August 24, 2001 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Work-related fatalities decrease in construction industry

Although construction again recorded the highest number of fatal work injuries of any industry, fatalities in construction were down about 3 percent in 2000. It was the first decline for construction since 1996.

Fatal work injuries by industry, 1999 and 2000
[Chart data—TXT]

Job-related fatalities declined 7 percent in manufacturing and 12 percent in agriculture, forestry and fishing; both reached the lowest levels recorded for these industries. Fatalities were also lower in transportation and public utilities, wholesale trade, and finance, insurance, and real estate.

These data are a product of the BLS Safety and Health Statistics Program. The above data are for private industry. Additional information is available from "National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2000," news release USDL 01-261.

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