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News Release Information

24-83-CHI
Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

Fatal Work Injuries in Illinois — 2022

Fatal work injuries totaled 177 in 2022 for Illinois, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Illinois was up from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 262 in 1996 to a low of 135 in 2020. Nationwide, a total of 5,486 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2022, a 5.7-percent increase from 5,190 in 2021, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).


Fatal event or exposure

In Illinois, transportation incidents resulted in 75 fatal work injuries and accounted for 42 percent of all fatal workplace injuries in the state. (See chart 2 and table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were up from 59 over the year.

Exposure to harmful substances or environments accounted for 30 fatalities, up from 21 over the year. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 26 fatalities, down from 37 in the prior year. Falls, slips, or trips resulted in 23 work-related deaths compared to 33 in 2021.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal event in 2022, accounting for 38 percent of fatal work injuries. Falls, slips, and trips was the second-most common fatal event (16 percent), followed by both violence and other injuries by persons or animals and exposure to harmful substances or environments (15 percent each).


Industry

The private transportation and warehousing industry sector had the highest number of fatalities in Illinois with 41, the same as in the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents resulted in 27 of the 41 fatalities in the industry. The truck transportation subsector accounted for 25 of the 41 fatal workplace injuries in the transportation and warehousing industry.

The private construction industry sector had 27 fatal workplace injuries, up from 19 in the previous year. The specialty trade contractors subsector accounted for 21, or 78 percent, of the fatal injuries in the construction industry.

Occupation

The transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 56. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 25 of the 56 fatalities among transportation and material moving workers. The construction and extraction occupational group had the second-highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 27. Construction laborers suffered eight of the work-related deaths within the construction and extraction group.

Additional highlights

Men accounted for 94 percent of the work-related fatalities in Illinois, compared to the 92-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 43 percent of the fatalities for men in Illinois.

White non-Hispanics accounted for 68 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 58 percent of work-related deaths.

Workers 55 years and over accounted for 39 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2022, compared to 35 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.

Of the 177 fatal work injuries in Illinois, 75 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both wage and salary workers and self-employed workers was transportation incidents.


Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, is a count of all fatalities resulting from workplace injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI uses a variety of state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This ensures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2022 national data, over 27,200 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see the BLS Handbook of Methods and the CFOI definitions.

Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, some of which may be outside the scope of other agencies or regulatory coverage. Comparisons between CFOI counts and those released by other agencies should account for the different coverage requirements and definitions used by each agency. For more information on the scope of CFOI, see Scope of the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries: Concepts.

Latency Cases. Latent fatal occupational injury cases occur when the date of injury differs from the date of death. In some cases, the death occurs in a different year than the occupational injury and are known as cross-year latent cases. In 2022, there were 186 cases nationally where this occurred, and 157 of these latent cases occurred more than 30 days prior to the start of 2022. For more information on latent cases, see Understanding latency in fatal occupational injuries.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. CFOI reports fatal workplace injuries only. These may include fatal workplace injuries complicated by an illness such as COVID-19. Fatal workplace illnesses not precipitated by an injury are not in scope for CFOI. CFOI does not report any illness related information, including COVID-19. Additional information is available on the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, Compensation, Occupational Requirements, and Work Stoppages Statistics.

Acknowledgments. BLS thanks the Illinois Department of Public Health 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 entities that provided source documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation divisions); the Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; state vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of health, labor, and industrial relations and workers' compensation agencies; state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Illinois, 2021–22
Event or exposure (1) 2021 2022
Number Number Percent

Total

176 177 100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

37 26 15

Intentional injury by person

36 25 14

Homicides--Intentional injury by other person

-- 21 12

Shooting by other person--intentional

-- 16 9

Suicides--Self-inflicted injury--intentional

7 4 2

Transportation incidents

59 75 42

Pedestrian vehicular incident

13 12 7

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway

3 5 3

Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in roadway

3 4 2

Pedestrian struck by vehicle on side of road

-- 2 1

Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle on side of road

-- 2 1

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area

9 5 3

Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in nonroadway area

-- 4 2

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle

37 54 31

Roadway collision with other vehicle

24 40 23

Roadway collision--moving in same direction

8 12 7

Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming

6 17 10

Roadway collision--moving and standing vehicle in roadway

4 4 2

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle

6 6 3

Roadway noncollision incident

7 7 4

Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway

-- 3 2

Ran off roadway

5 3 2

Fall or jump from vehicle in normal operation, roadway

-- 1 1

Fires and explosions

3 -- --

Falls, slips, trips

33 23 13

Falls to lower level

26 19 11

Fall from collapsing structure or equipment

-- 1 1

Other fall to lower level

23 18 10

Other fall to lower level 21 to 25 feet

-- 3 2

Other fall to lower level more than 30 feet

5 3 2

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

21 30 17

Exposure to electricity

-- 4 2

Direct exposure to electricity

-- 4 2

Exposure to temperature extremes

-- 6 3

Exposure to environmental heat

-- 4 2

Contact with hot objects or substances

-- 2 1

Exposure to other harmful substances

15 15 8

Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose

15 12 7

Exposure to oxygen deficiency, n.e.c.

-- 5 3

Drowning, submersion, n.e.c.

-- -- --

Depletion of oxygen

-- 2 1

Contact with objects and equipment

23 -- --

Overexertion and bodily reaction

-- -- --

Footnotes:
(1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward.

NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Illinois, 2021–22
Industry (1) 2021 2022
Number Number Percent

Total

176 177 100

Private Industry (2)

154 161 91

Goods producing

-- -- --

Natural resources and mining

-- 12 7

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

14 12 7

Crop production

13 9 5

Oilseed and grain farming

9 6 3

Soybean farming

4 1 1

Corn farming

5 5 3

Construction

19 27 15

Construction

19 27 15

Specialty trade contractors

16 21 12

Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors

4 13 7

Masonry contractors

-- 3 2

Roofing contractors

-- 4 2

Residential roofing contractors

-- 1 1

Other foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors

-- 4 2

Other specialty trade contractors

-- 1 1

Site preparation contractors

-- 1 1

Nonresidential site preparation contractors

-- 1 1

Manufacturing

19 20 11

Manufacturing

19 20 11

Food manufacturing

5 4 2

Wood product manufacturing

-- 2 1

Other wood product manufacturing

-- 2 1

Millwork

-- 1 1

Plastics and rubber products manufacturing

-- 1 1

Plastics product manufacturing

-- 1 1

Other plastics product manufacturing

-- 1 1

Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing

-- 1 1

Cement and concrete product manufacturing

-- 1 1

Other concrete product manufacturing

-- 1 1

Primary metal manufacturing

1 3 2

Foundries

-- 3 2

Fabricated metal product manufacturing

4 6 3

Coating, engraving, heat treating, and allied activities

-- 1 1

Coating, engraving, heat treating, and allied activities

-- 1 1

Service providing (3)

-- -- --

Trade, transportation, and utilities

60 54 31

Wholesale trade

11 4 2

Retail trade

8 9 5

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

-- 3 2

Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers

-- 1 1

Building material and supplies dealers

-- 1 1

Food and beverage stores

3 3 2

Grocery stores

3 3 2

Supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores

-- 1 1

Transportation and warehousing

41 41 23

Water transportation

-- 1 1

Inland water transportation

-- 1 1

Inland water transportation

-- 1 1

Inland water freight transportation

-- 1 1

Truck transportation

25 25 14

General freight trucking

19 18 10

General freight trucking, local

8 5 3

General freight trucking, long-distance

11 10 6

Specialized freight trucking

6 6 3

Transit and ground passenger transportation

3 6 3

Interurban and rural bus transportation

-- 1 1

Interurban and rural bus transportation

-- 1 1

Taxi and limousine service

3 4 2

Taxi service

-- 4 2

Charter bus industry

-- 1 1

Charter bus industry

-- 1 1

Support activities for transportation

4 5 3

Support activities for road transportation

-- 3 2

Motor vehicle towing

-- 3 2

Couriers and messengers

1 1 1

Couriers and express delivery services

-- 1 1

Couriers and express delivery services

-- 1 1

Warehousing and storage

8 3 2

Warehousing and storage

8 3 2

Information

4 3 2

Information

4 3 2

Financial activities

5 -- --

Real estate and rental and leasing

4 3 2

Real estate

4 3 2

Professional and business services

14 -- --

Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services

11 14 8

Administrative and support services

11 14 8

Services to buildings and dwellings

-- 10 6

Landscaping services

-- 10 6

Educational and health services

-- 3 2

Health care and social assistance

3 3 2

Social assistance

-- 1 1

Vocational rehabilitation services

-- 1 1

Vocational rehabilitation services

-- 1 1

Leisure and hospitality

5 14 8

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

-- 4 2

Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries

-- 2 1

Spectator sports

-- 2 1

Spectator sports

-- 2 1

Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries

-- 2 1

Gambling industries

-- 2 1

Casinos--except casino hotels

-- 2 1

Accommodation and food services

5 10 6

Accommodation

-- 1 1

Rooming and boarding houses, dormitories, and workers' camps

-- 1 1

Rooming and boarding houses, dormitories, and workers' camps

-- 1 1

Food services and drinking places

-- 9 5

Drinking places--alcoholic beverages

-- 2 1

Drinking places--alcoholic beverages

-- 2 1

Restaurants and other eating places

-- 7 4

Restaurants and other eating places

-- 7 4

Full-service restaurants

-- 4 2

Other services, except public administration

8 8 5

Other services, except public administration

8 8 5

Repair and maintenance

5 6 3

Automotive repair and maintenance

-- 4 2

Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance

-- 2 1

Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance

-- 2 1

Public administration

-- -- --

Government (4)

22 -- --

Federal government

3 -- --

State government

4 7 4

Local government

15 8 5

Footnotes:
(1) CFOI has used several versions of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) since 2003 to define industry. For complete information on the version of NAICS used in this year, see our concepts page at https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/concepts.htm#industry.
(2) Cases where ownership is unknown are included in private industry counts.
(3) Cases where industry is unknown are included in the service sector counts.
(4) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry. Cases classified as foreign government and other government are included in all government counts, but not displayed separately.

NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Illinois, 2021–22
Occupation (1) 2021 2022
Number Number Percent

Total

176 177 100

Management occupations

17 19 11

Business and financial operations occupations

-- -- --

Computer and mathematical occupations

-- -- --

Architecture and engineering occupations

-- -- --

Life, physical, and social science occupations

-- -- --

Community and social service occupations

-- -- --

Legal occupations

-- -- --

Educational instruction and library occupations

-- -- --

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations

1 2 1

Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers

-- 2 1

Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers

-- 2 1

Athletes and sports competitors

-- 2 1

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations

-- -- --

Healthcare support occupations

-- -- --

Protective service occupations

20 5 3

Other protective service workers

6 3 2

Security guards and gambling surveillance officers

6 3 2

Security guards

6 3 2

Food preparation and serving related occupations

3 5 3

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

10 13 7

Grounds maintenance workers

3 7 4

Grounds maintenance workers

3 7 4

Personal care and service occupations

2 -- --

Sales and related occupations

9 6 3

Supervisors of sales workers

-- 3 2

First-line supervisors of sales workers

-- 3 2

First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

-- 3 2

Office and administrative support occupations

4 -- --

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

-- 3 2

Construction and extraction occupations

16 27 15

Supervisors of construction and extraction workers

-- 4 2

First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

-- 4 2

First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

-- 4 2

Construction trades workers

13 18 10

Carpenters

-- 6 3

Carpenters

-- 6 3

Construction laborers

3 8 5

Construction laborers

3 8 5

Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

2 1 1

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

2 1 1

Other construction and related workers

-- 4 2

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

14 13 7

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers

6 6 3

Automotive technicians and repairers

4 3 2

Automotive service technicians and mechanics

4 3 2

Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4 5 3

Miscellaneous installation, maintenance, and repair workers

-- 1 1

Production occupations

8 16 9

Metal workers and plastic workers

4 11 6

Welding, soldering, and brazing workers

-- 3 2

Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders

-- 3 2

Miscellaneous metal workers and plastic workers

-- 4 2

Transportation and material moving occupations

64 56 32

Supervisors of transportation and material moving workers

3 1 1

First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers

3 1 1

Motor vehicle operators

42 39 22

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

38 33 19

Driver/sales workers

3 4 2

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

30 25 14

Light truck drivers

5 4 2

Passenger vehicle drivers

4 6 3

Material moving workers

19 16 9

Laborers and material movers

14 13 7

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

-- 11 6

Footnotes:
(1) CFOI has used several versions of the Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) system since 2003 to define occupation. For complete information on the version of SOC used in these years, see our definitions page at https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/concepts.htm#occupation. Cases where occupation is unknown are included in the total.

NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, Illinois, 2021–22
Worker characteristics 2021 2022
Number Number Percent

Total

176 177 100

Employee status

Wage and salary workers (1)

140 132 75

Self-employed (2)

36 45 25

Gender

Men

157 166 94

Women

19 11 6

Age (3)

18 to 19 years

-- 3 2

20 to 24 years

14 10 6

25 to 34 years

31 27 15

35 to 44 years

27 31 18

45 to 54 years

31 37 21

55 to 64 years

42 36 20

65 years and over

31 33 19

Race or ethnic origin (4)

White, non-Hispanic

108 121 68

Black or African-American, non-Hispanic

35 27 15

Hispanic or Latino

27 25 14

Asian, non-Hispanic

4 4 2

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic

-- -- --

Footnotes:
(1) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. Cases where employment status is unknown are included in the counts of wage and salary workers.
(2) Includes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses and farms, paid and unpaid family workers, and may include some owners of incorporated businesses or members of partnerships.
(3) Information may not be available for all age groups.
(4) Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude data for Hispanics and Latinos. Cases where ethnicity is unknown are included in counts of non-Hispanic workers.

NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024