Fatal work injuries totaled 60 in 2013 for West Virginia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that while the 2013 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in West Virginia increased by 11 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 95 in 2010 to a low of 40 in 2002. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,405 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2013, lower than the revised count of 4,628 fatal work injuries in 2012, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2013 data from CFOI will be released in the late spring of 2015.

Of the 60 fatal work injuries reported in West Virginia in 2013, 24 resulted from transportation incidents, an increase from 18 in 2012. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are released in the late spring of 2015 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.) Contact with objects and equipment was the second-most frequent event in 2013 with 15 worker fatalities, compared to 13 in the prior year. Together these two major categories accounted for 65 percent of all workplace fatalities statewide. Fires and explosions resulted in seven worker deaths in 2013 and violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for six fatal work injuries. Fatalities from fires and explosions rose from one in 2012, while the count for violence and other injuries by persons or animals remained the same. (See table 1.)

Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles accounted for over half of the workplace fatalities in this category with 13 deaths. In the contact with objects and equipment category, nine deaths occurred from being struck by a falling object or equipment other than a powered vehicle. Four of the deaths in fires and explosions were the result of fires; the remainder were due to explosions. Homicides by shooting accounted for three of the fatalities in the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category.

Transportation incidents was the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2013 in both the United States and West Virginia, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries nationally and in the state. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most frequent type of event nationwide, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities, 7 percentage points higher than the share in West Virginia where it was the fourth-most frequent event. Contact with objects and equipment and falls, slips, or trips each accounted for 16 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities, while in the state, these events represented 25 and 8 percent of worker deaths, respectively.

 

Additional key characteristics in West Virginia:

• The mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector had the largest number of fatalities in the state in 2013 with 14, up from 8 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Half of the fatal injuries in this industry occurred in coal mining. Fires and explosions accounted for five of the worker deaths in this sector, while transportation incidents and contact with objects and equipment followed with four fatalities each.
• The industry with the second-highest fatality count was the transportation and warehousing sector with nine in 2013. Seven of these worker deaths occurred in long-distance, general freight trucking.
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities in West Virginia with 19, an increase from 9 in 2012. Twelve of these deaths were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. (See table 3.) Workers in construction and extraction occupations had the next-highest fatality count at 11 and the most frequent event for these occupations was falls, slips, or trips.
• Men accounted for 98 percent of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Nationally, men made up 93 percent of fatally-injured workers.
• In West Virginia, 97 percent of the workers who died from a workplace injury were white non-Hispanics. Nationwide, this group accounted for 68 percent of work-related deaths.
• Workers 25-54 years old—the prime working age group—accounted for 63 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2013. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities. In West Virginia, workers 35-44 years old had the most fatalities of all age groups, accounting for 28 percent of worker fatalities in the state; this age group represented 19 percent of total workplace fatalities in the U.S. as a whole.
• Of the 60 fatally-injured workers in West Virginia, 78 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both groups of workers was transportation incidents.
• In 2011, CFOI began identifying if a fatally-injured worker was working as a contractor and recording the industry of both the worker and the contracting firm. A contractor is defined as a worker employed by one firm but working at the behest of another firm that exercises overall responsibility for the operations at the site of the fatal injury. In 2013, West Virginia had 13 fatally-injured workers identified as fitting the contractor criteria; seven of them were fatally injured at operations in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry. Of the 13 contractor deaths in the state, 6 were the result of fires and explosions.

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 (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 technical information and definitions for the CFOI program, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch9.pdf.

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. BLS appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that submitted 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 industries, and workers' compensation agencies; state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, West Virginia, 2012-2013

Event or exposure(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	49	60	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	6	6	10
Intentional injury by person	3	4	7
Homicides	3	3	5
Shooting by other person--intentional	3	3	5
Transportation incidents	18	24	40
Rail vehicle incidents	-	2	3
Rail vehicle collision	-	1	2
Collision between rail and roadway vehicles	-	1	2
Pedestrian struck by rail vehicle--transportation incident	-	1	2
Pedestrian vehicular incident	5	3	5
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway	-	1	2
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in roadway	-	1	2
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	2	1	2
Pedestrian struck by vehicle backing up in nonroadway area	1	1	2
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	8	13	22
Roadway collision with other vehicle	3	5	8
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	-	3	5
Roadway collision--moving and standing vehicle on side of roadway	-	1	2
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	-	6	10
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	-	6	10
Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	4	6	10
Nonroadway noncollision incident	3	5	8
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	3	5	8
Fires and explosions	1	7	12
Fires	1	4	7
Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids	-	4	7
Explosions	-	3	5
Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids	-	1	2
Falls, slips, trips	4	5	8
Falls to lower level	4	5	8
Fall through surface or existing opening	-	-	-
Fall through surface or existing opening less than 6 feet	-	1	2
Other fall to lower level	4	3	5
Other fall to lower level 16 to 20 feet	-	1	2
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	7	3	5
Exposure to other harmful substances	5	3	5
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	4	3	5
Contact with objects and equipment	13	15	25
Struck by object or equipment	13	15	25
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	2	3	5
Struck or run over by rolling powered vehicle	-	1	2
Struck by falling part of powered vehicle still attached	-	1	2
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	9	9	15
Struck by discharged or flying object	-	2	3
Struck by dislodged flying object, particle	-	1	2
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. (2) Data for 2012 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.
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.

 Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by selected industry, West Virginia, 2012-2013

Industry(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	49	60	100
Private industry	40	56	93
Natural resources and mining	14	22	37
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	6	8	13
Animal production	-	-	-
Other animal production	1	1	2
Forestry and logging	4	6	10
Logging	4	6	10
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction(3)	8	14	23
Mining (except oil and gas)	7	7	12
Coal mining	7	7	12
Support activities for mining	1	6	10
Support activities for mining	1	6	10
Construction	4	7	12
Construction	4	7	12
Construction of buildings	-	2	3
Residential building construction	-	2	3
Specialty trade contractors	3	5	8
Building equipment contractors	-	1	2
Other specialty trade contractors	1	3	5
Manufacturing	3	2	3
Manufacturing	3	2	3
Primary metal manufacturing	1	1	2
Alumina and aluminum production and processing	-	1	2
Fabricated metal product manufacturing	-	1	2
Architectural and structural metals manufacturing	-	1	2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	10	12	20
Wholesale trade	1	1	2
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	-	1	2
Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers	-	1	2
Retail trade	1	2	3
Nonstore retailers	1	2	3
Direct selling establishments	-	2	3
Transportation and warehousing	8	9	15
Truck transportation	4	8	13
General freight trucking	-	7	12
Specialized freight trucking	1	1	2
Professional and business services	-	6	10
Administrative and waste services	-	6	10
Administrative and support services	-	3	5
Services to buildings and dwellings	-	3	5
Waste management and remediation services	-	3	5
Educational and health services	3	-	-
Health care and social assistance	3	-	-
Ambulatory health care services	-	1	2
Other ambulatory health care services	-	1	2
Leisure and hospitality	-	1	2
Accommodation and food services	-	1	2
Food services and drinking places	-	1	2
Special food services	-	1	2
Government(4)	9	4	7
Local government	3	3	5
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. Total may include other industries not shown. (2) Data for 2012 are revised and final. (3) Includes fatal injuries at all establishments categorized as Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, 2007, including establishments not governed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction. (4) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.
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 fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

 Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by selected occupation, West Virginia, 2012-2013

Occupation(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	49	60	100
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	1	1	2
Health technologists and technicians	1	1	2
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics	1	1	2
Protective service occupations	3	2	3
Supervisors of protective service workers	1	2	3
First-line supervisors of law enforcement workers	1	1	2
First-line supervisors of fire fighting and prevention workers	-	1	2
Food preparation and serving related occupations	-	1	2
Supervisors of food preparation and serving workers	-	1	2
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers	-	1	2
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	4	5	8
Supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers	-	1	2
First-line supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers	-	1	2
Building cleaning and pest control workers	-	1	2
Pest control workers	-	1	2
Grounds maintenance workers	4	3	5
Grounds maintenance workers	4	3	5
Sales and related occupations	-	2	3
Other sales and related workers	-	2	3
Miscellaneous sales and related workers	-	2	3
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	6	6	10
Forest, conservation, and logging workers	4	4	7
Logging workers	4	4	7
Construction and extraction occupations	10	11	18
Construction trades workers	5	5	8
Insulation workers	-	1	2
Roofers	-	1	2
Extraction workers	4	4	7
Derrick, rotary drill, and service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining	-	3	5
Roof bolters, mining	-	1	2
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	7	5	8
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	6	3	5
Industrial machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers	-	2	3
Production occupations	-	-	-
Metal workers and plastic workers	-	1	2
Forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	-	1	2
Transportation and material moving occupations	9	19	32
Motor vehicle operators	6	14	23
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	6	14	23
Material moving workers	1	5	8
Mine shuttle car operators	1	2	3
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. Total may include occupations not shown. (2) Data for 2012 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015. 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.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by worker characteristics, West Virginia, 2012-2013

Worker characteristics	2012(1)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	49	60	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers(2)	44	47	78
Self-employed(3)	5	13	22
Gender
Men	46	59	98
Age(4)
18-19 years	-	1	2
20 to 24 years	3	4	7
25 to 34 years	16	9	15
35 to 44 years	8	17	28
45 to 54 years	10	12	20
55 to 64 years	11	12	20
65 years and older	1	5	8
Race or ethnic origin(5)
White (non-Hispanic)	48	58	97
Footnotes: (1) Data for 2012 are revised and final. (2) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. (3) 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. (4) Information may not be available for all age groups. (5) Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude Hispanic and Latino workers. (p) Data for 2013 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.
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.