Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2003

Technical information:(202) 691-6175                        USDL 04-1830
Media information:    (202) 691-5902                        FOR RELEASE:  10 a.m. EDT
Internet address:     http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm   Wednesday, September 22, 2004


                NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN 2003


     A total of 5,559 fatal work injuries were recorded in the U.S. in 2003, a small 
increase from the revised total of 5,534 fatal work injuries reported for 2002, according 
to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 
U.S. Department of Labor.  Despite the increase, fatal work injuries for both 2003 and 2002 
were the lowest ever recorded by the fatality census, which has been conducted each year 
since 1992.  The rate at which fatal work injuries occurred in 2003 was 4.0 fatalities 
per 100,000 workers, unchanged from the rate reported for 2002.  

Profile of 2003 fatal work injuries by type of incident

     Fatal work injuries resulting from highway incidents, falls, and electrocutions were 
all lower in 2003 than in 2002, while fatal injuries involving homicides, fires and 
explosions, and being struck by objects increased.

     Fatal highway incidents were down in 2003 for the second consecutive year, but 
continued to account for the highest number of fatal work injuries.  The 1,350 fatal highway 
incidents recorded in 2003 accounted for about one out of every four fatal work injuries.  
Incidents involving workers struck by vehicles or mobile equipment also were down in 2003, 
but the number of fatal work injuries involving nonhighway transportation incidents (such 
as those that might occur on a farm or industrial premises) and aircraft-related incidents 
were both higher.

     The number of workplace homicides was higher in 2003 -- the first increase since 2000.  
Despite the higher total, the 631 workplace homicides recorded in 2003 represented a 
42 percent decline from the high of 1,080 workplace homicides recorded in 1994.  Workplace 
suicides also were higher in 2003.

     Fatal work injuries involving falls declined in 2003. The 691 fatal falls recorded in 
2003 was the lowest total since 1996.  The number of electrocutions also was lower.  The 246 
electrocutions in 2003 represented a decline of 15 percent from the 2002 total and reflected 
a series low.

     The 198 fatal work injuries resulting from fires and explosions in 2003 was 20 percent 
higher than the total recorded in 2002.  Fatalities from being struck by objects also were 
higher in 2003, led by increases in worker deaths due to being struck by a falling or flying 
object.


Note on industry and occupation classifications: Beginning with the 2003 reference year, 
CFOI began using the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for 
industries and the Standard Occupational Classification system (SOC) for occupations.  
Prior to 2003, the program used the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system and 
the Bureau of the Census occupational classification system.  Because of the substantial 
differences between the current and previous systems, the results by industry and 
occupation in 2003 constitute a break in series, and users are advised against making 
comparisons between the 2003 industry and occupation categories and the results for 
previous years.


Profile of fatal work injuries by private industry

     The largest number of fatal work injuries in 2003 was in the construction sector 
(NAICS 23). The 1,126 fatal work injuries in private construction accounted for more than 
one out of every five fatalities in 2003.  Specialty trade contractors (NAICS 238) recorded 
626 fatalities or about 56 percent of the construction total.  Another 226 construction 
workers were fatally injured while working in building construction (NAICS 236) including 
128 fatalities in residential building construction (NAICS 2361).  Heavy and civil 
engineering construction (NAICS 237) reported 247 fatal work injuries or about 22 percent 
of the construction total.

     The transportation and warehousing sector (NAICS 48-49) accounted for 805 fatal work 
injuries or about 16 percent of the private industry total in 2003.  Truck transportation 
(NAICS 484) recorded 517 fatal work injuries or nearly two-thirds of the transportation and 
warehousing total.

     Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (NAICS 11) recorded 707 fatal work 
injuries, the third highest among NAICS sectors.  Nearly half (47 percent) of the 
agriculture fatalities were in crop production (NAICS 111).

     While private construction had the highest number of fatalities of any sector, the 
highest fatality rate was in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (31.2 fatalities 
per 100,000 workers).  The second highest rate was in the mining sector (26.9 per 100,000), 
followed by transportation and warehousing (17.5 per 100,000) and construction 
(11.7 per 100,000).


Profile of fatal work injuries by occupation

    Transportation and material moving occupations (SOC 53) recorded 1,388 fatalities in 
2003, the most of any major occupational group.  Over half of the fatalities in this group 
involved drivers of heavy trucks or tractor trailers (SOC 53-3032).  Construction and 
extraction occupations (SOC 47) had the second largest number of fatal work injuries among 
major occupational groups.  Construction trade workers (SOC 47-2000) accounted for 784 of 
the 1,033 fatal work injuries in this major group, with construction laborers (SOC 47-2061) 
recording the most fatalities (289) of any individual occupation in the group.

     Other major occupational groups with high numbers of fatalities in 2003 included: 
management occupations (SOC 11) with 630 fatal work injuries, installation, maintenance, 
and repair occupations (SOC 49) with 395 fatalities, and sales and related occupations 
(SOC 41) with 349 fatalities.

     Among the major occupational groups with the highest fatal work injury rates were 
farming, fishing, and forestry occupations (27.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers),  
transportation and material moving occupations (16.9 per 100,000), construction and 
extraction occupations (12.7 per 100,000), and protective service occupations 
(11.4 per 100,000). 

     Individual occupations with particularly high rates in 2003 included logging workers 
(131.6 fatalities per 100,000 workers), fishers and related fishing occupations 
(115 per 100,000), and aircraft pilots and flight engineers (97.4 per 100,000).
 
 
Profile of fatal work injuries by demographic characteristics

     The number of fatal work injuries involving black workers was higher in 2003 after 
declining for the previous three years.  The number of fatally injured black workers rose 
from 491 in 2002 to 542 in 2003, an increase of 10 percent.  Fatalities among white, 
non-Hispanic workers, and Asian, native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander workers also 
increased in 2003.

     Fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers were lower for the second 
consecutive year, although Hispanic workers continued to record the highest rate of fatal 
injuries among the racial/ethnic groups reported (4.5 fatal work injuries per 100,000 
Hispanic workers).  Fatal work injuries among foreign-born Hispanic workers declined for 
the first time ever in the fatality census, although fatalities among native-born Hispanic 
workers rose slightly in 2003. 

     The number of fatal injuries rose for workers under 25 years of age and for workers 
45 years of age and older in 2003, although workers from 25 through 44 years of age recorded 
fewer fatalities.  Workers 65 years of age and older continued to record the highest 
fatality rate of any age group.  The rate of 11.3 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers 
for workers 65 and older was more than three times the rate of 3.3 fatalities per 
100,000 workers for those 25 to 34 years of age.

     The total of 1,167 self-employed workers who were fatally injured in 2003 represented 
an increase of 11 percent over the number reported in 2002.  Fatality rates for 
self-employed workers rose from 10.5 per 100,000 in 2002 to 11.1 per 100,000 in 2003.  
Fatal work injuries involving wage and salary workers were down in 2003. 


Profile of fatal work injuries by state

     Twenty-five states had fewer fatal work injuries in 2003 than in 2002, 24 states and 
the District of Columbia reported higher numbers in 2003, and one state was unchanged.  
Numbers were higher in the Northeast and South, but lower in the West and Midwest in 2003.

     For more detailed state results, contact the individual state agency responsible for 
the collection of CFOI data in that state. Participating agencies and their telephone 
numbers are listed in table 6.


Background of the program

     The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and 
health statistics program, provides a complete count of fatal work injuries available.  
The program uses diverse state and federal data sources to identify, verify, and profile 
fatal work injuries.  Information about each workplace fatality (occupation and other 
worker characteristics, equipment being used, and circumstances of the event) is obtained 
by cross-referencing source documents, such as death certificates, workers’ compensation 
records, and reports to federal and state agencies.  This method assures counts are as 
complete and accurate as possible. For the 2003 data, over 20,000 unique source documents 
were reviewed.

     This is the 12th year that the fatality census has been conducted in all 50 states 
and the District of Columbia.  The BLS fatality census is a federal/state cooperative 
venture in which costs are shared equally.  Additional state-specific data are available 
from the participating agencies listed in table 6.

     Another BLS program, the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, presents 
frequency counts and incidence rates by industry and profiles worker and case 
characteristics of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses that result in lost 
work time.  Copies of the news release on nonfatal injuries and illnesses in 2002 are 
available from BLS by calling (202) 691-6179 or by accessing the website listed below.  
Incidence rates for 2003 by industry will be published in December 2004, and information 
on 2003 worker and case characteristics will be available in the spring of 2005.  For 
additional data, access the BLS Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/iif/. 

     To request a copy of BLS Report 977 which highlights 2002 fatality results and includes 
a number of analytical articles, e-mail your address to CFOIStaff@bls.gov or write to 
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Room 3180, Washington, DC  20212.


Chart 1. The three most frequent work-related fatal events, 1992-2003
Chart 2. Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries by industry sector, 2003
Chart 3. Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries for selected occupations, 2003