Fatal work injuries totaled 78 in 2016 for Washington, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Richard Holden noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Washington was higher than the 70 fatalities in the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 128 in 1996 to a low of 56 in 2013. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a total of 5,190 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2016, a 7-percent increase from the 4,836 fatal injuries in 2015, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. This was the third consecutive increase in annual workplace fatalities and the first time more than 5,000 fatalities have been recorded since 2008.

Type of incident

In Washington, transportation incidents resulted in 27 fatal work injuries and falls, slips, and trips accounted for 24 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 65 percent of all workplace fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) The number of worker deaths from transportation incidents fell by two over the year, while fatalities from falls, slips, and trips rose by three.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2016, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most common fatal event (17 percent), followed by falls, slips, or trips (16 percent).

Industry

The private agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry sector had the highest number of fatalities in Washington with 15, compared to 16 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal event in the sector with 8 worker deaths. Five of those fatally injured in this sector worked in logging.

The private construction sector had 14 workplace fatalities in 2016. Specialty trade contractors accounted for half of the fatalities in this industry.

Occupation

Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 18. (See table 3.) Eleven of these fatalities were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.

Additional highlights:

• Men accounted for 90 percent of the work-related fatalities in Washington, compared to the 93-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 39 percent of the fatalities for men in Washington.
• White non-Hispanics accounted for 77 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 67 percent of work-related deaths.
• Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 64 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2016, compared to 57 percent nationwide.
• Of the 78 fatally-injured workers in Washington, 76 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers was transportation incidents.

Technical Note

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 ensures counts are as complete and accurate as possible.  For the 2016 national data, over 23,300 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for CFOI, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm.

Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, even those that may be outside the scope of other agencies or regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison between the BLS fatality census counts and those released by other agencies should take into account the different coverage requirements and definitions being used by each agency. More on the scope of CFOI can be found at www.bls.gov/iif/cfoiscope.htm.

Acknowledgments. BLS 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 sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200. Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Washington, 2015–16

Event or exposure (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	70	78	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	7	13	17
Intentional injury by person	6	13	17
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	5	9	12
Shooting by other person--intentional	5	7	9
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	--	4	5
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm	--	3	4
Transportation incidents	29	27	35
Pedestrian vehicular incident	6	4	5
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	3	3	4
Water vehicle incidents	1	3	4
Capsized or sinking water vehicle	1	1	1
Machinery or equipment incident on water vehicle	--	1	1
Fall on water vehicle	--	1	1
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	12	15	19
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	5	8	10
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	5	7	9
Roadway noncollision incident	5	5	6
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	--	5	6
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	5	4	5
Nonroadway noncollision incident	4	3	4
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	--	3	4
Falls, slips, trips	21	24	31
Falls to lower level	17	22	28
Fall from collapsing structure or equipment	--	3	4
Fall through surface or existing opening	--	3	4
Other fall to lower level	15	16	21
Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet	3	4	5
Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet	3	3	4
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	3	3	4
Contact with objects and equipment	10	8	10
Struck by object or equipment	9	7	9
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	6	5	6
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 final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Washington, 2015–16

Industry (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	70	78	100
Private industry	63	73	94
Natural resources and mining	16	16	21
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	16	15	19
Crop production	7	7	9
Fruit and tree nut farming	6	3	4
Noncitrus fruit and tree nut farming	6	3	4
Forestry and logging	6	5	6
Logging	5	5	6
Construction	9	14	18
Construction	9	14	18
Construction of buildings	--	3	4
Heavy and civil engineering construction	--	4	5
Utility system construction	--	3	4
Specialty trade contractors	6	7	9
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors	4	3	4
Building finishing contractors	--	1	1
Painting and wall covering contractors	--	1	1
Manufacturing	6	4	5
Manufacturing	6	4	5
Food manufacturing	--	1	1
Seafood product preparation and packaging	--	1	1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	15	16	21
Retail trade	4	6	8
General merchandise stores	--	3	4
Transportation and warehousing	7	10	13
Truck transportation	5	8	10
General freight trucking	--	3	4
General freight trucking, long-distance	--	2	3
General freight trucking, long-distance, truckload	--	2	3
Specialized freight trucking	3	5	6
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, long-distance	--	3	4
Support activities for transportation	--	1	1
Support activities for water transportation	--	1	1
Marine cargo handling	--	1	1
Couriers and messengers	1	1	1
Couriers	--	1	1
Financial activities	--	6	8
Real estate and rental and leasing	--	3	4
Professional and business services	6	8	10
Administrative and waste services	5	8	10
Administrative and support services	5	8	10
Services to buildings and dwellings	5	5	6
Landscaping services	3	5	6
Educational and health services	--	3	4
Health care and social assistance	--	3	4
Other services, except public administration	4	3	4
Other services, except public administration	4	3	4
Government (2)	7	5	6
Local government	--	3	4
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012. (2) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Washington, 2015–16

Occupation (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	70	78	100
Management occupations	5	4	5
Other management occupations	--	3	4
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	--	3	4
Protective service occupations	--	4	5
Law enforcement workers	--	1	1
Police officers	--	1	1
Police and sheriff's patrol officers	--	1	1
Other protective service workers	--	3	4
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	4	5	6
Grounds maintenance workers	--	4	5
Grounds maintenance workers	--	4	5
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	--	3	4
Personal care and service occupations	--	1	1
Other personal care and service workers	--	1	1
Recreation and fitness workers	--	1	1
Recreation workers	--	1	1
Sales and related occupations	3	6	8
Supervisors of sales workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of sales workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers	1	1	1
Retail sales workers	--	4	5
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	13	10	13
Agricultural workers	6	4	5
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	6	4	5
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	5	3	4
Forest, conservation, and logging workers	6	5	6
Logging workers	6	5	6
Fallers	4	3	4
Construction and extraction occupations	9	14	18
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	3	4
Construction trades workers	7	9	12
Painters and paperhangers	--	1	1
Painters, construction and maintenance	--	1	1
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	6	7	9
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	3	6	8
Maintenance and repair workers, general	--	3	4
Maintenance and repair workers, general	--	3	4
Transportation and material moving occupations	13	18	23
Motor vehicle operators	8	13	17
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	6	13	17
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	4	11	14
Water transportation workers	--	1	1
Sailors and marine oilers	--	1	1
Sailors and marine oilers	--	1	1
Material moving workers	--	3	4
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, Washington, 2015–16

Worker characteristics	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	70	78	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	52	59	76
Self-employed (2)	18	19	24
Gender
Men	62	70	90
Women	8	8	10
Age (3)
20 to 24 years	4	5	6
25 to 34 years	14	9	12
35 to 44 years	5	13	17
45 to 54 years	15	19	24
55 to 64 years	20	18	23
65 years and over	12	13	17
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	50	60	77
Hispanic or Latino	14	13	17
Footnotes: (1) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. (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 Hispanic and Latino workers.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.