Number of fatal work injuries, 1992–2012
Number of fatal work injuries
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
6,217 6,331
6,632
6,238
6,275
6,202
6,055
6,054
5,915
5,575
5,920
5,534
4,000
5,764 5,734 5,840
5,657
5,214
4,690
4,551
4,693
4,628
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
The 2012 total of 4,628 fatal work injuries decreased slightly from the 4,693 fatal work injuries
reported for 2011.
Note: Data from 2001 exclude fatal work injuries resulting from the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
1
Rate of fatal work injuries, 2006–2012
Fatal work injury rate
(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)
5
4.2
4
4.0
3.7
3.5
3.6
3.5
3.4
2009
2010
2011
2012
3
2
1
0
2006
2007
2008
The rate of fatal work injuries in 2012 was 3.4 fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent
workers, down slightly from 3.5 in 2011.
Note: Rate = (Fatal work injuries/Total hours worked by all workers) x 200,000,000 where 200,000,000 = base for 100,000 full-time equivalent workers (FTEs) working 40
hours per week, 50 weeks per year. The total hours worked figures are annual average estimates of total at work multiplied by average hours for civilians, 16 years of age
and older, from the Current Population Survey (CPS).
In 2008, CFOI implemented a new methodology, using hours worked for fatal work injury rate calculations rather than employment. For additional information on the fatal
work injury rate methodology, please see http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, and U.S. Census Bureau, 2014.
2
Fatal occupational injuries, by major event, 2012
Fires and explosions 3%
Exposure to harmful
substances or environments
7%
Falls, slips, trips
15%
Total = 4,628
Falls to lower level
12%
Other transportation
incidents
17%
Roadway incidents
25%
Struck by object
or equipment
11%
Transportation incidents
42%
Contact with objects
and equipment 16%
Homicides
10%
Violence and other injuries
by persons or animals 17%
More fatal work injuries resulted from transportation incidents than from any other event in 2012. Roadway
incidents alone accounted for one out of every four fatal work injuries.
Note: Reference year 2011 constitutes a series break from earlier years for event data. For more information, see https://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
3
Difference in fatal work injury counts, by event, 2011–2012
2011 Level
ALL EVENTS
Exposure to harmful substances
or environments
-65
-79
-22
Fires and explosions
Transportation incidents
-14
Violence and other injuries
by persons or animals
12
2012 Total = 4,628
2011 Total = 4,693
Contact with objects and
equipment
13
23
Falls, slips, trips
-100
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
Change in fatal events from 2011 level
Overall, 65 fewer fatal occupational injuries occurred in 2012 compared to 2011. The greatest
decrease was seen in the exposure to harmful substances or environments event category.
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals; contact with objects and equipment; and
falls, slips, trips event categories increased.
Note: Reference year 2011 constitutes a series break from earlier years for event data. For more information, see https://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
4
Fatal falls to lower level by height of fall, 2012
Percent of fatal falls to lower level
25%
20%
20%
Total = 570
20%
15%
14%
10%
10%
11%
11%
9%
7%
5%
0%
Less than 6
6 to 10
11 to 15
16 to 20
21 to 25
26 to 30
More than 30 Unspecified
Height of fall (in feet)
In 2012, falls to lower level accounted for 570 fatal work injuries. Forty-five percent of falls to lower
level involved falls of 20 feet or less. Another 20 percent of cases involved falls from more than 30
feet.
Note: Reference year 2011 constitutes a series break from earlier years for event data. For more information, see https://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
5
Fatal transportation incidents, by type, 2012
Other 1%
Total = 1,923
Rail vehicle incidents 2%
Water vehicle incidents 3%
Aircraft
incidents
7%
Nonroadway
incidents 12%
Pedestrian vehicular
incidents
15%
All other roadway
incidents 31%
Roadway incidents
60%
Roadway collision
with other vehicle
29%
Roadway incidents accounted for the greatest share of work-related transportation fatal injuries for 2012.
Of these, 565 deaths (29 percent) resulted from a roadway collision with another vehicle. Pedestrian
vehicular incidents constituted the second greatest number of transportation-related fatal injuries.
Note: Reference year 2011 constitutes a series break from earlier years for event data. For more information, see https://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
6
How workers died in multiple-fatality incidents, 2012
Total workers = 353
Fires and explosions 5%
Other
10%
Roadway incidents
35%
Homicides
22%
All other
transportation
incidents
12%
Aircraft incidents
16%
Transportation incidents
62%
There were 146 multiple-fatality incidents in 2012. Transportation incidents accounted for more than
three out of five workers killed in multiple-fatality incidents. Homicides accounted for the second greatest
number of workers lost in multiple-fatality incidents.
Note: Reference year 2011 constitutes a series break from earlier years for event data. For more information, see https://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
7
Fatal work injuries and hours worked, by gender of worker, 2012
Females
8%
Females
43%
Males
92%
Fatal work injuries = 4,628
Males
57%
Hours worked = 264,373,725,000
A disproportionate share of fatal work injuries involved men relative to their hours worked in 2012.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, and U.S. Census Bureau, 2014.
8
Distribution of fatal injury events, by gender of worker, 2012
Homicides
28%
9%
22%
Roadway incidents
15%
15%
Falls, slips, trips
Contact with
objects and equipment
6%
Exposure to harmful
substances or environments
Fires and explosions
0%
25%
5%
16%
Females = 351
8%
Males = 4,277
2%
3%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Percent of fatal work injuries within gender
35%
A higher percentage of fatal work injuries involving women resulted from homicides compared to men. Men
incurred a higher percentage of fatal work injuries resulting from roadway incidents, contact with objects
and equipment, and exposure to harmful substances or environments compared to women. Men and
women experienced similar proportions of fatal injuries from falls, slips, trips and fires and explosions.
Note: Reference year 2011 constitutes a series break from earlier years for event data. For more information, see https://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
9
Work-related homicides, by gender of decedent and assailant type, 2012
Percent of homicides
40%
36%
35%
30%
Females = 99
25%
Males = 376
29%
27%
23%
21%
20%
14%
15%
12%
12%
10%
6%
5%
8%
8%
3%
0%
Relative or
Student, patient, Inmate, detainee, Coworker or work
domestic partner or customer/client or suspect not yet
associate
apprehended
Other assailant
Robber
Assailant
Robbers were the most common type of work-related homicide assailant for men and the secondmost common for women.
Note: Reference year 2011 constitutes a series break from earlier years for event and source data. For more information, see https://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_notice11.htm.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
10
Number of fatal work injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers, 1997-2012
Number of fatal work injuries
1,200
1,000
895
815
800
658
600
279
707
302
730
262
323
321
841
263
902
794
306
923
285
200
379
405
468
494
578
323
937
303
274
520
804
713
707
284
266
429
441
301
400
572
990
596
638
667
634
503
749
748
237
264
512
484
0
Foreign born
Native born
The 2012 total for fatal work injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers was about the same as
the total for 2011. Sixty-five percent of fatally-injured Hispanic or Latino workers in 2012 were born
outside of the United States.
Note: Data from 2001 exclude fatal work injuries resulting from the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
11
Fatal injuries involving foreign-born workers, by country or region of birth, 2012
Australia and Oceania <1%
Canada 2%
Africa 4%
Total = 824
South America 4%
Caribbean
7%
Mexico
39%
Europe
10%
Central America,
except Mexico
13%
Asia
20%
Workers born in Mexico accounted for the largest portion (39 percent) of foreign-born workers who
died from work-related injuries in the United States in 2012.
Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
12
Fatal work injury rates, by age group, 2012
Fatal work injury rate
(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)
12.0
10.3
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
All worker fatal work
injury rate = 3.4
2.9
2.4
2.4
20 to 24
25 to 34
2.7
3.5
35 to 44
45 to 54
4.2
2.0
0.0
18 to 19
55 to 64
65 and over
Age group
Fatal work injury rates for workers 45 years of age and over were higher than the overall U.S. rate,
and the rate for workers 65 years of age and over was around 3 times the rate for all workers.
Note: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology,
please see https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
13
Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries, by industry sector, 2012
Construction
806
Transportation and warehousing
9.9
741
Agriculture, forestry, fishing
and hunting
Government
14.6
509
22.8
453
Professional and business services
2.0
409
Manufacturing
2.7
327
Retail trade
2.2
273
Leisure and hospitality
1.9
232
Wholesale trade
Other services (exc. public admin.)
2.2
204
5.4
199
Mining, quarrying, and
oil and gas extraction
Educational and health services
2.7
181
15.9
141
Financial activities
Total fatal work injuries = 4,628
Information
All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.4
Utilities
900
600
300
Number of fatal work injuries
0.7
85
0.9
42
1.5
23
2.5
0
10
20
30
Fatal work injury rate
(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)
Construction had the highest count of fatal injuries in 2012, but the agriculture, forestry, fishing and
hunting sector had the highest fatal work injury rate.
Note: All industries shown are private with the exception of government, which includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries before
the exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology, please see https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
14
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
Fatal work injuries, by industry and contractor-adjusted industry1,
by selected industries, 2012
Construction
17%
12%
16%
16%
Transportation and warehousing
11%
12%
10%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Government
Professional and business services
6%
7%
Manufacturing
13%
9%
8%
5%
6%
Leisure and hospitality
4%
4%
3%
3%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Education and health services
2%
Financial activities
0%
2%
Total = 4,628
Industry
Contractor-adjusted industry
3%
4%
6%
8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%
Percent of fatal work injuries
Fifteen percent of all fatal work injuries in 2012 involved contractors. One third of those who died
while employed in the private construction industry were actually contracted to another industry,
such as government or real estate, when the fatal injury occurred.
Contractor-adjusted industry is the industry of the entity that had overall responsibility for the operations at the site at which the worker was fatally injured.
Note: In 2011, the CFOI program began collecting contractor data to capture decedents who were working as contractors at the time of the fatal incident. All industries shown are
private with the exception of government, which includes fatal injuries to workers contracted by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
See https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htmfor more information. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
15
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
1
Percentage change of fatal work injuries, from industry to contractor-adjusted
industry1, by selected industries, 2012
Construction
-31%
Professional and business services
-30%
Transportation and warehousing
-3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
5%
12%
Educational and health services
Leisure and hospitality
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Manufacturing
Government
Financial activities
-60%
13%
14%
Total contractors = 715
16%
Total contractors who were working
in a different industry group than
directly employed = 517
-40%
-20%
Outflow
33%
59%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Inflow
Percentage change from industry to contractor-adjusted industry
Three industry groups, construction, professional and business services, and transportation and
warehousing, were net providers of contract workers. All other industry groups were net receivers.
Fatal injuries in government increased by one third, and those in financial activities by 59 percent,
when workers contracted into the industry were included.
Contractor-adjusted industry is the industry of the entity that had overall responsibility for the operations at the site where the worker was fatally injured.
Note: In 2011, the CFOI program began collecting contractor data to capture decedents who were working as contractors at the time of the fatal incident. All industries shown
are private with the exception of government, which includes fatal injuries to workers contracted by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
See https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htmfor more information.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
1
16
Fatal occupational injuries in the private sector mining, quarrying, and
oil and gas extraction industry, 2003–2012
Number of fatal work injuries
250
200
150
100
192
141
56
152
159
54
61
67
183
61
176
181
172
155
56
65
43
99
31
50
39
85
98
98
2003
2004
2005
125
122
120
107
112
2010
2011
142
68
0
2006
2007
2008
Oil and gas extraction industries
2009
2012
All other mining
Fatal work injuries in the private mining industry increased by 17 percent in 2012. Fatalities in the oil
and gas extraction industries accounted for 78 percent of the fatal work injuries in the mining sector
in 2012.
Note: Oil and gas extraction industries include oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21111), drilling oil and gas wells (NAICS 213111), and support activities for oil and gas
operations (NAICS 213112).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
17
Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries, by major occupation group, 2012
Transportation and material moving
1,247
15.2
870
Construction and extraction
12.9
620
Service
2.8
467
Management, business, and finance
2.0
348
Installation, maintenance, and repair
7.1
260
Farming, fishing, and forestry
24.8
227
Professional and related
0.7
Total fatal work injuries = 4,628
All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.4
Sales and related
225
Production
221
Office and administrative support
1.6
2.6
89
1,350
900
450
Number of fatal work injuries
0.6
0
10
20
30
Fatal work injury rate
(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)
Although transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work
injuries in 2012, the major occupational group with the highest fatal work injury rate was farming,
fishing, and forestry.
Note: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries
before the exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology, please see https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
18
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
Some of the published fatal occupational injuries, injury rates, and the total hours worked for selected occupations, industries, and a
race/ethnic origin category were improperly calculated for 2006 to 2015. For details on the affected rates and products, please visit
www.bls.gov/bls/errata/cfoi-errata-2016.htm. This chart has been revised with the corrected figures.
Occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2012
129.9
Logging workers
63
120.8
Fishers and related fishing workers
33
54.3
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
Roofers
72
43.1
Structural iron and steel workers
73
34.6
Refuse and recyclable material collectors
22
31
32.3
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
Total fatal work injuries = 4,628
All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.4
24.3
Electrical power-line installers and repairers
23.9
Farmers, ranchers, and other
agricultural managers
First-line supervisors of construction
trades and extraction workers
22.8
813
27
232
121
17.7
150
100
50
Fatal work injury rate
(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)
0
300
600
900
Number of fatal work injuries
The data for 2012 showed fatal work injury rates were high for logging workers and fishers and
related fishing workers.
Note: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries
before the exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology, please see https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
19
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
Number of fatal work injuries, by state, 2012
WA
(67)
MT
(34)
OR
(43)
ID
(19)
NV
(42)
CA
(375)
WY
(35)
UT
(39)
AZ
(60)
ME
(19)
ND
(65)
MN
(70)
SD
(31)
IA
(97)
NE
(48)
CO
(82)
NM
(39)
KS
(76)
OK
(97)
TX
(536)
AK
(31)
WI
(114)
MI
(137)
OH
(161)
IN
IL
(115)
(146)
MO
(88)
NY
(202)
KY
(91)
PA
(194)
WV
(49)
TN
(101)
AR
(63)
MS
(63)
AL
(84)
GA
(101)
VA
(149)
VT(11)
NH(14)
MA(44)
RI(8)
CT(36)
NJ(92)
DE(14)
MD(72)
DC(11)
NC
(146)
SC
(63)
LA
(116)
FL
(218)
HI
(20)
No change in 2012
Decreased in 2012
Increased in 2012
Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia had final counts showing more fatal injuries in 2012
than in 2011. Twenty-six states had fewer fatal workplace injuries in 2012 compared to 2011.
Three states saw no change between the two years.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014.
20