Fatal occupational injuries among volunteer workers, 2003–07

Volunteer workers who were fatally injured on the job during the 2003–07 period were more likely to be either younger (under age 25) or older (over age 55) than paid workers who were fatally injured during the same 5-year period.

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Among the 287 volunteer workers who were fatally injured on the job from 2003 to 2007, almost two-fifths (111) were 55 years of age or older, whereas about one-quarter of the paid workers killed on the job during the 2003–07 period were in that age group. These numbers may be explained by older workers’ propensity to volunteer for more hours per year.

Individuals age 55 years and older make up 25 to 30 percent of all volunteers and spend more time performing volunteer activities than volunteers as a whole (all age groups combined). Volunteers in the 55- to 64-year age group spent 58 hours per year on volunteer activities, and those who were age 65 years and older spent 96 hours per year volunteering.

These data are from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), which is part of the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. CFOI compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the United States during a given calendar year. Hours figures for volunteers are from the Current Population Survey. To learn more, see "Fatal Occupational Injuries to Volunteer Workers, 2003–07" in the December issue of Compensation and Working Conditions Online.