There were 5,486 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2022, a 5.7-percent increase from 5,190 in 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The fatal work injury rate was 3.7 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, up from 3.6 per 100,000 FTE in 2021. These data are from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query fatalities. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query fatalities. Sort by date Show all posts
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Transportation Injuries Continue to Dominate Workplace Fatalities
Workplace injuries involving transportation continue to be major contributing factors to fatalities in the United States. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported preliminary data for 2011 reflecting that transportation incidents were involved in 41% of fatalities at work.
Click here to read more on this topic from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
More about the fatalities and workplace
Thursday, December 19, 2024
2023 Workplace Fatalities: A Sobering Look
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2023. This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of workplace fatalities across the United States. The key findings reflect the implications for workplace safety.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Falls from Roofs Account for One-Third of Construction Fall Fatalities
 The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) Data Center study, “Fatal Falls from Roofs Among U.S. Construction Workers,” found that falls from roofs accounted for one-third of fall-related construction fatalities from 1992-2009. The findings suggest that workers employed by small establishments, residential construction workers, Hispanic workers and immigrant workers may face disproportionately high risks of roof fatalities. A total of 20,498 occupational fatalities occurred in the construction industry from 1992-2009. Of these deaths, nearly one-third – 6,591 – were attributed to fall injuries, with 2,163 fatalities resulting from roof falls. Citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the study points out that falls account for 76 percent of fatalities in the roofing industry, and workers in the roofing industry are three times more likely to experience fatal work-related injuries than other construction workers. “While roof injuries occur among many construction occupations and sectors, this study confirmed that roofing and residential construction sectors have a much higher risk of falls from roofs than any other construction sectors. All roofing contractors should have a written fall protection program that specifies what type of fall protection is provided, provides adequate training for workers, and enforces fall protection programs,” the study states. Key findings include:
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Friday, August 23, 2013
National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries In 2012 (Preliminary Injuries)
A preliminary total of 4,383 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2012, down from a revised count
of 4,693 fatal work injuries in 2011, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI)
conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2012 total represents the second lowest preliminary total
since CFOI was first conducted in 1992. The rate of fatal work injury for U.S. workers in 2012 was
3.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, down from a rate of 3.5 per 100,000 in 2011.
Over the last 5 years, net increases to the preliminary count have ranged from 84 in 2011 to 211 in 2009.
The revised 2011 figure represented a 2 percent increase over the preliminary total, while the 2009 figure was
a 5 percent increase. Revised 2012 data from CFOI will be released in the late Spring of 2014.
Key preliminary findings of the 2012 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:
- Fatal work injuries in the private construction sector increased 5 percent to 775 in 2012 from 738 in 2011.
Total hours worked in the private construction industry increased one percent in 2012. The increase in fatal
occupational injuries in 2012 follows five consecutive years of declining fatal injury counts in the
construction sector. Fatal construction injuries are down 37 percent since 2006.
- Since 2011, CFOI has identified whether fatally-injured workers were working as contractors at the time of
the fatal incident. In 2012, 708 decedents were identified as contractors, many of whom worked in construction
and transportation occupations.
- Fatal work injuries declined among non-Hispanic white workers (down 10 percent) and Hispanic or Latino workers
(down 5 percent) in 2012. Fatal work injuries were higher among non-Hispanic black or African-American workers
and non-Hispanic Asian workers.
- Fatal work injuries involving workers under 16 years of age nearly doubled, rising from 10 in 2011 to
19 in 2012—the highest total since 2005. Fatal work injuries in the other age groups declined in 2012.
Fatal work injuries among workers 55 years of age and older declined for the second straight year.
- Work-related suicides declined 10 percent from 2011 totals, but violence accounted for about 17 percent
of all fatal work injuries in 2012.
- Fatal work injuries in the private mining sector rose in 2012, led by an increase in fatal injuries to workers
in oil and gas extraction industries. Fatal work injuries in oil and gas extraction industries rose 23 percent
to 138 in 2012, reaching a new high for the series.
Worker characteristics
The number of fatal work injuries involving non-Hispanic white workers declined 10 percent in 2012, but rose
by 13 percent for non-Hispanic Asian workers. Despite the increase, Asian workers still recorded a lower rate of
fatal injury than the rate for workers overall (1.8 per 100,000 FTE workers for non-Hispanic Asians versus
3.2 per 100,000 FTE workers for workers overall).
Fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers dropped to 708 in 2012 from 749 in 2011, a decrease of 5 percent.
Of the 708 fatal work injuries incurred by Hispanic or Latino workers, 454 (or 64 percent) involved foreign-born
workers. Overall, there were 777 fatal work injuries involving foreign-born workers in 2012, of which the
greatest share (299 or 38 percent) were born in Mexico.
Fatal work injuries increased for workers under 16 years of age, rising to 19 in 2012 from 10 in 2011, reaching
its highest level since 2005. Fourteen of these young decedents were employed as agricultural workers. Fatal work
injuries involving men fell from 4,308 in 2011 to 4,045 in 2012—the lowest total since the inception of the
fatality census in 1992.
Fatal injuries to both wage and salary workers and self-employed workers declined in 2012.
For more detailed information on fatal injuries by worker characteristics, see the 2012 tables
at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.
Type of incident
Transportation incidents accounted for more than 2 out of every 5 fatal work injuries in 2012. (See chart 1.)
Of the 1,789 transportation-related fatal injuries, about 58 percent (1,044 cases) were roadway incidents involving
motorized land vehicles. Nonroadway incidents, such as a tractor overturn in a farm field, accounted for another
13 percent of the transportation-related fatal injuries. About 16 percent of fatal transportation incidents in 2012
involved pedestrians who were struck by vehicles. Of the 283 fatal work injuries involving pedestrians struck
by vehicles, 65 occurred in work zones. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected
to rise when updated 2012 data are released in Spring 2014 because key source documentation detailing specific
transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)
Fatal work injuries among those fatally injured in aircraft incidents in 2012 declined by 14 percent from 2011,
accounting for 125 fatalities or about 7 percent of the transportation total.
Overall, 767 workers were killed as a result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals, including
463 homicides and 225 suicides. The work-related suicide total for 2012 declined 10 percent from the 2011 total
and the homicide total was also slightly lower. Shootings were the most frequent manner of death in both
homicides (81 percent) and suicides (48 percent). Of the 338 fatal work injuries involving female workers,
29 percent involved homicides.
Fatal falls, slips, or trips took the lives of 668 workers in 2012, down slightly from 2011. Falls to a lower level
accounted for 544 or about 81 percent of those fatalities. In 2012, the height of the fall was reported in 437 of the
fatal falls to a lower level. Of those cases, about one in four occurred after a fall of 10 feet or less. Another
one-fourth of the fatal fall cases occurred from falls of over 30 feet.
While the total number of fatal work injuries involving contact with objects and equipment in 2012 remained about
the same as in 2011, the number of workers fatally injured after being struck by objects or equipment increased by
7 percent (to 509 fatal work injuries in 2012 from 476 in 2011). This total includes 233 workers struck by
falling objects or equipment and 199 struck by powered vehicles or mobile equipment not in normal operation.
There were 142 multiple-fatality incidents in 2012 (incidents in which more than one worker was killed)
in which 341 workers died.
For more detailed information on fatal injuries by incident, see the 2012 tables at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.
Industry
In the private sector, there were 3,945 fatal work injuries in 2012, down 6 percent to a new series low. Both
goods-producing industries and service-providing industries showed declines.
Among goods-producing sectors, the number of fatal work injuries in the private construction sector increased
5 percent in 2012. Total hours worked were higher by one percent in 2012. The increase in 2012 was the first
in construction fatalities since 2006. Construction fatalities are down 37 percent over that time. Construction
accounted for the highest number of fatal work injuries of any industry sector in 2012. (See chart 2.)
Fatal work injuries in the private mining sector increased 14 percent to 177 in 2012 from 155 in 2011—the highest
level since 2007. The number of fatal work injury cases in oil and gas extraction industries rose to 138 in 2012
from 112 in 2011; the 2012 figure represents a series high. Fatal work injuries in coal mining increased slightly,
and fatal work injuries in support activities for mining increased 9 percent. CFOI has used the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS) to define industry since 2003, and data on oil and gas extraction industries
in CFOI comprise NAICS 21111 Oil and gas extraction, NAICS 213111 Drilling oil and gas wells, and
NAICS 213112 Support activities for oil and gas operations.
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting fatalities decreased 16 percent to 475 in 2012 from 566 in 2011.
This follows a 9 percent drop in agriculture fatalities in 2011. Fatal injuries in the crop production,
animal production, forestry and logging, and fishing sectors were all lower in 2012. Despite the declines in
fatal work injuries in this sector over the last two years, agriculture recorded the highest fatal injury rate
of any industry sector at 21.2 fatal injuries per 100,000 FTE workers in 2012.
Among service-providing industries in the private sector, fatal work injuries in transportation and warehousing
accounted for 677 fatal work injuries in 2012, a decrease of 10 percent over the revised 2011 count (749 fatalities).
The number of fatal injuries in truck transportation, the largest subsector within transportation and warehousing
in terms of employment, decreased 6 percent in 2012. (As noted, transportation counts presented in this release
are expected to rise when updated 2012 data are released in Spring 2014.) Among other transportation subsectors,
fatal work injuries in air transportation were slightly higher, but fatalities in water and rail transportation
were lower in 2012.
Fatal work injuries in the financial activities sector declined 17 percent in 2012 to 81. The professional and
business services sector also reported lower numbers of fatal injuries in 2012, down 10 percent from 2011.
Fatal occupational injuries among government workers decreased 13 percent from 2011 to 438 fatal work injuries,
the lowest fatal work injury total since the start of the fatality census. Both state government and
local government showed declines (19 percent and 16 percent, respectively), though fatal injuries among
federal government workers remained about the same.
For more detailed information on fatal injuries by industry, see the 2012 tables at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.
Occupation
Fatal work injuries in construction and extraction occupations rose for the second year in a row to 838—a 5 percent
increase from 2011. Hours worked increased one percent in this occupation group during that period. Fatal injuries
among construction trades workers rose in 2012 to 577 after 5 years of decline. This marked an 8 percent increase
over the series low of 533 in 2011, but a 41 percent drop from the high of 977 reported in 2006. Fatal work injuries
to construction laborers, the subgroup in this category with the highest number of fatalities, increased 10 percent
to 210 in 2012, following a series low of 191 in 2011. Fatal injuries to roofers, another subgroup within
construction trades workers, rose to 70 in 2012, a 17 percent rise from 2011 marking the highest count in 5 years.
Fatal work injuries in transportation and material moving occupations were down 7 percent to 1,150 in 2012.
Fatal work injuries in this occupational group accounted for about one quarter of all fatal occupational injuries.
Drivers/sales workers and truck drivers was the subgroup within transportation and material moving occupations with
the highest number of fatal injuries. Dropping 4 percent, this subgroup recorded 741 fatalities in 2012. Fatal
injuries to taxi drivers and chauffeurs were down 28 percent to a series low of 46. (As noted, transportation and
material moving counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2012 data are released
in Spring 2014.)
The number of fatal work injuries among protective service occupations decreased 21 percent in 2012
to 224 fatalities–reaching the lowest count since the occupational series began in 2003. The decline was led
by lower numbers of fatal injuries to police and sheriff’s patrol officers, which dropped 20 percent to 104 in 2012
to continue a two-year downward trend. Fatal injuries to both security guards and firefighters reached series lows
with 48 and 17 fatalities, respectively.
Fatal work injuries to workers in management occupations declined 8 percent to 429 in 2012—the lowest level
in the series. This decrease was driven primarily by the 19 percent decline in fatal injuries to farmers, ranchers,
and other agricultural managers from 268 in 2011 to 216 in 2012.
Fatalities among farming, fishing, and forestry occupations declined 6 percent to 245 in 2012. This was led by the
24 percent drop in fatalities to fishers and related fishing workers from 42 in 2011 to a series low of 32 in 2012.
Fatal injuries to logging workers have remained somewhat level for the last three years, decreasing slightly
to 62 in 2012.
Fatal injuries to resident military personnel reached a series low in 2012, dropping 25 percent from
57 fatalities in 2011 to 43.
For more detailed information on fatal injuries by occupation, see the 2012 tables at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.
Contract workers
In addition to identifying the industry in which a decedent was employed, CFOI began in 2011 to identify whether
a worker was a contractor. A contractor is defined as a worker employed by one firm but working at the behest of
another firm that exercises overall responsibility for the operations at the site where the decedent was
fatally injured. This information helps to identify the location and type of work being performed when
the fatal work injury occurred.
In 2012, the number of fatal occupational injuries incurred by contractors was 708, or 16 percent of all
fatal injuries, compared to 542 reported in 2011. Falls to a lower level accounted for 30 percent of contractor
deaths while struck by object or equipment (18 percent) and pedestrian vehicular (11 percent) incidents also were
frequent events among contractors.
Fatally-injured contractors were most often contracted by a government entity (151 or 21 percent of all contractors)
and by firms in the private construction (133 or 19 percent); mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
(68 or 10 percent); and manufacturing (67 or 9 percent) industry sectors.
The majority of contractors (381 or 54 percent) were working in construction and extraction occupations when fatally
injured. Decedents in this occupation group were most often employed as construction laborers (101), first-line
supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (42), electricians (39), and roofers (32). Among contractors
who were employed outside the construction and extraction occupations group, the largest number of fatal occupational
injuries was incurred by heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (50); tree trimmers and pruners (16);
security guards (15); landscaping and groundskeeping workers (14); welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (14);
and athletes and sports competitors (13).
For more detailed information on fatal injuries incurred by contract workers, see the 2012 charts
at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.
State and metropolitan statistical area (MSA)
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia reported higher numbers of fatal work injuries in 2012 than in 2011,
while 32 states reported lower numbers. Two states reported the same number as in 2011. For more detailed state
results, contact the individual state agency responsible for the collection of CFOI data in that state. Although
data for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam are not included in the national totals for this release,
results for these jurisdictions are available. Participating agencies and their telephone numbers are listed
in Table 6.
Counts for over 300 MSAs are also available for 2012 from CFOI and detailed data are available for more than 50 MSAs.
The MSAs with the most fatal occupational injuries in 2012 were New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island (NY-NJ-PA)
with 178, Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown (TX) with 90, Chicago-Joliet-Naperville (IL-IN-WI) with 81, and Los Angeles-Long
Beach-Santa Ana (CA) with 81.
For more detailed information on fatal injuries by state and MSA, see the 2012 tables at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.
Background of the program
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS)
program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI program
uses diverse state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries.
This assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2012 data, over 19,000 unique source documents
were reviewed as part of the data collection process.
The Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), another component of the OSHS program, presents frequency
counts and incidence rates by industry and also by detailed case circumstances and worker characteristics for
nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses for cases that result in days away from work. Incidence rates for 2012
by industry and case type will be published in October 2013, and information on 2012 case circumstances and worker
characteristics will be available in November 2013. For additional data, access the
BLS Internet site: www.bls.gov/iif/. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI program,
please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch9.pdf.
- Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 2012
- Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry and selected event or exposure, 2012
- Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2012
- Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected worker characteristics and selected event or exposure, 2012
- Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 2011-2012
- Table 6. CFOI participating agencies and telephone numbers
- Technical notes
- HTML version of the entire news release
….
Jon L.Gelman of Wayne NJ is the author NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson) and co-author of the national treatise, Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson). For over 4 decades the Law Offices of Jon L Gelman 1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.
Read more about the "national census" and workers' compensation.
Mar 17, 2011US Lacks a Census of Occupational Illness and Disease. In a series of articles, Celeste Monforton discusses the absence in the U.S. of a comprehensive system for surveillance of occupational illnesses sand disease.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Workplace Deaths Rise
Work is getting more dangerous in the US. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, there were 5,250 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2018, a 2 percent increase from the 5,147 in 2017.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Labor Day: Miller Launches Map of Workplace Fatalities
This Labor Day, Let's Redouble Effort to Improve Worker Safety, Says Chairman Miller Miller also launches interactive map of workplace fatalities
WASHINGTON, D.C. - To honor America's workers this Labor Day, the country should commit to stopping the preventable toll of workplace deaths, injuries, and illnesses that affects workers across industries and occupations each year, said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. To highlight the dangers that many American workers face on the job, Miller today launched a new interactive online map
(http://edlabor.house.gov/issues/workerdeaths.shtml) that enables people to learn about many of the workplace fatalities that have occurred in their own communities this year.
"Each year, thousands of American workers die on the job. Sixteen workers are killed in workplace accidents each day. Ten times that many die of occupational diseases caused b y hazardous substances like asbestos. And every 2.5 seconds, a worker is injured in the United States," said Miller. "This grim toll includes construction workers, public safety workers, and workers at chemical facilities and oil refineries. It includes people who spend most of their time working outdoors, as well as people who work inside office buildings, manufacturing plants, and stores. It in cludes young and old workers. There are simply too many American workers, from all walks of life, who get injured, sick, or killed on the job. On this Labor Day, we should commit ourselves to doing everything we can to improve safety in the workplace."
On August 9, the U.S. Labor Department reported that 5,703 workers died in workplace accidents in 2006. Today, Miller launched an online map of worker fatalities that he hoped would remind Americans of the urgent need for increased efforts to eliminate unsafe conditions on the job. The map relies on published news reports in 2007 to show worker fatalities
nationwide, and it includes information about the workers' occupations and causes of death. The map represents roughly 10 percent of the total number of on-the-job fatalities so far this year.
"The tragedy at Utah's Crandall Canyon Mine reminds us of the dangers that too many workers face every day. It is my hope that the launch of this map will help policymakers and the public understand the extent of workplace fatalities in this country and the importance of acting aggressively to improve workplace safety," said Miller.
Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, and U.S. Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL), a member of the subcommittee, introduced legislation to reduce workplace fatalities, injuries, and sicknesses. The Protecting America's Work ers Act (H.R. 2049) would boost workplace safety by strengthening and expanding the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Specifically, the legislation would:
Apply federal safety standards to workers who are not currently covered, including federal, state, and local employees, and some private sector employees;
Increase penalties against employers for repeated and willful violations of the law, including making felony charges available when an employer's repeated and willful violation of the law leads to a worker's de ath or serious injury;
Better protect workers who blow the whistle on unsafe workplace conditions;
Enhance the public's right to know about safety violations; and
Make clear that employers must provide the necessary safety equipment to their workers, such as goggles, gloves, respirators, or other personal protective equipment.
Miller also said that the Bush administration must do more to vigorously enforce workplace safety laws.
"In hearings held earlier this year, witnesses told the committee that both the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration are not doing enough to update basic workplace safety standards and that the agencies have shifted their focus from enforcing the law to providing companies with so-called voluntary compliance assistance," said Miller. "It is well past time that the Bush workplace safety agencies stop fiddling while workers die. They must aggressively enforce the laws they swore to uphold. We must do more to defend the right of all workers to a safe workplace."
To visit the map, click here.: http://edlabor.house.gov/issues/workerdeaths.shtml
For more information about the Protecting America's Workers Act, click here.
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/edlabor_dem/rel042607.html
For more information about worker safety issues, click here.
http://edlabor.house.gov/issues/workersafety.shtml
..................................
Jon L. Gelman, Attorney at Law
1450 Valley Road, 1st Floor
PO Box 934Wayne NJ 07474-0934
973 696-7900 tel - 973 696-7988 fax
www.gelmans.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. - To honor America's workers this Labor Day, the country should commit to stopping the preventable toll of workplace deaths, injuries, and illnesses that affects workers across industries and occupations each year, said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. To highlight the dangers that many American workers face on the job, Miller today launched a new interactive online map
(http://edlabor.house.gov/issues/workerdeaths.shtml) that enables people to learn about many of the workplace fatalities that have occurred in their own communities this year.
"Each year, thousands of American workers die on the job. Sixteen workers are killed in workplace accidents each day. Ten times that many die of occupational diseases caused b y hazardous substances like asbestos. And every 2.5 seconds, a worker is injured in the United States," said Miller. "This grim toll includes construction workers, public safety workers, and workers at chemical facilities and oil refineries. It includes people who spend most of their time working outdoors, as well as people who work inside office buildings, manufacturing plants, and stores. It in cludes young and old workers. There are simply too many American workers, from all walks of life, who get injured, sick, or killed on the job. On this Labor Day, we should commit ourselves to doing everything we can to improve safety in the workplace."
On August 9, the U.S. Labor Department reported that 5,703 workers died in workplace accidents in 2006. Today, Miller launched an online map of worker fatalities that he hoped would remind Americans of the urgent need for increased efforts to eliminate unsafe conditions on the job. The map relies on published news reports in 2007 to show worker fatalities
nationwide, and it includes information about the workers' occupations and causes of death. The map represents roughly 10 percent of the total number of on-the-job fatalities so far this year.
"The tragedy at Utah's Crandall Canyon Mine reminds us of the dangers that too many workers face every day. It is my hope that the launch of this map will help policymakers and the public understand the extent of workplace fatalities in this country and the importance of acting aggressively to improve workplace safety," said Miller.
Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, and U.S. Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL), a member of the subcommittee, introduced legislation to reduce workplace fatalities, injuries, and sicknesses. The Protecting America's Work ers Act (H.R. 2049) would boost workplace safety by strengthening and expanding the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Specifically, the legislation would:
Apply federal safety standards to workers who are not currently covered, including federal, state, and local employees, and some private sector employees;
Increase penalties against employers for repeated and willful violations of the law, including making felony charges available when an employer's repeated and willful violation of the law leads to a worker's de ath or serious injury;
Better protect workers who blow the whistle on unsafe workplace conditions;
Enhance the public's right to know about safety violations; and
Make clear that employers must provide the necessary safety equipment to their workers, such as goggles, gloves, respirators, or other personal protective equipment.
Miller also said that the Bush administration must do more to vigorously enforce workplace safety laws.
"In hearings held earlier this year, witnesses told the committee that both the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration are not doing enough to update basic workplace safety standards and that the agencies have shifted their focus from enforcing the law to providing companies with so-called voluntary compliance assistance," said Miller. "It is well past time that the Bush workplace safety agencies stop fiddling while workers die. They must aggressively enforce the laws they swore to uphold. We must do more to defend the right of all workers to a safe workplace."
To visit the map, click here.: http://edlabor.house.gov/issues/workerdeaths.shtml
For more information about the Protecting America's Workers Act, click here.
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/edlabor_dem/rel042607.html
For more information about worker safety issues, click here.
http://edlabor.house.gov/issues/workersafety.shtml
..................................
Jon L. Gelman, Attorney at Law
1450 Valley Road, 1st Floor
PO Box 934Wayne NJ 07474-0934
973 696-7900 tel - 973 696-7988 fax
www.gelmans.com
Friday, December 16, 2022
BLS Reports Fatal Accident Rates Soared in 2021
The 3.6 fatal occupational injury rate in 2021 represents the highest annual rate since 2016. A worker died every 101 minutes from a work-related injury in 2021.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
US Workplace Deaths Decrease
Economic factors played a major role in the fatal work injury decrease in 2009. Total hours worked fell by 6 percent in 2009 following a 1 percent decline in 2008, and some industries that have historically accounted for a significant share of fatal work injuries, such as construction, experienced even larger declines in employment or hours worked. In addition, some source documents used by CFOI State partners to identify and verify fatal work injuries were delayed, due at least in part to fiscal constraints at some of the governmental agencies who regularly provide source documentation for the program.
Key preliminary findings of the 2009 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:
- Workplace homicides declined 1 percent in 2009, in contrast to an overall decline of 17 percent for all fatal work injuries. The homicide total for 2009 includes the 13 victims of the November shooting at Fort Hood. Workplace suicides were down 10 percent in 2009 from the series high of 263 in 2008.
- Though wage and salary workers and self-employed workers experienced similar declines in total hours worked in 2009, fatal work injuries among wage and salary workers in 2009 declined by 20 percent while fatal injuries among self-employed workers were down 3 percent.
- The wholesale trade industry was one of the few major private industry sectors reporting higher numbers of fatal work injuries in 2009.
- Fatal work injuries in the private construction sector declined by 16 percent in 2009 following the decline of 19 percent in 2008.
- Fatalities among non-Hispanic black or African-American workers were down 24 percent. This worker group also experienced a slightly larger decline in total hours worked than non-Hispanic white or Hispanic workers.
- The number of fatal workplace injuries in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations rose 6 percent, one of the few major occupation groups to record an increase in fatal work injuries in 2009.
- Transportation incidents, which accounted for nearly two-fifths of all the fatal work injuries in 2009, fell 21 percent from the 2,130 fatal work injuries reported in 2008.
Saturday, December 18, 2021
In the Fog of COVID
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released the 2020 summary of fatal occupational injuries. Unfortunately, it has ignored the COVID cases that are occupationally related.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Reports of Worker Fatalities during Flowback Operations
John Snawder, Ph.D, DABT; Eric Esswein, MSPH, CIH; Bradley King, MPH, CIH; Michael Breitenstein, BS; Marissa Alexander-Scott, DVM, MS, MPH; Kyla Retzer, MPH; Max Kiefer, MS,CIH and Ryan Hill, MPH.
[Click here to see the rest of this post]
[Click here to see the rest of this post]
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Major increase in work-related deaths reported
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has released the census of fatal occupational injuries in 2019. A major increase in work-related deaths has been reported over the prior year. The changing workplace and a major increase in deliveries were reflected in the report in that nearly one out of every five fatally injured workers was employed as a driver/sales worker or truck driver.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Preventing Falls at Work
Falls result in serious injuries and death, especially for those over 65 years of age. As the workforce grows older, falls are at work will increase. Are there adequate preventative measures in place to meet this increase risk? Today's post is shared from nytimes.com
"Those who study and manage retirement facilities and nursing homes say there is heightened attention to preventing falls. Trying to anticipate hazardous conditions, retirement facilities like The Sequoias hire architects and interior designers, some of whom wear special glasses that show the building as an old person would see it.
"The dangers are real. The number of people over 65 who died after a fall reached nearly 24,000 in 2012, the most recent year for which fatality numbers are available — almost double the number 10 years earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"And more than 2.4 million people over 65 were treated in emergency departments for injuries from falls in 2012 alone, an increase of 50 percent over a decade. All told, in the decade from 2002-2012, more than 200,000 Americans over 65 died after falls. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in that age group.
"Those who study and manage retirement facilities and nursing homes say there is heightened attention to preventing falls. Trying to anticipate hazardous conditions, retirement facilities like The Sequoias hire architects and interior designers, some of whom wear special glasses that show the building as an old person would see it.
"The dangers are real. The number of people over 65 who died after a fall reached nearly 24,000 in 2012, the most recent year for which fatality numbers are available — almost double the number 10 years earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"And more than 2.4 million people over 65 were treated in emergency departments for injuries from falls in 2012 alone, an increase of 50 percent over a decade. All told, in the decade from 2002-2012, more than 200,000 Americans over 65 died after falls. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in that age group.
Read more about "falls:"
Jun 23, 2014
Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. According to OSHA, the four main causes for workplace falls are (1) unprotected sides, wall openings, and floor holes, (2) improper scaffold construction, (3) ...
Jul 03, 2014
The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) Data Center study, “Fatal Falls from Roofs Among U.S. Construction Workers,” found that falls from roofs accounted for one-third of fall-related construction fatalities ...
Aug 30, 2012
OSHA cites Brick, NJ-based contractor for continuing to expose workers to falls and other hazards at Secaucus work site. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Brick-based ...
Feb 01, 2013
It is good news that OSHA is moving forward with enforcement against roofing companies for failure to observe safety precautions and protect employees from unnecessary and unwarranted falls from roofs. This is surely a ...
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Construction Injuries and Fatalities Cost California’s Economy $2.9 Billion Between 2008 and 2010
California Would Save Money by Using Its Buying Power to Reward Companies With Strong Safety Records
Occupational injuries and fatalities in the construction industry cost California residents $2.9 billion between 2008 and 2010, a new Public Citizen report shows.
The report, “The Price of Inaction: A Comprehensive Look at the Costs of Injuries and Fatalities in California’s Construction Industry,” quantifies the estimated costs of deaths and injuries in the state’s construction industry by considering an array of factors.
From 2008 to 2010, 168 construction workers were killed in workplace accidents in California. Additionally, the state recorded 50,700 construction-industry injuries and illnesses that required days away from work or a job transfer.
Drawing on a comprehensive 2004 journal article that analyzed the cost of occupational injuries, and combining the paper’s findings with updated fatality and injury data, Public Citizen determined that such incidents cost the state’s economy $2.9 billion during the three-year period.
“The economic picture is quite staggering,” said Keith Wrightson, worker safety and health advocate for Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division. “We now know that construction accidents impose huge economic costs in addition to tremendous pain for individual victims.”
As a partial solution, the report proposes that California pass a law requiring companies to demonstrate adherence to safety standards in order to be eligible to bid for state contracts. Such a solution not only would ensure that public-sector projects are fulfilled by responsible contractors but also would provide incentives for companies to maintain clean records while working on private-sector sites.
The report notes that California already screens construction companies to ensure that they have met performance standards in the past and haven’t violated any laws. The state also incorporates some safety standards in its prequalification system. But the system should be expanded to require construction firms to put greater emphasis on demonstrating that they provide safety training to workers and site supervisors, and that they have not had serious safety violations.
“Implementing a stricter prequalification process for public construction projects would not address all of the industry’s safety problems,” Wrightson said. “However, such a step would help further protect workers while also yielding significant gains to the economy for minimal costs.”
The report can be viewed at http://www.citizen.org/price-of-inaction-california-construction-safety-report.
Read more about "occupational" conditions and workers' compensation
Nov 26, 2012
Physician Stress - An Occupational Hazard for Oncologists. Physicians who treat terminally ill patients are reporting occupational stress. A recent article on the NY Times blog describes the problem of oncologists who treat ...
Nov 09, 2012
Going forward it is imperative that a universal medical program be established to provide medical treatment for all work-related occupational injuries and exposures. The delay and denial of medical benefits to those who suffer ...
Nov 23, 2012
This exploratory population-based case–control study contributes to one of the neglected areas: occupational risk factors for breast cancer. The identification of several important associations in this mixed industrial and ...
Jul 05, 2012
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requests public comments to inform its approach ...
Friday, November 30, 2012
OSHA cites Mississippi Phosphates for 40 safety and health violations following 2 worker fatalities
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Mississippi Phosphates Corp. with 40 safety and health violations following the deaths of two workers in separate incidents at the company's Pascagoula facilities. The fatalities led to comprehensive inspections by OSHA.
On May 22, an operator attempting to start up a steam turbine in sulfuric acid plant No. 2 was struck by flying metal debris when the turbine housing ruptured due to apparent overpressurization. In a similar incident on June 1, an operator restarting a tripped steam turbine in sulfuric acid plant No. 3 also was killed by flying metal debris when the turbine housing ruptured due to overpressurization.OSHA has cited the company for three serious safety violations related to the fatalities, including exposing workers to "struck-by" hazards by not protecting them against overpressurization, and failing to maintain and service equipment in accordance with the company's maintenance program to prevent overpressurization.
An additional 23 serious safety violations involve failing to test and inspect pressure relief devices throughout the facility, provide handrails on fixed stairways, guard floor holes that could cause workers to trip and fall, provide fixed stairs to access tank gauging, address engineering controls during a process hazard analysis, and guard belt roller nip points, horizontal shafts, rotating shafts and horizontal V-belts. The violations also include various electrical hazards such as exposing workers to shocks, missing panel knockouts, broken face plates, unguarded light bulbs and an open ground in an outlet circuit.
Ten serious health violations involve failing to conduct an initial process hazard analysis, update the process hazard analysis every five years, conduct compliance audits for process safety management and determine the presence of asbestos prior to working on equipment, as well as to label hazardous substances such as caustic soda, acid and petroleum products that are used throughout the facility. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
One repeat health violation has been cited for a lack of housekeeping. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. A similar violation was cited in May 2009.
Three other-than-serious safety violations are failing to mount a fire extinguisher so it is readily available, not labeling circuit breakers, and using flexible cords and equipment cables that do not have strain relief. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
"Employers need to be proactive to ensure that all operating equipment is properly maintained and functional," said Clyde Payne, director of OSHA's Jackson Area Office. "Had this employer done so, these tragic events could have been prevented."
Mississippi Phosphates is a producer and marketer of diammonium phosphate, which is used as a fertilizer. The company's manufacturing facilities consist of two sulfuric acid plants, a phosphoric acid plant and diammonium phosphate granulation plant.
The citations for the serious and repeat violations carry total proposed penalties of $165,900. The citations for the other-than-serious violations do not carry monetary penalties. All citations can be viewed at
- http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Mississippi_Phosphates_Corp_491760_11-20-2012.pdf
- http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Mississippi_Phosphates_Corp_439251_11-20-2012.pdf
- http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Mississippi_Phosphates_Corp_506258_11-20-2012.pdf
- http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Mississippi_Phosphates_Corp_452057_11-20-2012.pdf
To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Jackson office at 601-965-4606.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
Read more about OSHA
Nov 08, 2012
"Falls are the leading cause of death for workers in residential construction," said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville. "Employers must take responsibility for ensuring that workers have and wear proper ...
Nov 05, 2012
"Storm recovery workers are working around the clock to clean up areas impacted by the storm," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's New York regional administrator. "We want to make sure that workers are aware of the hazards ...
Sep 21, 2012
Forklift injuries produce serious workers' compensation claims, so it is no surprise that the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is acutely concerned about forklift safety rule ...
Sep 14, 2012
"Asbestos is an extremely hazardous material that can potentially cause lifelong, irreversible health conditions," said John Hermanson, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "It is imperative that OSHA's safety and health ...
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