Fatal work injuries totaled 89 in 2011 for Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin decreased by two over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 138 in 1993 to a low of 77 in 2008. (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 89 fatal work injuries reported in Wisconsin in 2011, 33 resulted from transportation incidents and 22 from contact with objects and equipment; together these two major categories accounted for 62 percent of all workplace fatalities. Other major event categories each reported less than 15 deaths. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving a motorized land vehicle was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 19 deaths; in fact, it accounted for 21 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. The second-largest event in transportation incidents, nonroadway incidents involving a motorized land vehicle, accounted for seven fatalities. In the contact with objects and equipment category, over one-half (12) of the deaths occurred as a result of being struck by an object or equipment.

In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2011, accounting for 41 percent of fatal work injuries. Wisconsin’s 37-percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was less than the nationwide share. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities, 2 percentage points higher than the share in Wisconsin. 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 highest number of fatalities in the state with 22, down from 32 the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents and contact with objects and equipment each accounted for seven worker deaths.
• The manufacturing sector had the second highest count with 12 on-the-job fatalities, little changed over the year. Contact with objects and equipment accounted for five worker deaths in this sector.
• Management occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 21. (See table 3.) The majority of these fatalities were farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers (18). Workers in transportation and material moving occupations had the next highest fatality count at 18, with heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounting for 12 of these deaths.
• Men accounted for 78, or 88 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up slightly more than one-third of these fatalities.
• In Wisconsin, 89 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 43, or 48 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 89 workers that were fatally injured in Wisconsin, 67 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 Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene - Occupational Safety & Health Division.

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

Event or exposure(1)	Number	Percent
Total	89	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	13	15
Intentional injury by person	8	9
Intentional injury by other person	3	3
Self-inflicted injury--intentional	5	6
Shooting--intentional self-harm	3	3
Animal and insect related incidents	3	3
Transportation incidents	33	37
Pedestrian vehicular incident	5	6
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	4	4
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	19	21
Roadway collision with other vehicle	13	15
Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming	5	6
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	3	3
Roadway noncollision incident	5	6
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	3	3
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	7	8
Nonroadway noncollision incident	6	7
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	3	3
Falls, slips, trips	12	13
Falls on same level	5	6
Falls to lower level	7	8
Fall through surface or existing opening	3	3
Other fall to lower level	4	4
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	9	10
Exposure to electricity	4	4
Exposure to other harmful substances	4	4
Contact with objects and equipment	22	25
Struck by object or equipment	12	13
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	3	3
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	9	10
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	8	9
Caught in running equipment or machinery	8	9
Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning	6	7
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, Wisconsin, 2010-2011

Industry(1)	2010	2011(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	91	89	100
Private industry	84	81	91
Natural resources and mining	32	22	25
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	32	22	25
Crop production	15	10	11
Animal production	17	11	12
Cattle ranching and farming	15	11	12
Dairy cattle and milk production	13	10	11
Construction	10	7	8
Construction	10	7	8
Heavy and civil engineering construction	--	3	3
Utility system construction	--	3	3
Manufacturing	11	12	13
Manufacturing	11	12	13
Food manufacturing	--	3	3
Fabricated metal product manufacturing	3	4	4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	17	28	31
Wholesale trade	3	10	11
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	--	9	10
Miscellaneous durable goods merchant wholesalers	--	3	3
Recyclable material merchant wholesalers	--	3	3
Retail trade	5	7	8
Motor vehicle and parts dealers	--	4	4
Transportation and warehousing	8	11	12
Truck transportation	5	9	10
General freight trucking	3	8	9
General freight trucking, long-distance	--	7	8
Educational and health services	5	3	3
Health care and social assistance	5	3	3
Leisure and hospitality	3	3	3
Accommodation and food services	3	3	3
Other services, except public administration	--	4	4
Other services, except public administration	--	4	4
Repair and maintenance	--	3	3
Automotive repair and maintenance	--	3	3
Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance	--	3	3
General automotive repair	--	3	3
Government(2)	7	8	9
Local government(3)	5	4	4
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, Wisconsin, 2010-2011

Occupation(1)	2010	2011(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	91	89	100
Management occupations	30	21	24
Other management occupations	28	20	22
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	27	18	20
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	26	18	20
Personal care and service occupations	--	3	3
Sales and related occupations	3	8	9
Supervisors of sales workers	--	4	4
First-line supervisors of sales workers	--	4	4
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers	--	3	3
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	6	4	4
Construction and extraction occupations	12	8	9
Construction trades workers	9	6	7
Construction laborers	5	3	3
Construction laborers	5	3	3
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	4	9	10
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	--	5	6
Automotive technicians and repairers	--	4	4
Automotive service technicians and mechanics	--	4	4
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	--	3	3
Production occupations	5	8	9
Other production occupations	--	3	3
Transportation and material moving occupations	15	18	20
Motor vehicle operators	9	13	15
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	9	13	15
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	7	12	13
Material moving workers	5	5	6
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, Wisconsin, 2010-2011

Worker characteristics	2010	2011(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	91	89	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers(1)	57	60	67
Self-employed(2)	34	29	33
Gender
Men	84	78	88
Women	7	11	12
Age(3)
20 to 24 years	3	9	10
25 to 34 years	12	10	11
35 to 44 years	17	12	13
45 to 54 years	16	21	24
55 to 64 years	21	23	26
65 years and over	16	13	15
Race or ethnic origin(4)
White, non-Hispanic	82	79	89
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	3	5	6
Hispanic or Latino	4	4	4
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