Fatal work injuries totaled 31 in 2011 for South Dakota, 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 South Dakota decreased by five over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 46 in 1999 to a low of 22 in 2007. (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 31 fatal work injuries reported in South Dakota in 2011, 14 resulted from transportation incidents, accounting for 45 percent of all fatal work injuries. (See table 1.) Other major event categories each reported less than 10 deaths. Within transportation incidents, aircraft incidents were the most frequent type of workplace fatality with six deaths; in fact, it accounted for 19 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. The second-largest event in transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving a motorized land vehicle, accounted for five 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. South Dakota’s 45-percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was more than the nationwide share. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities, a percentage point higher than the share in South Dakota. 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 had the largest number of fatalities in the state with eight. Transportation incidents accounted for four worker deaths within this sector. Local government had the second highest fatality count with seven. (See table 2.)
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with seven (See table 3.) The protective service occupational group had the next highest fatality count at six.
• Men accounted for 30, or 97 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up slightly more than two-fifths of these fatalities.
• In South Dakota, 94 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 11, or 35 percent, of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2011. Workers in this group nationally accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 31 fatal work injuries in South Dakota, 77 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.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, South Dakota, 2011(p)

Event or exposure(1)	Number	Percent
Total	31	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	5	16
Intentional injury by person	5	16
Intentional injury by other person	3	10
Transportation incidents	14	45
Aircraft incidents	6	19
Other in-flight crash	6	19
Other in-flight crash into structure, object, or ground	5	16
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	5	16
Fires and Explosions	3	10
Contact with objects and equipment	7	23
Struck by object or equipment	3	10
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	3	10
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.
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. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

 

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, South Dakota, 2010-2011

Industry(1)	2010	2011(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	36	31	100
Private industry	34	22	71
Natural resources and mining	14	8	26
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	14	8	26
Crop production	11	4	13
Construction	7	4	13
Construction	7	4	13
Specialty trade contractors	5	3	10
Trade, transportation, and utilities	7	3	10
Government(2)	--	9	29
Local government(3)	--	7	23
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. Total may include other industries not shown. (2) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry. Includes all fatal occupational injuries meeting this ownership criterion across all specified years, regardless of industry classification system. (3) Includes all fatal occupational injuries meeting this ownership criterion across all specified years, regardless of industry classification system. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

 

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, South Dakota, 2010-2011

Occupation(1)	2010	2011(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	36	31	100
Management occupations	7	5	16
Other management occupations	7	5	16
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	7	4	13
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	7	4	13
Protective service occupations	--	6	19
Fire fighting and prevention workers	--	3	10
Firefighters	--	3	10
Firefighters	--	3	10
Law enforcement workers	--	3	10
Construction and extraction occupations	7	4	13
Construction trades workers	6	4	13
Transportation and material moving occupations	5	7	23
Air transportation workers	--	3	10
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	--	3	10
Commercial pilots	--	3	10
Motor vehicle operators	4	3	10
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data for 2010 are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2000. Occupation data for 2011 are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. Total may include occupations not shown. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

 

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by worker characteristics, South Dakota, 2010-2011

Worker characteristics	2010	2011(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	36	31	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers(1)	22	24	77
Self-employed(2)	14	7	23
Gender
Men	35	30	97
Age(3)
20 to 24 years	3	5	16
25 to 34 years	4	5	16
45 to 54 years	5	6	19
55 to 64 years	7	9	29
65 years and over	7	5	16
Race or ethnic origin(4)
White, non-Hispanic	33	29	94
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. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2011 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2013.
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. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries