Occupational highway transportation deaths --- United States, 2003--2008

Highway transportation crashes are the leading cause of fatal injuries in the United States for both workers and the general population (1,2). Prevention of work-related highway transportation deaths, and highway transportation deaths in general, are long-standing public health priorities (1,3). To assess trends and help guide the prevention of occupational highway transportation deaths, CDC analyzed data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) for 2003–2008.     

Fatal injuries among grounds maintenance workers: United States, 2003--2008

A total of 1,142 grounds maintenance workers (GMWs) were fatally injured at work during 2003--2008, an average of 190 each year. GMWs accounted for 3.4% of all occupational fatalities, and 31% of those GMWs were Hispanic or Latino. Approximately 83% of the Hispanic or Latino GMWs who died were born outside the United States. In 2008, approximately 1.52 million persons were employed as GMWs, constituting 1.0% of the U.S. workforce. During 2003--2007, an average of 13.3 per 100,000 employed GMWs died each year, compared with an overall rate of 4.0 fatalities per 100,000 U.S. workers. The rate of on-the-job fatal injuries among GMWs has remained elevated relative to other workers for >20 years. This report characterizes events leading to GMW fatalities and differences in fatality characteristics across demographic groups among GMWs, based on an evaluation of 2003--2008 data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. The report also identifies workplace interventions that might reduce the incidence of fatal injuries. Major events leading to GMW occupational fatalities included transportation incidents (31%), contact with objects and equipment (25%), falls (23%), and traumatic acute exposures to harmful substances or environments (e.g., electrocution and drowning) (16%). To reduce the incidence of such fatalities, employers, trade and worker associations, and policy makers should focus on effective, targeted workplace safety interventions such as frequent hazard identification and training for specific hazards. Diversity among the populations of workers requires use of culture- and language-appropriate training techniques as part of comprehensive injury and illness prevention programs.     

Fatalities among oil and gas extraction workers--United States, 2003-2006

Oil and gas extraction (i.e., removing oil and natural gas from the ground) is a growing industry in the United States, employing approximately 380,000 workers in 2006. In recent years, activity in this industry has increased substantially, from an average of 800 actively drilling rigs in the United States during the 1990s to approximately 1,300 during 2003-2006. In August 2005, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) asked CDC to investigate a 15% increase in fatalities among oil and gas extraction workers (from 85 fatalities in 2003 to 98 in 2004). CDC analyzed data from the BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) for the period 2003-2006. This report describes the results of that analysis, which indicated that increases in oil and gas extraction activity were correlated with an increase in the rate of fatal occupational injuries in this industry, with an annual fatality rate of 30.5 per 100,000 workers (404 fatalities) during 2003-2006, approximately seven times the rate for all workers (4.0 per 100,000 workers). Nearly half of all fatal injuries among these workers were attributed to highway motor-vehicle crashes and workers being struck by machinery or equipment. Employers should work with existing industry groups and federal, state, and local government agencies to promote seatbelt use. In addition, researchers and public health officials should collaborate with industry groups to establish engineering and process controls that remove workers from potentially dangerous machinery while drilling and servicing oil and gas wells.     

Comparison of fatal occupational injury surveillance systems between the European Union and the United States

BACKGROUND: Comparison of workplace injury statistics among countries is often problematic, mainly because work injury statistics are based on different national recording and notification systems. METHODS: Definitions of fatal work-related injuries, identification of the reference population, and rates of fatal work-related injuries, from 1995 to 1998, were compared between the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW) and the United States (U.S.) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). RESULTS: Similar definitions for workplace fatalities were found, but CFOI is based on an active search, and ESAW on passive notification. Daily fatal occupational injury numbers were similar in both: about 17 workers die per day, but average annual work-related death rates were higher in the U.S. CONCLUSIONS: There are enough differences to allow direct comparisons between both systems. CFOI is likely to be more comprehensive than ESAW. It is conceivable that the true number of fatal occupational injuries in the European Union (E.U.) could be higher, and thus the apparent difference in U.S. and E.U. fatal injury rates may be an artifact of the different surveillance systems.     

Is it safe on deck? Fatal and non‐fatal workplace injuries among Alaskan commercial fishermen*

BACKGROUND: Commercial fishing in Alaska accounts for an occupational fatality rate that is 28 times the rate for all U.S. workers. Most deaths are attributed to vessel sinking or capsizing. However, many deaths and most non-fatal injuries are not related to vessel loss. This paper describes injuries that occur on the dock or on the fishing vessel. METHODS: Data from fishing fatalities and non-fatal injuries between 1991-1998 were analyzed using the Alaska Occupational Injury Surveillance System and the Alaska Trauma Registry. RESULTS: There were 60 workplace deaths unrelated to vessel loss; most from falls overboard, others from trauma caused by equipment on deck. There were 574 hospitalized injuries, often from falls on deck, entanglement in machinery, or being struck by an object. SUMMARY: Fishing boats are hazardous working environments. Further efforts are required to prevent falls overboard and on deck, and to redesign or install safety features on fishing machinery and equipment.     

Occupational injury mortality surveillance in the United States: an examination of census counts from two different surveillance systems, 1992-1997

BACKGROUND: The surveillance of occupational injury mortality in the United States has evolved over the last century. Currently there are two different data sources used for the study of occupational injury mortality. Each system varies in methodology, leading to different census counts. We provide an overview and analysis of similarities and differences in these two systems. METHODS: The National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance system and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) were examined for civilian deaths at work in the United States from 1992 to 1997. RESULTS: There were 31,643 occupational injury mortality cases according to NTOF and 37,023 from CFOI for civilian workers 16-years and older in the United States for the 6-year period of analysis. The annual average occupational injury mortality rates were 4.5 per 100,000 full time equivalent workers from NTOF and 5.2 from CFOI. The higher capture rate by CFOI was consistent across each of the 6 years. Similar patterns for demographics, industry, and occupation, and type of incident were seen for both systems. CONCLUSIONS: While NTOF provides more years of data dating back to 1980, CFOI (established in 1992) provides a more comprehensive capture of occupational injury mortality and provides greater detail of the mortality incidents. The overall injury mortality patterns, however, appear to be similar between the systems.     

Agricultural Injuries and Illnesses in Texas

SUMMARY

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program and the Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, which are conducted by states in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, can provide some useful prevalence and case characteristic data for states that do not have other comprehensive agricultural injury and illness surveillance programs. In Texas, these programs have been the primary source of surveillance data, despite certain limitations inherent in the programs. CFOI findings for Texas in 1994 indicate a rate of 13 fatal work injuries per 100,000 agricultural workers in Texas, more than twice the rate for all workers in the state. Vehicles and machinery combined accounted for over half of all fatal work injuries in agriculture in the state between 1991 and 1994. Results from the Annual Survey indicate a nonfatal incidence rate of 307 events involving days away from work per 10,000 agricultural workers. Overexertion, falls, and workers struck by objects led all other nonfatal events in the industry in 1993.     

Comparison of agricultural injuries reported in the media and census of fatal occupational injuries

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes annual statistics on occupational injuries and fatalities in the United States. The BLS fatality data include all agricultural workers while the non-fatal injury data only cover hired employees on large farms. In 2012, the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH) began collecting regional media monitoring data of agricultural injury incidents to augment national statistics. The aims of this report were: a) to compare CS-CASH injury and fatality data collected via print and online sources to data reported in previous studies, and b) to compare fatality data from media monitoring to BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) data. CS-CASH media monitoring data were collected from a news clipping service and an internet detection and notification system. These data covered years 2012–2017 in seven Midwestern states (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota). CS-CASH occupational fatality data were compared with aggregate CFOI data for the region during 2012–2015. Media monitoring captured 1048 injury cases; 586 (56%) were non-fatal and 462 (44%) were fatal. The numbers of occupational fatality cases from media monitoring and CFOI were nearly identical (280 vs. 282, respectively), and the distributions by type of injury were similar. Findings suggest that media monitoring can capture equal numbers of fatalities compared to CFOI. Non-fatal injuries, not captured by national surveillance systems, can be collected and tracked using print and electronic media. Risk factors, identified in media sources, such as gender, age, time, and source of the incident are consistent with previously reported data. Media monitoring can provide timely access to detailed information on individual cases, which is important for detecting unique and emerging hazards, designing interventions and for setting policy and guiding national strategies.     

Societal cost of workplace homicides in the United States, 1992-2001

BACKGROUND: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reported 8,672 workplace homicide victims between 1992 and 2001. Although rarely calculated, cost estimates are important for prevention and research efforts. METHODS: Societal costs were estimated using the cost-of-illness approach applied to CFOI data. The cost calculation model incorporated medical expenses, future earnings summed from the year of death until the year the decedent would have been 67, and household production losses (includes activities such as child care and housework). RESULTS: Workplace homicide had a total cost of nearly 6.5 billion dollars and a mean cost of 800,000 dollars between 1992 and 2001. The retail trade industry division had the highest number of homicides and total cost, 2.1 billion dollars, for males and 556,000 dollars for females. CONCLUSIONS: Estimates of the cost of work-related homicides can be used to improve occupational injury prevention and control program planning, policy analysis, evaluation of safety and health interventions, and advocacy for a safer work environment.     

The global burden due to occupational injury

BACKGROUND: Occupational injuries are a public health problem, estimated to kill more than 300,000 workers worldwide every year and to cause many more cases of disability. We estimate the global burden of fatal and non-fatal unintentional occupational injuries for the year 2000. METHODS: The economically active population (EAP) of about 2.9 billion workers was used as a surrogate of the population at risk for occupational injuries. Occupational unintentional injury fatality rates for insured workers, by country, were used to estimate WHO regional rates. These were applied to regional EAP to estimate the number of deaths. In addition to mortality, the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost, which measure both morbidity and mortality, were calculated for 14 WHO regions. RESULTS: Worldwide, hazardous conditions in the workplace were responsible for a minimum of 312,000 fatal unintentional occupational injuries. Together, fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries resulted in about 10.5 million DALYs; that is, about 3.5 years of healthy life are lost per 1,000 workers every year globally. Occupational risk factors are responsible for 8.8% of the global burden of mortality due to unintentional injuries and 8.1% of DALYs due to this outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational injuries constitute a substantial global burden. However, our findings greatly underestimate the impact of occupational risk factors leading to injuries in the overall burden of disease. Our estimates could not include intentional injuries at work, or commuting injuries, due to lack of global data. Additional factors contributing to grave underestimation of occupational injuries include limited insurance coverage of workers and substantial under-reporting of fatal injuries in record-keeping systems globally. About 113,000 deaths were probably missed in our analyses due to under-reporting alone. It is clear that known prevention strategies need to be implemented widely to diminish the avoidable burden of injuries in the workplace.     

Work-related roadway crashes--United States, 1992-2002

The risk for roadway crashes associated with driving or riding in a motor vehicle at work affects millions of persons in the United States. In 2001, approximately 4.2 million U.S. workers were classified as motor-vehicle operators (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], unpublished data, 2001). Workers who use motor vehicles to perform their jobs include those who operate vehicles owned or leased by their employers and those who drive personal vehicles for work purposes. To characterize fatal occupational roadway crashes and identify workers at highest risk for fatality, CDC analyzed data for 1992-2002 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) of BLS. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that roadway crashes were the leading cause of occupational fatalities and that workers in transportation-related occupations were at highest risk. Effective strategies to prevent motor-vehicle-related crashes in the general public also can reduce work-related crashes. Employers should promote safe driving through vehicle selection and company policy.     

Baler and compactor-related deaths in the workplace--United States, 1992-2000

Equipment that compacts and bales loose solid waste materials into denser, more easilytransported units is common in refuse disposal and recycling and is used routinely at recycling centers, manufacturing facilities, and retail and wholesale stores to compress paper, textiles, metals, plastic, and other material. Persons operating balers and compactors can become caught by the powered rams of the compression chambers while using these machines. Risk factors resulting from these incidents have been identified through surveillance findings and results of investigations conducted by CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), a nationwide multisource reporting system for occupational deaths. This report describes the results of two baler and compactor-related investigations conducted during 1992-2000, summarizes surveillance data from 1992 through 1998, which indicated that some employers and workers may have been unaware of the hazards of operating or working near compacting and baling equipment, and suggests safety recommendations for preventing future incidents.     

Fatal occupational injuries of women, Texas 1975-84

A review of Texas death certificates for 1975-84 identified 348 cases of fatal occupational injuries of civilian females. Homicides accounted for 53 per cent and motor vehicle-related injuries accounted for 26 per cent of the deaths. Injuries from firearms caused 70 per cent of the homicides. One hundred thirty-three deaths occurred to women employed in the retail trade industry; of these, 77 per cent resulted from homicide. Women workers in gasoline service stations, food-bakery-and-dairy stores, and eating-and-drinking places had especially high risks of homicide. Texas female heavy-truck drivers had the highest fatal-injury rate, with motor-vehicle-related injuries causing 89 per cent of their deaths. These results indicate that effective strategies to prevent fatal occupational injuries of Texas women will need to address the problems of workplace violence and the hazards posed by motor vehicles.     

Occupational fatalities of Hispanic construction workers from 1992 to 2000

BACKGROUND: Hispanic construction employment has dramatically increased, yet published data on occupational risk is lacking. METHODS: Data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and current population survey (CPS) were examined from 1992 to 2000. Fatality rate, relative risk (RR), and risk index were calculated using CFOI fatality data and CPS data on hours worked, adjusted to full-time-equivalents (FTE). Data between 1996 and 2000 were combined to allow reliable comparisons of age and occupational groups. RR and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: In 2000, Hispanics constituted less than 16% of the construction workforce yet suffered 23.5% of fatal injuries. RRs were: helpers, construction trades, 2.31 (95% CI: 1.41-3.80); roofers 1.77 (95% CI: 1.38-2.28); carpenters 1.39 (95% CI: 1.08-1.79); and construction laborers 1.31 (95% CI: 1.17-1.46). CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic construction workers consistently faced higher RRs, for every year from 1992 to 2000 and for every age group. In 2000, Hispanic construction workers were nearly twice (1.84, 95% CI: 1.60-2.10) as likely to be killed by occupational injuries as their non-Hispanic counterparts.     

Fatal and nonfatal injuries related to violence in Washington workplaces, 1992

This study describes injuries related to assaults and violence that occurred in Washington State workplaces in 1992. Nonfatal injuries are emphasized. High-risk industries and occupations are described. Fatalities caused by work-related violence were identified using the 1992 U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Nonfatal injuries were identified using the BLS Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and the Washington State workers' compensation system. Thirteen occupational fatalities resulted from assaults or violent acts in 1992. BLS data identified 784 nonfatal injuries that resulted in one or more day off work; workers' compensation data identified 2,395 claims. Industries experiencing the highest claim rates were Social Services (148 per 10,000) and Health Services (106 per 10,000). Nonfatal violent injuries were common and appeared to have different risk factors than fatal injuries. Industries in which injuries occurred were often predictable and suggested specific strategies for prevention efforts. © 1996 Wiley-Liss. Inc.     

Machinery-related fatalities in the construction industry

The National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance system identified machinery-related incidents as the fourth leading cause of traumatic occupational fatalities in the U.S. construction industry between 1980 and 1992, resulting in 1,901 deaths and 2.13 deaths per 100, 000 workers. Fatality rates declined 50% over the study period. Workers in three occupation divisions—precision production, craft, and repair; transportation and material moving; and handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers—had both the highest frequency and rate of fatalities. Cranes, excavating machinery, and tractors were the machines most frequently involved. The most common incident types were: struck by a mobile machine; overturn; and struck by a boom. Further delineation of groups at highest risk for machinery-related injuries is complicated by a lack of data on exposure to machinery. The findings suggest that injury prevention programs should focus not only on machine operators, but on those who work on foot around machines. Am. J. Ind. Med. 32:42-50, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.     

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among older workers --- United States, 2009

Older workers (defined as those aged ≥ 55 years) represented 19% of the U.S. workforce in 2009* and are the nation's fastest growing segment of the working population (1). To identify occupational safety issues affecting older workers, an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) was conducted by CDC, BLS, and several state partners. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, based on employer reports, an estimated 210,830 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among older workers in 2009 resulted in lost workdays. Although older workers had similar or lower rates for all injuries and illnesses combined compared with younger workers, the length of absence from work increased steadily with age and was highest for older workers (medians of 11 and 12 days for workers aged 55-64 years and ≥ 65 years, respectively). Older workers had higher rates of falls on the same level, fractures, and hip injuries compared with younger workers and workers of all ages. Public health and research agencies should conduct research to better understand the overall burden of occupational injuries and illnesses on older workers, aging-associated risks, and effective prevention strategies. Employers and others should take steps to address specific risks for older workers such as falls (e.g., by ensuring floor surfaces are clean, dry, well-lit, and free from tripping hazardS.)     

Expanded analysis of injury mortality among unionized construction workers

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the utility of expanding the number and precision of injury categories used in previous occupational mortality studies, this study reanalyzed data from four previous studies of unionized construction workers (construction laborers, ironworkers, sheet metal workers, and operating engineers), by expanding the number of injury categories from 6 to 33. METHODS: Proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) were computed using the distribution of deaths from the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance System, a mortality surveillance system from 28 states, as a comparison. A blue collar comparison group was also used in additional analyses to adjust for socioeconomic and other factors. RESULTS: This reanalysis identified significantly elevated PMRs in at least one of the four worker groups for falls, motor vehicle crashes, machinery incidents, electrocutions, being struck by falling objects, being struck by flying objects, explosions, suffocation, and water transport incidents. Limiting the comparison population to deaths among blue collar workers did not change the results substantially. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that increasing the precision of categories of death from injury routinely used in mortality studies will provide improved information to guide prevention. Am. J. Ind. Med. 37:364-373, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Fatalities construction industry in the United States, 1992 and 1993

To improve the estimates of occupational fatality rates for persons employed in the construction industry, several sources of data on the number of fatalities (the numerator) and the number of persons engaged in construction work (the denominator) were examined. Based on this examination, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), was used to obtain numerators and the Current Population Survey, conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the BLS, was used to obtain denominators. Adjustments were made in the numerator to include only occupations that were included in the denominator. Occupations were divided into two groups—those in the construction trades and those in other occupations within construction (e.g., clerical, sales). The analysis found fatality rates of 14.2 and 13.3 per 100,000 person-years, respectively, for 1992 and 1993, with wide variation in rates among the different trades. There were also major differences among the trades in the types of fatal injuries. Self-employed workers had much lower death rates overall than wage workers, but this is largely due to much lower proportions of high hazard trades among the self-employed. There have been wide variations in the occupational fatality rates reported for construction workers each year due to the differing methods of estimating the number of fatalities by the different data sources. This study provides a baseline of fatality rates using the best available current data. It compares the results from these data sources with those from other sources that have been used and discusses some of the problems inherent in the data from other sources. This study provides a significantly improved protocol for the calculation of fatality rates against which later rates can be compared consistently. Nevertheless, many deficiencies in the data sources used are identified. There remains ample room for continued improvement. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.