Fatal work injuries totaled 93 in 2011 for Iowa, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that while the 2011 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Iowa increased by 16 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 110 in 1992 to a low of 54 in 1995. Over the previous two years, the number of fatalities had trended downward, declining by 16 from 2008 to 2010. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,609 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2011, down slightly from the final total of 4,690 in 2010, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2011 CFOI data will be released in Spring 2013.

Of the 93 fatal work injuries reported in Iowa in 2011, 55 resulted from transportation incidents, accounting for nearly 60 percent of all fatal work injuries. Other major event categories each reported less than 20 deaths. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 29 deaths; in fact, it accounted for nearly one-third of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. The second largest event in transportation incidents, nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles, accounted for 14 fatalities.

In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2011, accounting for 41 percent of fatal work injuries. However, Iowa’s 59-percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was much larger than the nationwide share. (See chart 2.) On the other hand, violence and other injuries was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities, 5 percentage points higher than the share in Iowa. Contact with objects or equipment (15 percent) and falls, slips, and trips (14 percent) were the third and fourth most frequent events, respectively, in the nation.

Additional key characteristics:

• The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry sector had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 27, up from 21 the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents accounted for 23 of the worker deaths.
• The transportation and warehousing industry had the second highest fatality count with 16, an increase of 8 over the year. Transportation incidents accounted for 15 worker deaths in this sector.
• Management occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 28. (See table 3.) The majority of these fatalities were farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers (23). Workers in transportation and material moving occupations had the next highest fatality count at 20.
• Men accounted for 82, or 88 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up nearly three out of every five of these fatalities.
• In Iowa, 96 percent of those who died from a workplace injury were white non-Hispanics. Nationwide, this group accounted for 71 percent of work-related deaths.
• Workers 25-54 years old—the prime working age group—accounted for 52, or 56 percent, of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2011. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 93 workers that suffered fatal work injuries in Iowa, 61 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remaining were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both groups was transportation incidents.

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.

Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The program uses diverse state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible.

For technical information about the CFOI program, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS web site here: www.bls.gov/opub/hom/homch9_a1.htm. The technical information and definitions for the CFOI program are in Chapter 9, Part III of the BLS Handbook of Methods.

Federal/State agency coverage. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all fatal work injuries, whether the decedent was working in a job covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or was outside the scope of 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.

Acknowledgments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that submitted source documents used to identify fatal work injuries, in particular the Iowa Division of Labor Services.