Technical information: USDL - 96 - 315 G. Toscano (202) 606-6175 Media contact: FOR RELEASE: 10 a.m. EDT K. Hoyle (202) 606-5902 Thursday, August 8,1996 NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES, 1995 After increasing in 1993 and 1994, the number of fatal work injuries fell 6 percent in 1995 to a total of 6,210, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Bureau of Labor statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. The lower fatality count in 1995 largely reflects a decrease over 1994 in the number of workers killed in firearm-related homicides and commercial airline crashes. Job-related homicides involving shootings dropped 19 percent from 1994 totals. Smaller decreases were reported for most other types of fatal events. On average, about 17 workers were killed each day. The construction industry accounted for over 1,000 fatalities, more than any other industry and slightly above the 1994 total. Construction fatalities primarily resulted from falls, electrocutions, and vehicle-related incidents. Almost one-third of the workers killed in the construction industry were laborers. This release profiles fatal work injuries by type of event, occupation, industry, demographic characteristics of the worker, and state. Profiles from the 1995 fatality census Highway traffic incidents and homicides led all other events that resulted in fatal work injuries in 1995. These two events totaled over a third of the work injury deaths that occurred during the year. Both of these event categories experienced a slight reduction in fatalities from the previous year. (See table 1) Highway deaths accounted for 21 percent of the 6,210 fatal work injuries in 1995. Slightly over half of highway fatality victims were driving or riding in a truck. Transport-related incidents occurring on private property (such as tractors or forklifts overturning) and workers being struck by vehicles each accounted for about 6 percent of the worker fatalities. Air, rail, and water transport together accounted for another 7 percent of the deaths. Homicide accounted for 16 percent of the total and was the second leading cause of job-related deaths in 1995. Workplace homicide showed a decrease of 5 percent from the 1994 total, despite the Oklahoma City bombing of a federal building, which accounted for 12 percent of the job-related homicides in 1995. While firearm-related workplace homicides were down 19 percent from 1994, they still accounted for three-quarters of job-related homicides. Homicides of female workers continued to rise and accounted for almost half of their fatal work injuries. Robbery was the primary motive of job-related homicide. About two- fifths of the homicide victims worked in retail establishments, such as grocery stores and eating and drinking establishments, where cash is readily available. Taxicab drivers, police, and security guards were other workers with high numbers of homicides. Falls accounted for 10 percent of the fatal work injuries. One- fifth of the falls were from or through roofs; falls from scaffolding and from ladders each accounted for about one-seventh. Fatalities due to falls from roofs and ladders increased slightly over 1994 totals. The construction industry, primarily special trade contractors such as roofing, carpentry, and structural steel erection, accounted for half of the fatal falls. Nine percent of the fatally injured workers were struck by various objects, such as falling trees, machinery that had slipped into gear, and various building materials. Fatalities from these types of incidents were at their lowest level since the fatality census began in 1992. Electrocutions accounted for 6 percent of the worker deaths in 1995. While most other major fatal event categories declined in number from the 1994 total, job-related electrocutions remained virtually at the same level as last year. Two-fifths of these fatalities resulted from the worker or equipment being used coming in contact with overhead power lines. In 1995, there were 217 multiple fatality incidents (incidents that resulted in two or more worker deaths) resulting in 686 job-related deaths. This is slightly less than in 1994 when 227 events resulted in 722 fatal work injuries. Eighty-five percent of the fatally injured workers died the day they were injured; 98 percent died within 30 days. Occupation highlights (table 2 ): * Occupations with large numbers of worker fatalities included truck drivers, farm workers, sales supervisors and proprietors, and construction laborers. * Specific events or exposures responsible for workers' deaths varied considerably among occupations. Highway crashes and jackknifings accounted for about two-thirds of the truck drivers' deaths, while homicides accounted for about two-thirds of the fatalities among sales supervisors and proprietors. Half of the deaths in various farm occupations occurred in vehicle-related incidents, both on and off the highway. Industry highlights (table 3): * The construction industry accounted for one out of every six fatal work injuries that occurred during 1995. * 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 had the largest decrease in fatal work injuries from 1994 totals; fatalities went down 16 percent during 1995, primarily as a result of the drop in workplace homicides. Construction and finance, insurance, and real estate were the only industry divisions that posted increases in fatal work injuries. Worker characteristics highlights (table 4): * Women and teens recorded increases in fatal work injuries over the previous year. * Men accounted for about 91 percent of all fatal work injuries in 1995. * The events responsible for fatal injuries varied among worker groups, reflecting their occupations and other characteristics. While highway crashes were cited as the most frequent fatal event for many of the worker groups, homicides accounted for the greatest portion of worker deaths for the self-employed, women, blacks, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. State highlights (table 5): * In general, states that have the largest number of persons employed also reported the largest number of work-related fatalities. Three of the largest states accounted for one-fourth of the total fatality count: California (614), Texas (475), and Florida (376). A state's industry mix 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. * Eight states reported changes in fatalities of 20 or more that also represented a difference of at least 20 percent compared with 1994's totals. Major disasters, such as the Oklahoma City bombing or an airline crash, can cause substantial year-to-year fluctuations in occupational fatality totals. State 1994 1995 Numeric Percent Contributing factor change change ----- ---- ---- ------- ------- -------------------- Indiana 195 156 -39 -20 Airline crash in 1994 Iowa 74 54 -20 -27 Fewer vehicular incidents Louisiana 187 139 -48 -26 Fewer transport-related incidents Nebraska 83 54 -29 -35 Fewer multiple fatality incidents Oklahoma 97 199 102 105 Federal building bombing in 1995 Pennsylvania 354 233 -121 -34 Airline crash in 1994 South Carolina 83 103 20 24 Increase in transport- related incidents Virginia 164 132 -32 -20 Fewer highway fatalities Relative risk (tables 3 and 4): The annual average employment data are collected in the BLS Current Population Survey. By comparing the percent distributions of fatalities and employment, the user can 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 17 percent of the fatality total, which was about 3 times greater than its share of total employment of 6 percent. 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. Background of the program The BLS census uses diverse 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. 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. This is the fourth 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 state agencies participating with BLS in the census program listed in table 6. The Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses profiles worker and case characteristics of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses resulting in lost worktime in addition to presenting frequency counts and incidence rates by industry. Copies of the 1994 news release are available from BLS by calling 202-606-6304. Incidence rates for 1995 by industry will be published in December 1996. Information on 1995 worker and case characteristics will be published in April 1997. For additional occupational safety and health data, access the BLS World Wide Web Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/oshhome.htm Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1992-1995 Fatalities ___________________________________________ Event or exposure(1) 1992 1993 1994(2) 1995 ______ ______ ______ _______________ Number Number Number Number Percent _____________________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ Total............... 6,217 6,331 6,632 6,210 100 Transportation incidents.......... 2,484 2,501 2,762 2,560 41 Highway............. 1,158 1,243 1,343 1,329 21 Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment...... 578 657 654 634 10 Moving in same direction.... 78 99 120 125 2 Moving in opposite directions, oncoming..... 201 244 230 244 4 Moving in intersection. 107 123 144 97 2 Vehicle struck stationary object or equipment...... 192 190 255 268 4 Noncollision...... 301 336 373 350 6 Jackknifed or overturned no collision. 213 237 274 260 4 Nonhighway (farm, industrial premises)........ 436 392 409 388 6 Overturned...... 208 212 226 210 3 Aircraft............ 353 282 426 278 4 Worker struck by a vehicle.......... 346 365 391 385 6 Water vehicle....... 109 120 94 84 1 Railway............. 66 86 81 82 1 Assaults and violent acts............... 1,281 1,329 1,321 1,262 20 Homicides........... 1,044 1,074 1,080 1,024 16 Shooting.......... 852 884 934 754 12 Stabbing.......... 90 95 60 67 1 Other, including bombing........ 102 95 86 203 3 Selfinflicted injury........... 205 222 214 215 3 Contact with objects and equipment...... 1,004 1,045 1,017 915 15 Struck by object.... 557 566 590 546 9 Struck by falling object......... 361 346 372 340 5 Struck by flying object......... 77 82 68 63 1 Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects.......... 316 309 280 255 4 Caught in running equipment or machinery...... 159 151 147 131 2 Caught in or crushed in collapsing materials........ 110 138 132 99 2 Falls................. 600 618 665 643 10 Fall to lower level. 507 533 580 573 9 Fall from ladder.. 78 76 86 97 2 Fall from roof.... 108 120 129 142 2 Fall from scaffold, staging........ 66 71 89 82 1 Fall on same level.. 62 49 63 50 1 Exposure to harmful substances or environments....... 605 592 641 598 10 Contact with electric current. 334 325 348 347 6 Contact with overhead power lines.......... 140 115 132 139 2 Contact with temperature extremes......... 33 38 50 55 1 Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances....... 127 115 133 101 2 Inhalation of substance...... 83 68 84 62 1 Oxygen deficiency... 111 111 109 94 2 Drowning, submersion..... 78 89 89 74 1 Fires and explosions.. 167 204 202 208 3 Other events or exposures(3)....... 76 43 24 24 - ________________________________________________________________________ 1 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. 2 The BLS news release issued August 3, 1995, reported a total of 6,588 fatal work injuries for calendar year 1994. Since then, an additional 44 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total jobrelated fatality count for 1994 to 6,632. 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, 1992-1995. Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and event or exposure, 1995 Fatalities Major event or exposure(2) (percent) ----------------- -------------------------------------- Occupation(1) Struck by Fall to Number Percent Highway(3) Homicide object lower level ---------------------- ------- -------- ---------- -------- --------- -------- Total............... 6,210 100 21 16 9 9 Managerial and professional specialty.......... 699 11 25 28 3 6 Executive, administrative, and managerial... 467 8 22 34 3 7 Professional specialty........ 232 4 30 16 3 5 Technical, sales, and administrative support............ 815 13 19 46 2 2 Technicians and related support occupations...... 189 3 13 7 2 2 Airplane pilots and navigators. 111 2 - - - - Sales occupations... 492 8 19 61 2 2 Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations.... 212 3 13 63 3 1 Sales workers, retail and personal services....... 213 3 15 73 - 1 Cashiers........ 116 2 3 92 - - Administrative support occupations, including clerical......... 134 2 25 47 - 5 Service occupations... 533 9 20 40 1 6 Protective service occupations...... 314 5 22 45 - 2 Firefighting and fire prevention occupations, including supervisors.... 39 1 28 - - - Police and detectives, including supervisors.... 174 3 28 47 - 2 Guards, including supervisors.... 101 2 9 58 - - Farming, forestry, and fishing............ 864 14 10 2 20 6 Farming operators and managers..... 332 5 10 3 11 7 Farmers, except horticultural.. 244 4 10 2 9 7 Managers, farms, except horticultural.. 73 1 12 - 18 7 Other agricultural and related occupations...... 359 6 13 3 13 7 Farm workers, including supervisors.. 262 4 12 2 11 5 Forestry and logging occupations...... 116 2 4 - 74 4 Timber cutting and logging occupations.... 98 2 - - 81 3 Fishers, hunters, and trappers..... 57 1 - - - - Fishers........... 48 1 - - - - Precision production, craft, and repair.. 1,041 17 10 4 9 25 Mechanics and repairers........ 265 4 15 6 14 9 Construction trades. 607 10 8 2 6 36 Carpenters and apprentices.. 96 2 9 - 14 42 Electricians and apprentices.. 117 2 4 - 3 16 Painters, construction and maintenance.. 45 1 - - - 38 Roofers......... 60 1 - - - 75 Structural metal workers...... 38 1 - - 11 66 Operators, fabricators, and laborers........... 2,051 33 32 8 11 8 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors....... 238 4 5 6 19 10 Transportation and material moving occupations...... 1,148 18 51 10 6 2 Motor vehicle operators...... 918 15 61 12 4 2 Truck drivers... 749 12 68 3 5 2 Driver-sales workers...... 33 1 45 36 - - Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs... 99 2 18 70 - - Material moving equipment operators...... 167 3 10 - 16 5 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers......... 665 11 11 5 15 16 Construction laborers....... 309 5 10 1 16 27 Laborers, except construction... 212 3 13 4 16 8 Military.............. 143 2 22 6 6 - 1 Based on the 1990 Occupational Classification System developed by the Bureau of the Census. 2 The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that occupational group. 3 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents involving trains; and deaths to pedestrians or other nonpassengers. NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. There were 64 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine an occupation classification. Dashes indicate less that 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, 1995. Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by industry, 1995 Fatalities ------------------------------ 1994 Employment(2) (revised) 1995 (in thousands) SIC --------- ------------------ ---------------- Industry code(1) Number Number Percent Number Percent ---------------------- ------- ------ ------ ------- ------ ------- Total........... 6,632 6,210 100 126,248 100 Private industry...... 5,959 5,438 88 106,522 84 Agriculture, forestry and fishing........ 852 752 13 3,515 3 Agricultural production - crops............ 01 443 362 6 1,042 1 Agricultural production - livestock........ 02 172 161 3 1,301 1 Agricultural services......... 07 163 155 3 1,082 1 Mining................ 180 156 3 625 1 Coal mining......... 12 41 43 1 114 - Oil and gas extraction....... 13 99 77 1 336 - Construction.......... 1,028 1,048 17 7,153 6 General building contractors...... 15 190 175 3 - - Heavy construction, except building.. 16 246 245 4 - - Special trades contractors...... 17 592 613 10 - - Manufacturing......... 789 702 11 20,389 16 Food and kindred products......... 20 79 74 1 1,700 1 Lumber and wood products......... 24 199 182 3 815 1 Transportation and public utilities... 949 880 14 7,138 6 Local and interurban passenger transportation... 41 114 116 2 523 - Trucking and warehousing...... 42 505 462 7 2,323 2 Transportation by air.............. 45 99 75 1 792 1 Electric, gas, and sanitary services 49 89 91 1 1,094 1 Wholesale trade....... 271 254 4 4,973 4 Retail trade.......... 808 675 11 20,999 17 Food stores......... 54 237 188 3 3,428 3 Automotive dealers and service stations......... 55 123 122 2 2,087 2 Eating and drinking places........... 58 184 164 3 6,266 5 Finance, insurance, and real estate.... 113 124 2 7,761 6 Services.............. 853 737 12 33,970 27 Business services... 73 255 211 3 5,282 4 Automotive repair, services, and parking.......... 75 91 114 2 1,454 1 Government(3)........ 673 772 12 19,726 16 Federal (including resident armed forces)............. 211 299 5 4,790 4 State................. 114 124 2 5,185 4 Local................. 338 338 5 9,751 8 Police protection... 9221 117 110 2 - - 1 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition. 2 The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, plus resident armed forces, from the BLS Current Population Survey, 1995. 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 69 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific industry classification, though a distiction 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, 1994-1995. Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries and employment by selected worker characteristics, 1995 Employment Characteristics Fatalities (in thousands)(1) ---------------- ---------------- Most frequent event(2) Number Percent Number Percent (percent of total) --------------------- ------ ------- ------ ------- ------------------- Total.............. 6,210 100 126,248 100 Highway (21 percent) Employee status Wage and salary workers........... 5,024 81 115,610 92 Highway (24) Self-employed(3)..... 1,186 19 10,638 8 Homicide (17)/ Nonhighway (16) Sex and age Men.................. 5,676 91 68,556 54 Highway (19) Women................ 534 9 57,692 46 Homicide (46) Both sexes(4) Under 16 years....... 26 - - - Highway (19) 16 to 17 years....... 40 1 2,574 2 " (18) 18 to 19 years....... 128 2 3,934 3 " (26) 20 to 24 years....... 484 8 12,868 10 " (25) 25 to 34 years....... 1,395 22 32,880 26 " (21) 35 to 44 years....... 1,555 25 34,474 27 " (20) 45 to 54 years....... 1,242 20 24,213 19 " (22) 55 to 64 years....... 811 13 11,436 9 " (23) 65 years and over.... 514 8 3,666 3 Nonhighway(18)/ Highway (17) Race White................ 5,061 81 107,533 85 Highway (22) Black................ 689 11 13,537 11 Homicide (30) Asian or Pacific Islander.......... 161 3 - - Homicide (56) American Indian, Aleut, Eskimo..... 27 - - - Highway (22) Other................ 272 4 - - " (26) Hispanic origin Hispanic(5)......... 610 10 11,208 9 Homicide (21) 1 The employment is an annual average of employed civilians 16 years of age and older, plus resident armed forces, from the BLS Current Population Survey, 1995. 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 15 fatalities for which age was not available. 5 Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race. Hispanic employment does not include resident armed forces. 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, 1995. Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by State and event or exposure, 1995 Total fatalities(1) Event or exposure(2) (percent of State total for 1995) ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure Contact to Trans- Assaults with harmful Fires and portation and objects Falls sub- explosio- in- violent and stances ns State of injury cidents(3) acts(4) equipment or 1994 1995 environ- (revised) ments ---------------------- ------ ------ --------- -------- ----------- -------- ---------- --------- Total............... 6,632 6,210 41 20 15 10 10 3 Alabama............... 153 150 34 21 17 10 15 3 Alaska................ 60 78 86 - 5 - - - Arizona............... 79 86 55 22 9 - 6 - Arkansas.............. 85 91 59 8 16 4 9 - California............ 639 614 41 30 10 8 7 3 Colorado.............. 120 112 43 21 14 11 9 - Connecticut........... 35 32 41 25 19 - - - Delaware.............. 15 12 33 - 33 - - - District of Columbia............ 21 16 - 69 - - - - Florida............... 358 376 39 21 10 15 12 2 Georgia............... 249 237 46 20 11 13 8 2 Hawaii................ 21 24 29 33 - - 17 - Idaho................. 50 53 60 13 8 - 8 - Illinois.............. 247 249 31 17 15 18 13 5 Indiana............... 195 156 41 15 15 11 13 5 Iowa.................. 74 54 39 - 31 11 11 - Kansas................ 106 95 46 15 15 9 11 4 Kentucky.............. 158 140 59 6 16 4 10 4 Louisiana............. 187 139 37 17 19 13 10 3 Maine................. 22 18 56 - 22 - - - Maryland.............. 80 86 29 36 13 9 7 6 Massachusetts......... 74 65 34 17 17 23 6 - Michigan.............. 180 149 38 20 20 9 11 - Minnesota............. 82 84 39 12 25 11 10 - Mississippi........... 126 128 48 21 13 7 7 4 Missouri.............. 155 125 34 13 23 14 11 3 Montana............... 50 34 44 - 18 12 18 - Nebraska.............. 83 54 43 11 24 17 - - Nevada................ 41 51 41 24 16 12 - - New Hampshire......... 14 12 33 - - - - - New Jersey............ 114 118 35 23 14 12 10 6 New Mexico............ 54 58 52 9 16 10 9 - New York (except N.Y.C.)............ 180 158 40 16 17 11 11 4 New York City......... 184 144 11 63 6 12 6 - North Carolina........ 226 187 46 17 16 11 9 - North Dakota.......... 21 28 54 - 21 - - - Ohio.................. 209 186 51 13 10 10 12 4 Oklahoma.............. 97 199 15 65 8 2 7 4 Oregon................ 80 73 53 7 22 11 5 - Pennsylvania.......... 354 233 40 16 14 13 9 8 Rhode Island.......... 12 10 - - - - - - South Carolina........ 83 103 43 14 17 10 13 - South Dakota.......... 31 26 35 - 27 15 23 - Tennessee............. 170 179 41 11 27 8 10 3 Texas................. 497 475 42 18 14 12 10 4 Utah.................. 66 51 49 14 12 10 14 - Vermont............... 8 16 69 - 25 - - - Virginia.............. 164 132 45 15 12 14 10 3 Washington............ 118 109 42 13 16 12 9 6 West Virginia......... 61 56 43 7 32 - 11 - Wisconsin............. 109 117 43 15 21 5 11 3 Wyoming............... 35 32 62 - 16 - 12 - 1 Includes other events and exposures such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately. 2 Based on the 1992 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Structures. 3 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, and rail fatalities. 4 Includes violence by persons, self inflicted injury, and assaults by animals. NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding and because of dashes which 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 and 1995. Table 6. CFOI participating State agencies and telephone numbers State Agency Telephone Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3460 Alaska Department of Labor (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 (904) 922-8953 Georgia Department of Labor (404) 656-2966 Hawaii Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations (808) 586-9005 Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6061 Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 785-7130 Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2679 Iowa Department of Employment Services (515) 281-3661 Kansas Department of Health & Environment (913) 296-5293 Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-6895 Louisiana Department of Labor (504) 342-3126 Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 624-6447 Maryland Division of Labor and Industry (410) 333-4200 Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5628 Michigan Department of Labor (517) 322-1850 Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (612) 297-7429 Mississippi Department of Health (601) 960-7741 Missouri Bureau of Health Services Statistics (573) 751-6274 Montana Department of Labor and Industry (406) 444-3239 Nebraska Workers' Compensation (402) 471-6538 Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (702) 687-3293 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 Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 277-2812 South Carolina Department of Labor (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 Industrial Commission (801) 530-7607 Vermont Bureau of Labor Statistics (617) 565-2300 Virginia Department of Labor & Industry (804) 786-5004 Washington Department of Labor & Industries (360) 902-5510 West Virginia Department of Labor (304) 558-7890 Wisconsin Workers' Compensation Division (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 1995 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 or 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 a short-term exposure 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 makes identification of a universe problematic. Partial information on fatal occupational illnesses, compiled separately, is available for 1991-1993 in BLS Report 891. 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. Multiple 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 306 fatal work injuries in 1995; 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 67 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 close-out for a reference year. In addition, other fatalities excluded from the published count because of insufficient information to determine work relationship may be subsequently 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. 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 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. 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 20 percent of the fatal work injuries for 1995. 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 account 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 US Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Department of Defense; the Employment Standards Administration (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' divisions); the Department of Energy; the National Association of Chiefs of Police; 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.