4 

 | | | | | | 

Service occupations......| 468 | 8 | 20 | 33 | 1 | 9 

 Protective service | | | | | | 

 occupations...........| 261 | 4 | 26 | 32 | 1 | 3 

 Firefighting and fire| | | | | | 

 prevention | | | | | | 

 occupations, | | | | | | 

 including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 57 | 1 | 18 | - | - | 5 

 Police and | | | | | | 

 detectives, | | | | | | 

 including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 132 | 2 | 39 | 36 | - | - 

 Guards, including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 72 | 1 | 10 | 50 | - | 4 

 | | | | | | 

Farming, forestry, and | | | | | | 

 fishing.................| 897 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 21 | 5 

 Farming operators and | | | | | | 

 managers..............| 362 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 3 

 Farmers, except | | | | | | 

 horticultural.......| 233 | 4 | 13 | - | 17 | 3 

 Managers, farms, | | | | | | 

 except horitcultural| 118 | 2 | 13 | - | 10 | 4 

 Other agricultural and | | | | | | 

 related occupations...| 335 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 8 

 Farm workers, | | | | | | 

 including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 206 | 3 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 4 

 Forestry and logging | | | | | | 

 occupations...........| 122 | 2 | 6 | - | 67 | 3 

 Timber cutting and | | | | | | 

 logging occupations.| 102 | 2 | 4 | - | 73 | 3 

 Fishers, hunters, and | | | | | | 

 trappers..............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | - 

 Fishers, including | | | | | | 

 vessel captains and | | | | | | 

 officers............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | - 

 | | | | | | 

Precision production, | | | | | | 

 craft, and repair.......| 1,142 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 28 

 Mechanics and repairers| 353 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 13 

 Construction trades....| 633 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 39 

 Carpenters and | | | | | | 

 apprentices.........| 103 | 2 | 6 | - | 13 | 48 
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 Electricians and | | | | | | 

 apprentices.........| 105 | 2 | 15 | - | 4 | 12 

 Painters.............| 38 | 1 | - | - | - | 68 

 Roofers..............| 59 | 1 | 5 | - | - | 85 

 Structural metal | | | | | | 

 workers.............| 43 | 1 | - | - | 19 | 77 

 | | | | | | 

Operators, fabricators, | | | | | | 

 and laborers............| 2,194 | 36 | 37 | 5 | 10 | 8 

 Machine operators, | | | | | | 

 assemblers, and | | | | | | 

 inspectors............| 216 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 15 

 Transportation and | | | | | | 

 material moving | | | | | | 

 occupations...........| 1,320 | 22 | 56 | 6 | 7 | 2 

 Motor vehicle | | | | | | 

 operators...........| 1,063 | 18 | 67 | 8 | 5 | 2 

 Truck drivers......| 898 | 15 | 70 | 2 | 6 | 2 

 Driver-sales | | | | | | 

 workers...........| 42 | 1 | 79 | 10 | - | - 

 Taxicab drivers and| | | | | | 

 chauffeurs........| 74 | 1 | 28 | 69 | - | - 

 Material moving | | | | | | 

 equipment operators.| 205 | 3 | 14 | - | 14 | 5 

 Handlers, equipment | | | | | | 

 cleaners, helpers, and| | | | | | 

 laborers..............| 658 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 17 

 Construction laborers| 341 | 6 | 11 | - | 14 | 25 

 Laborers, except | | | | | | 

 construction........| 193 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 10 

 | | | | | | 

Military.................| 80 | 1 | 24 | - | 4 | - 

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 35 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 and

federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1999

 Fatalities Employment(2)

Industry SIC --------------------------------------- (in thousands)

 Code(1) 1994-98 1998 1999 --------------------
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 Average (revised) Number Percent Number Percent

 Total..................| | 6,280 | 6,055 | 6,023 | 100 | 134,666 | 100 

 | | | | | | | 

Private industry.........| | 5,625 | 5,457 | 5,461 | 91 | 114,570 | 85 

 | | | | | | | 

 Agriculture, forestry | | | | | | | 

 and fishing...........| | 826 | 840 | 807 | 13 | 3,349 | 2 

 Agricultural | | | | | | | 

 production - crops..| 01 | 379 | 380 | 350 | 6 | 955 | 1 

 Agricultural | | | | | | | 

 production - | | | | | | | 

 livestock...........| 02 | 170 | 174 | 163 | 3 | 993 | 1 

 Agricultural services| 07 | 168 | 170 | 164 | 3 | 1,317 | 1 

 | | | | | | | 

 Mining.................| | 159 | 147 | 121 | 2 | 563 | - 

 Coal mining..........| 12 | 37 | 30 | 35 | 1 | 84 | - 

 Oil and gas | | | | | | | 

 extraction..........| 13 | 84 | 76 | 50 | 1 | 329 | - 

 | | | | | | | 

 Construction...........| | 1,082 | 1,174 | 1,190 | 20 | 8,479 | 6 

 General building | | | | | | | 

 contractors.........| 15 | 191 | 213 | 183 | 3 | - | - 

 Heavy construction, | | | | | | | 

 except building.....| 16 | 253 | 272 | 280 | 5 | - | - 

 Special trades | | | | | | | 

 contractors.........| 17 | 629 | 680 | 709 | 12 | - | - 

 | | | | | | | 

 Manufacturing..........| | 733 | 698 | 719 | 12 | 19,994 | 15 

 Food and kindred | | | | | | | 

 products............| 20 | 75 | 72 | 83 | 1 | 1,643 | 1 

 Lumber and wood | | | | | | | 

 products............| 24 | 191 | 172 | 190 | 3 | 824 | 1 

 | | | | | | | 

 Transportation and | | | | | | | 

 public utilities......| | 948 | 911 | 1,006 | 17 | 7,947 | 6 

 Local and interurban | | | | | | | 

 passenger | | | | | | | 

 transportation......| 41 | 100 | 85 | 102 | 2 | 593 | - 

 Trucking and | | | | | | | 

 warehousing.........| 42 | 528 | 564 | 605 | 10 | 2,679 | 2 

 Transportation by air| 45 | 90 | 74 | 74 | 1 | 864 | 1 

 Electric, gas, and | | | | | | | 

 sanitary services...| 49 | 88 | 83 | 86 | 1 | 1,029 | 1 

 | | | | | | | 

 Wholesale trade........| | 253 | 229 | 237 | 4 | 5,173 | 4 

 | | | | | | | 

 Retail trade...........| | 683 | 570 | 507 | 8 | 22,300 | 17 

 Food stores..........| 54 | 187 | 135 | 115 | 2 | 3,511 | 3 

 Automotive dealers | | | | | | | 

 and service stations| 55 | 116 | 120 | 82 | 1 | 2,238 | 2 

 Eating and drinking | | | | | | | 

 places..............| 58 | 155 | 107 | 145 | 2 | 6,718 | 5 

 | | | | | | | 
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 Finance, insurance, and| | | | | | | 

 real estate...........| | 109 | 92 | 105 | 2 | 8,610 | 6 

 | | | | | | | 

 Services...............| | 773 | 763 | 732 | 12 | 38,240 | 28 

 Business services....| 73 | 203 | 196 | 161 | 3 | 6,756 | 5 

 Automotive repair, | | | | | | | 

 services, and | | | | | | | 

 parking.............| 75 | 111 | 133 | 132 | 2 | 1,576 | 2 

 | | | | | | | 

Government...............| | 656 | 598 | 562 | 9 | 20,096 | 15 

 | | | | | | | 

 Federal (including | | | | | | | 

 resident armed forces)| | 204 | 162 | 147 | 2 | 4,427 | 3 

 State..................| | 126 | 136 | 108 | 2 | 5,237 | 4 

 Local..................| | 319 | 296 | 301 | 5 | 10,433 | 8 

 Police protection......| 9221 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 2 | - | - 

1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.

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

Survey, 1999, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces from the Department of Defense.

3 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 37 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: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, 

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1994-99.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 1999

Characteristics Fatalities Employment

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

 Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total)

Total 6,023 100 134,666 100 Highway (25), falls (12)

Employee status

Wage and salary

 workers 4,884 81 124,445 92 Highway (27), falls (13)

Self-employed(3) 1,139 19 10,221 8 Highway (14), homicides (14) 

Sex

Men 5,582 93 72,457 54 Highway (24), falls (12)

Women 441 7 62,209 46 Highway (34), homicides (29)

Age(4)

Under 16 years 26 - - - Highway (35), nonhighway (19)

16 to 17 years 46 1 2,796 2 Highway (28), homicides (17)

18 to 19 years 122 2 4,494 3 Highway (26), struck by object (11)
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20 to 24 years 450 7 13,242 10 Highway (26), homicides (11)

25 to 34 years 1,171 19 31,280 24 Highway (24), homicides (12)

35 to 44 years 1,499 25 36,983 28 Highway (24), falls (13)

45 to 54 years 1,326 22 28,671 21 Highway (25), homicides (12)

55 to 64 years 814 14 13,317 10 Highway (25), falls (14)

65 years and over 559 9 3,883 3 Highway (23), nonhighway (16)

Race

White 4,990 83 113,023 84 Highway (26), falls (12)

Black 626 10 15,284 11 Highway (23), homicides (19)

American Indian,

 Aleut, Eskimo 57 1 - - Highway (18), falls (14)

Asian, Pacific

 Islander 191 3 - - Homicides (46), highway (13) 

Other or not

 reported 159 3 - - Highway (20), falls and homicides (13)

Hispanic origin

Hispanic(5) 725 12 13,811 12 Highway (21), falls (16)

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

the Current Population Survey, 1999, 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" 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 10 fatalities for which age was not reported.

5 Persons identified as Hispanic 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 and federal agencies, 

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.

Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 1999

 Fatalities(1) Event or exposure(2) 

 (percent of state total for 1999) 

 

 Exposure 

 Contact to 

 State of injury Trans- Assaults with harmful Fires 

 1998 1999 portation and objects Falls sub and 

 (revised) in- violent and stances explosio-

 cidents(3) acts(4) equipment or ns 

 environ- 
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 ments 

Total(5) 6,055 6,023 43 15 17 12 9 4

Northeast 853 756 36 18 15 17 8 5

Connecticut 57 38 34 34 13 11 - -

Maine 26 32 50 9 22 9 - -

Massachusetts 44 82 32 10 13 24 6 15

New Hampshire 23 14 36 21 - - - -

New Jersey 103 103 34 17 17 21 9 -

New York (incl. N.Y.C.) 243 241 30 25 12 18 11 2

New York City 94 120 13 44 8 22 8 3

Pennsylvania 235 221 41 12 18 15 5 7

Rhode Island 12 11 36 - - - 27 -

Vermont 16 14 43 29 - - - -

Midwest 1,340 1,417 44 12 20 11 9 4

Illinois 216 208 34 17 19 14 11 4

Indiana 155 171 46 15 16 12 7 3

Iowa 68 80 52 - 26 4 10 8

Kansas 98 81 49 5 23 12 6 -

Michigan 179 182 34 15 18 13 10 10

Minnesota 88 72 65 7 17 7 4 -

Missouri 145 164 48 11 19 10 10 3

Nebraska 56 65 51 9 26 6 - 5

North Dakota 24 22 36 - 41 - - -

Ohio 186 222 43 12 20 15 9 2

South Dakota 28 45 58 7 16 - 13 -

Wisconsin 97 105 45 11 22 10 10 3

South 2,619 2,565 44 15 16 11 10 3

Alabama 135 123 38 10 22 11 10 8

Arkansas 86 76 49 8 12 5 17 8

Delaware 11 14 36 29 - - - -

District of Columbia 13 14 21 21 - 36 - -

Florida 384 345 39 17 15 16 10 2

Georgia 202 229 44 17 16 10 9 3

Kentucky 117 120 49 14 18 8 7 3

Louisiana 159 141 39 9 26 8 16 4

Maryland 78 82 40 29 12 11 6 -

Mississippi 113 128 52 6 20 14 6 -

North Carolina 228 222 43 19 14 11 10 2

Oklahoma 75 99 44 14 13 11 12 5

South Carolina 111 139 53 16 9 9 8 6

Tennessee 150 154 49 12 18 8 8 4

Texas 523 468 44 15 15 12 12 3

Virginia 177 154 42 17 12 12 13 3

West Virginia 57 57 35 12 33 9 9 -

West 1,334 1,264 46 16 17 11 6 2
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Alaska 43 42 74 7 12 - - -

Arizona 74 70 39 23 24 4 9 -

California 626 591 44 19 14 12 7 3

Colorado 77 98 47 18 15 10 5 4

Hawaii 12 32 28 56 - - - -

Idaho 51 43 44 9 23 12 7 -

Montana 58 49 45 10 29 6 - 6

Nevada 60 57 37 18 19 18 7 -

New Mexico 48 39 54 13 10 13 - -

Oregon 72 69 52 7 26 7 7 -

Utah 67 54 56 6 24 11 - -

Washington 113 88 49 9 19 15 7 -

Wyoming 33 32 56 - 28 9 - -

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.

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

5 Includes 21 fatalities that occurred outside the territorial boundaries of the United States in 1999.

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, 1998-99.

Table 6. CFOI participating state 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) 703-4757

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) 442-5922

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

Georgia Department of Labor (404) 656-2966

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

Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090

Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 785-1873

Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668

Iowa Department 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

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

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5628

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

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (651) 296-3885
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Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7400

Missouri Department of Health (573) 571-6155

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

Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 687-3298

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 Bureau of Labor Statistics (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) 378-8254

Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548

Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 277-2812

South Carolina Department of Labor (803) 734-4298

South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (312) 353-7200

Tennessee Department of Labor and

 Workforce Development (615) 741-1749

Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (512) 804-4651

Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823

Vermont Department of Labor and Industry (802) 828-2195

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

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

West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (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 counts.)

 Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 1999 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
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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 934.

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 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 102

fatal work injuries in 1999; 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 19 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 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.
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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 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 1999.

 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 2 percent of the fatalities; and state and local government

employees in states without OSHA-approved safety programs, which

accounted for about 3 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 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.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1994-99
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Event or exposure(1) Fatalities

 1994-98 1998(2) 1999

 Average Number Number Percent

 Total 6,280 6,055 6,023 100

Transportation incidents 2,640 2,645 2,613 43

 Highway 1,374 1,442 1,491 25

 Collision between vehicles,

 mobile equipment 662 707 711 12

 Moving in same direction 113 120 129 2

 Moving in opposite

 directions, oncoming 240 272 269 4

 Moving in intersection 136 143 160 3

 Vehicle struck stationary

 object or equipment 272 307 334 6

 Noncollision 368 375 388 6

 Jackknifed or

 overturned--no collision 280 302 321 5

 Nonhighway (farm, industrial

 premises) 387 388 353 6

 Overturned 215 217 206 3

 Aircraft 304 224 227 4

 Worker struck by a vehicle 382 413 377 6

 Water vehicle 104 112 102 2

 Rail vehicle 78 60 56 1

Assaults and violent acts 1,168 962 893 15

 Homicides 923 714 645 11

 Shooting 748 574 506 8

 Stabbing 68 61 60 1

 Other 107 79 79 1

 Self-inflicted injuries 215 221 208 3

Contact with objects and

 equipment 984 944 1,029 17

 Struck by object 564 520 585 10

 Struck by falling object 364 319 358 6

 Struck by flying object 60 59 55 1

 Caught in or compressed by

 equipment or objects 281 266 302 5

 Caught in running equipment

 or machinery 148 129 163 3

 Caught in or crushed in

 collapsing materials 124 140 128 2

Falls 686 706 717 12

 Fall to lower level 609 625 634 11

 Fall from ladder 101 111 96 2

 Fall from roof 146 157 153 3

 Fall from scaffold 89 98 92 2

 Fall on same level 53 51 66 1

Exposure to harmful substances
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 or environments 583 576 529 9

 Contact with electric current 322 334 278 5

 Contact with overhead

 powerlines 136 153 124 2

 Contact with temperature extremes 45 48 50 1

 Exposure to caustic, noxious,

 or allergenic substances 118 105 106 2

 Inhalation of substance 66 48 55 1

 Oxygen deficiency 96 87 93 2

 Drowning, submersion 77 75 75 1

Fires and explosions 199 206 216 4

Other events or exposures(3) 21 16 26 -

1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification

Structures.

2 The BLS news release issued Aug. 4, 1999, reported a total of 6,026 fatal

work injuries for calendar year 1998. Since then, an additional 29

job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total job-related

fatality count for 1998 to 6,055.

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 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, 1994-99.

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

exposure, 1999

Occupation(1) Fatalities Major event or exposure(2)

 (percent of total for occupation)

 Number Percent Highway Homicide Struck by Fall to 

 object lower level

 

 Total..................| 6,023 | 100 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 11 

 | | | | | | 

Managerial and | | | | | | 

 professional specialty..| 597 | 10 | 24 | 19 | 4 | 7 

 Executive, | | | | | | 

 administrative, and | | | | | | 

 managerial...........| 371 | 6 | 22 | 26 | 5 | 8 

 Professional specialty.| 226 | 4 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 6 

 | | | | | | 

Technical, sales, and | | | | | | 

 administrative support..| 610 | 10 | 27 | 32 | 2 | 3 

 Technicians and related| | | | | | 

 support occupations...| 158 | 3 | 16 | - | 3 | 3 

 Airplane pilots and | | | | | | 
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 navigators..........| 94 | 2 | - | - | - | - 

 Sales occupations......| 356 | 6 | 28 | 49 | 2 | 2 

 Supervisors and | | | | | | 

 proprietors, sales | | | | | | 

 occupations.........| 140 | 2 | 13 | 62 | 4 | 2 

 Sales workers, retail| | | | | | 

 and personal | | | | | | 

 services............| 144 | 2 | 27 | 51 | - | - 

 Cashiers...........| 55 | 1 | - | 80 | - | - 

 Administrative support | | | | | | 

 occupations, including| | | | | | 

 clerical..............| 96 | 2 | 44 | 19 | - | 4 

 | | | | | | 

Service occupations......| 468 | 8 | 20 | 33 | 1 | 9 

 Protective service | | | | | | 

 occupations...........| 261 | 4 | 26 | 32 | 1 | 3 

 Firefighting and fire| | | | | | 

 prevention | | | | | | 

 occupations, | | | | | | 

 including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 57 | 1 | 18 | - | - | 5 

 Police and | | | | | | 

 detectives, | | | | | | 

 including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 132 | 2 | 39 | 36 | - | - 

 Guards, including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 72 | 1 | 10 | 50 | - | 4 

 | | | | | | 

Farming, forestry, and | | | | | | 

 fishing.................| 897 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 21 | 5 

 Farming operators and | | | | | | 

 managers..............| 362 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 3 

 Farmers, except | | | | | | 

 horticultural.......| 233 | 4 | 13 | - | 17 | 3 

 Managers, farms, | | | | | | 

 except horitcultural| 118 | 2 | 13 | - | 10 | 4 

 Other agricultural and | | | | | | 

 related occupations...| 335 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 8 

 Farm workers, | | | | | | 

 including | | | | | | 

 supervisors.........| 206 | 3 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 4 

 Forestry and logging | | | | | | 

 occupations...........| 122 | 2 | 6 | - | 67 | 3 

 Timber cutting and | | | | | | 

 logging occupations.| 102 | 2 | 4 | - | 73 | 3 

 Fishers, hunters, and | | | | | | 

 trappers..............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | - 

 Fishers, including | | | | | | 

 vessel captains and | | | | | | 

 officers............| 78 | 1 | - | - | - | - 

 | | | | | | 

Precision production, | | | | | | 

 craft, and repair.......| 1,142 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 28 

 Mechanics and repairers| 353 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 13 
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 Construction trades....| 633 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 39 

 Carpenters and | | | | | | 

 apprentices.........| 103 | 2 | 6 | - | 13 | 48 

 Electricians and | | | | | | 

 apprentices.........| 105 | 2 | 15 | - | 4 | 12 

 Painters.............| 38 | 1 | - | - | - | 68 

 Roofers..............| 59 | 1 | 5 | - | - | 85 

 Structural metal | | | | | | 

 workers.............| 43 | 1 | - | - | 19 | 77 

 | | | | | | 

Operators, fabricators, | | | | | | 

 and laborers............| 2,194 | 36 | 37 | 5 | 10 | 8 

 Machine operators, | | | | | | 

 assemblers, and | | | | | | 

 inspectors............| 216 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 15 

 Transportation and | | | | | | 

 material moving | | | | | | 

 occupations...........| 1,320 | 22 | 56 | 6 | 7 | 2 

 Motor vehicle | | | | | | 

 operators...........| 1,063 | 18 | 67 | 8 | 5 | 2 

 Truck drivers......| 898 | 15 | 70 | 2 | 6 | 2 

 Driver-sales | | | | | | 

 workers...........| 42 | 1 | 79 | 10 | - | - 

 Taxicab drivers and| | | | | | 

 chauffeurs........| 74 | 1 | 28 | 69 | - | - 

 Material moving | | | | | | 

 equipment operators.| 205 | 3 | 14 | - | 14 | 5 

 Handlers, equipment | | | | | | 

 cleaners, helpers, and| | | | | | 

 laborers..............| 658 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 17 

 Construction laborers| 341 | 6 | 11 | - | 14 | 25 

 Laborers, except | | | | | | 

 construction........| 193 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 10 

 | | | | | | 

Military.................| 80 | 1 | 24 | - | 4 | - 

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 35 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 and

federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1999
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 Fatalities Employment(2)

Industry SIC --------------------------------------- (in thousands)

 Code(1) 1994-98 1998 1999 --------------------

 Average (revised) Number Percent Number Percent

 Total..................| | 6,280 | 6,055 | 6,023 | 100 | 134,666 | 100 

 | | | | | | | 

Private industry.........| | 5,625 | 5,457 | 5,461 | 91 | 114,570 | 85 

 | | | | | | | 

 Agriculture, forestry | | | | | | | 

 and fishing...........| | 826 | 840 | 807 | 13 | 3,349 | 2 

 Agricultural | | | | | | | 

 production - crops..| 01 | 379 | 380 | 350 | 6 | 955 | 1 

 Agricultural | | | | | | | 

 production - | | | | | | | 

 livestock...........| 02 | 170 | 174 | 163 | 3 | 993 | 1 

 Agricultural services| 07 | 168 | 170 | 164 | 3 | 1,317 | 1 

 | | | | | | | 

 Mining.................| | 159 | 147 | 121 | 2 | 563 | - 

 Coal mining..........| 12 | 37 | 30 | 35 | 1 | 84 | - 

 Oil and gas | | | | | | | 

 extraction..........| 13 | 84 | 76 | 50 | 1 | 329 | - 

 | | | | | | | 

 Construction...........| | 1,082 | 1,174 | 1,190 | 20 | 8,479 | 6 

 General building | | | | | | | 

 contractors.........| 15 | 191 | 213 | 183 | 3 | - | - 

 Heavy construction, | | | | | | | 

 except building.....| 16 | 253 | 272 | 280 | 5 | - | - 

 Special trades | | | | | | | 

 contractors.........| 17 | 629 | 680 | 709 | 12 | - | - 

 | | | | | | | 

 Manufacturing..........| | 733 | 698 | 719 | 12 | 19,994 | 15 

 Food and kindred | | | | | | | 

 products............| 20 | 75 | 72 | 83 | 1 | 1,643 | 1 

 Lumber and wood | | | | | | | 

 products............| 24 | 191 | 172 | 190 | 3 | 824 | 1 

 | | | | | | | 

 Transportation and | | | | | | | 

 public utilities......| | 948 | 911 | 1,006 | 17 | 7,947 | 6 

 Local and interurban | | | | | | | 

 passenger | | | | | | | 

 transportation......| 41 | 100 | 85 | 102 | 2 | 593 | - 

 Trucking and | | | | | | | 

 warehousing.........| 42 | 528 | 564 | 605 | 10 | 2,679 | 2 

 Transportation by air| 45 | 90 | 74 | 74 | 1 | 864 | 1 

 Electric, gas, and | | | | | | | 

 sanitary services...| 49 | 88 | 83 | 86 | 1 | 1,029 | 1 

 | | | | | | | 

 Wholesale trade........| | 253 | 229 | 237 | 4 | 5,173 | 4 

 | | | | | | | 

 Retail trade...........| | 683 | 570 | 507 | 8 | 22,300 | 17 

 Food stores..........| 54 | 187 | 135 | 115 | 2 | 3,511 | 3 
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 Automotive dealers | | | | | | | 

 and service stations| 55 | 116 | 120 | 82 | 1 | 2,238 | 2 

 Eating and drinking | | | | | | | 

 places..............| 58 | 155 | 107 | 145 | 2 | 6,718 | 5 

 | | | | | | | 

 Finance, insurance, and| | | | | | | 

 real estate...........| | 109 | 92 | 105 | 2 | 8,610 | 6 

 | | | | | | | 

 Services...............| | 773 | 763 | 732 | 12 | 38,240 | 28 

 Business services....| 73 | 203 | 196 | 161 | 3 | 6,756 | 5 

 Automotive repair, | | | | | | | 

 services, and | | | | | | | 

 parking.............| 75 | 111 | 133 | 132 | 2 | 1,576 | 2 

 | | | | | | | 

Government...............| | 656 | 598 | 562 | 9 | 20,096 | 15 

 | | | | | | | 

 Federal (including | | | | | | | 

 resident armed forces)| | 204 | 162 | 147 | 2 | 4,427 | 3 

 State..................| | 126 | 136 | 108 | 2 | 5,237 | 4 

 Local..................| | 319 | 296 | 301 | 5 | 10,433 | 8 

 Police protection......| 9221 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 2 | - | - 

1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.

2 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older from 

the Current Population Survey, 1999, adjusted to include data for resident armed forces 

from the Department of Defense.

3 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 37 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: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, in cooperation with 

state and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1994-99.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 1999

Characteristics Fatalities Employment

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

 Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total)

Total 6,023 100 134,666 100 Highway (25), falls (12)

Employee status

Wage and salary

 workers 4,884 81 124,445 92 Highway (27), falls (13)

Self-employed(3) 1,139 19 10,221 8 Highway (14), homicides (14) 

Sex
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Men 5,582 93 72,457 54 Highway (24), falls (12)

Women 441 7 62,209 46 Highway (34), homicides (29)

Age(4)

Under 16 years 26 - - - Highway (35), nonhighway (19)

16 to 17 years 46 1 2,796 2 Highway (28), homicides (17)

18 to 19 years 122 2 4,494 3 Highway (26), struck by object (11)

20 to 24 years 450 7 13,242 10 Highway (26), homicides (11)

25 to 34 years 1,171 19 31,280 24 Highway (24), homicides (12)

35 to 44 years 1,499 25 36,983 28 Highway (24), falls (13)

45 to 54 years 1,326 22 28,671 21 Highway (25), homicides (12)

55 to 64 years 814 14 13,317 10 Highway (25), falls (14)

65 years and over 559 9 3,883 3 Highway (23), nonhighway (16)

Race

White 4,990 83 113,023 84 Highway (26), falls (12)

Black 626 10 15,284 11 Highway (23), homicides (19)

American Indian,

 Aleut, Eskimo 57 1 - - Highway (18), falls (14)

Asian, Pacific

 Islander 191 3 - - Homicides (46), highway (13) 

Other or not

 reported 159 3 - - Highway (20), falls and homicides (13)

Hispanic origin

Hispanic(5) 725 12 13,811 12 Highway (21), falls (16)

1 Employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, 

plus resident armed forces, from the Current Population Survey, 1999, 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" 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 10 fatalities for which age was not reported.

5 Persons identified as Hispanic 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 and federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1999.

Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 1999

 Fatalities(1) Event or exposure(2) 

 (percent of state total for 1999) 

 
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 Exposure 

 Contact to 

 State of injury Trans- Assaults with harmful Fires 

 1998 1999 portation and objects Falls sub and 

 (revised) in- violent and stances explosio-

 cidents(3) acts(4) equipment or ns 

 environ- 

 ments 

Total(5) 6,055 6,023 43 15 17 12 9 4

Northeast 853 756 36 18 15 17 8 5

Connecticut 57 38 34 34 13 11 - -

Maine 26 32 50 9 22 9 - -

Massachusetts 44 82 32 10 13 24 6 15

New Hampshire 23 14 36 21 - - - -

New Jersey 103 103 34 17 17 21 9 -

New York (incl. N.Y.C.) 243 241 30 25 12 18 11 2

New York City 94 120 13 44 8 22 8 3

Pennsylvania 235 221 41 12 18 15 5 7

Rhode Island 12 11 36 - - - 27 -

Vermont 16 14 43 29 - - - -

Midwest 1,340 1,417 44 12 20 11 9 4

Illinois 216 208 34 17 19 14 11 4

Indiana 155 171 46 15 16 12 7 3

Iowa 68 80 52 - 26 4 10 8

Kansas 98 81 49 5 23 12 6 -

Michigan 179 182 34 15 18 13 10 10

Minnesota 88 72 65 7 17 7 4 -

Missouri 145 164 48 11 19 10 10 3

Nebraska 56 65 51 9 26 6 - 5

North Dakota 24 22 36 - 41 - - -

Ohio 186 222 43 12 20 15 9 2

South Dakota 28 45 58 7 16 - 13 -

Wisconsin 97 105 45 11 22 10 10 3

South 2,619 2,565 44 15 16 11 10 3

Alabama 135 123 38 10 22 11 10 8

Arkansas 86 76 49 8 12 5 17 8

Delaware 11 14 36 29 - - - -

District of Columbia 13 14 21 21 - 36 - -

Florida 384 345 39 17 15 16 10 2

Georgia 202 229 44 17 16 10 9 3

Kentucky 117 120 49 14 18 8 7 3

Louisiana 159 141 39 9 26 8 16 4

Maryland 78 82 40 29 12 11 6 -

Mississippi 113 128 52 6 20 14 6 -

North Carolina 228 222 43 19 14 11 10 2

Oklahoma 75 99 44 14 13 11 12 5

South Carolina 111 139 53 16 9 9 8 6
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Tennessee 150 154 49 12 18 8 8 4

Texas 523 468 44 15 15 12 12 3

Virginia 177 154 42 17 12 12 13 3

West Virginia 57 57 35 12 33 9 9 -

West 1,334 1,264 46 16 17 11 6 2

Alaska 43 42 74 7 12 - - -

Arizona 74 70 39 23 24 4 9 -

California 626 591 44 19 14 12 7 3

Colorado 77 98 47 18 15 10 5 4

Hawaii 12 32 28 56 - - - -

Idaho 51 43 44 9 23 12 7 -

Montana 58 49 45 10 29 6 - 6

Nevada 60 57 37 18 19 18 7 -

New Mexico 48 39 54 13 10 13 - -

Oregon 72 69 52 7 26 7 7 -

Utah 67 54 56 6 24 11 - -

Washington 113 88 49 9 19 15 7 -

Wyoming 33 32 56 - 28 9 - -

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.

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

5 Includes 21 fatalities that occurred outside the territorial boundaries of the United States in 1999.

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, 1998-99.

Table 6. CFOI participating state 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) 703-4757

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) 442-5922

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

Georgia Department of Labor (404) 656-2966

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

Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090

Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 785-1873

Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668

Iowa Department of Labor Services (515) 281-5151
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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

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

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5628

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

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (651) 296-3885

Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7400

Missouri Department of Health (573) 571-6155

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

Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 687-3298

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 Bureau of Labor Statistics (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) 378-8254

Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548

Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 277-2812

South Carolina Department of Labor (803) 734-4298

South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics (312) 353-7200

Tennessee Department of Labor and

 Workforce Development (615) 741-1749

Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (512) 804-4651

Utah Labor Commission (801) 530-6823

Vermont Department of Labor and Industry (802) 828-2195

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

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

West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (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 counts.)
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 Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 1999 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 934.

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 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 102

fatal work injuries in 1999; 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 19 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 excluded

from the published count because of insufficient information to determine
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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 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 1999.

 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 2 percent of the fatalities; and state and local government

employees in states without OSHA-approved safety programs, which

accounted for about 3 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 statistics
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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.