Fatal work injuries totaled 38 in 2014 for West Virginia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that while the 2014 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in West Virginia decreased by 23 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 95 in 2010 to the 2014 low of 38. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,679 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2014, up from the revised count of 4,585 fatal work injuries in 2013, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2014 CFOI data will be released in the late spring of 2016.

Of the 38 fatal work injuries reported in West Virginia in 2014, 12 resulted from transportation incidents, a decrease from 24 in 2013. Falls, slips, or trips was the second-most frequent event in 2014 with 10 worker fatalities, an increase from 6 in the prior year. Contact with objects and equipment resulted in 8 worker deaths in 2014, compared to 15 in 2013. Together, these three major categories accounted for 79 percent of all workplace fatalities statewide in 2014. (See table 1.) Within the transportation incidents category, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles accounted for eight deaths. In the falls, slips, or trips category, falls to a lower level accounted for 8 of the 10 deaths. Five of the eight fatalities resulting from contact with objects and equipment occurred from being struck by an object or equipment. (Note that roadway incident counts are expected to rise when updated 2014 data are released in the late spring of 2016 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)

Transportation incidents was the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2014 in the United States, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. In West Virginia, transportation incidents were responsible for 32 percent of the state’s workplace fatalities. (See chart 2.) Falls, slips, or trips was the second-most frequent type of event nationwide, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities; the share in West Virginia was 26 percent. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for 16 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities; this event accounted for 8 percent of the state’s workplace fatalities. Contact with objects and equipment resulted in 15 percent of national fatalities, while in the state this event accounted for 21 percent of worker deaths.

Additional highlights:

• Within private industry, the transportation and warehousing sector had the largest number of fatalities in the state in 2014 with eight, little changed from the previous year. (See table 2.) Three of the fatal injuries in this industry were in specialized freight trucking.
• The second-highest fatality count within private industry was in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector with 6 in 2014, a decrease from 15 in 2013. Four of the worker deaths in 2014 were the result of contact with objects and equipment.
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities in West Virginia with 13, a decline from 19 in 2013. Seven 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 10, with extraction workers accounting for half of these deaths.
• Men accounted for 95 percent of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Nationally, men made up 92 percent of fatally-injured workers.
• In West Virginia, 95 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 61 percent of work-related fatalities in West Virginia for 2014. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 58 percent of on-the-job fatalities. In West Virginia, workers 45-54 years old had the most fatalities of all age groups, accounting for 29 percent of worker fatalities in the state; this age group represented 24 percent of total workplace fatalities in the U.S. as a whole.
• Of the 38 fatally-injured workers in West Virginia, 92 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. In the U.S., wage and salary workers represented 78 percent of all workplace fatalities.
• 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 2014, West Virginia had 10 fatally-injured workers identified as fitting the contractor criteria; half of them were in construction and extraction occupations. Of the 10 contractor deaths in the state, 4 were the result of falls to a lower level and 3 were due to exposure to electricity.

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 CFOI, 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 provided source documents used to identify fatal work injuries.

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.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, West Virginia, 2013-14

Event or exposure (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	61	38	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	6	3	8
Intentional injury by person	4	--	--
Homicides	3	1	3
Shooting by other person--intentional	3	1	3
Transportation incidents	24	12	32
Pedestrian vehicular incident	3	3	8
Pedestrian struck by vehicle on side of road	--	1	3
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle on side of road	--	1	3
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	1	1	3
Pedestrian struck by vehicle backing up in nonroadway area	1	1	3
Roadway incident involving motorized land vehicle	13	8	21
Roadway collision with other vehicle	5	2	5
Roadway collision moving perpendicularly	--	2	5
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	6	4	11
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	6	4	11
Roadway noncollision incident	--	2	5
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	--	2	5
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	6	1	3
Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle	--	1	3
Fall, slip, trip	6	10	26
Fall to lower level	5	8	21
Fall through surface or existing opening	--	1	3
Fall through surface or existing opening 21 to 25 feet	--	1	3
Other fall to lower level	3	5	13
Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet	--	3	8
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	3	4	11
Exposure to electricity	--	3	8
Exposure to other harmful substances	3	1	3
Exposure to other harmful substance multiple routes of exposure	--	1	3
Contact with objects and equipment	15	8	21
Struck by object or equipment	15	5	13
Struck by falling object or equipment	9	3	8
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	--	1	3
Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment	--	1	3
Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material	--	2	5
Mine collapse or cave-in	--	2	5
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. (2) Totals for 2013 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016.
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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, West Virginia, 2013-14

Industry (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	61	38	100
Private industry	57	37	97
Goods producing	32	17	45
Natural resources and mining	23	10	26
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	8	4	11
Crop production	--	--	--
Other crop farming	--	--	--
All other crop farming	--	1	3
Forestry and logging	6	1	3
Logging	6	1	3
Logging	6	1	3
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (3)	15	6	16
Mining (except oil and gas)	8	5	13
Coal mining	8	5	13
Coal mining	8	5	13
Bituminous coal underground mining	7	5	13
Support activities for mining	6	1	3
Support activities for mining	6	1	3
Support activities for mining	6	1	3
Drilling oil and gas wells	1	1	3
Construction	7	5	13
Heavy and civil engineering construction	--	3	8
Utility system construction	--	2	5
Power and communication line and related structures construction	--	2	5
Highway, street, and bridge construction	--	1	3
Highway, street, and bridge construction	--	1	3
Specialty trade contractors	5	2	5
Building equipment contractors	1	2	5
Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors	--	2	5
Nonresidential electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors	--	2	5
Manufacturing	2	--	--
Chemical manufacturing	--	1	3
Basic chemical manufacturing	--	1	3
Other basic inorganic chemical manufacturing	--	1	3
Service providing	25	20	53
Trade, transportation, and utilities	12	11	29
Retail trade	2	--	--
Food and beverage stores	--	1	3
Grocery stores	--	1	3
Supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores	--	1	3
Transportation and warehousing	9	8	21
Truck transportation	8	5	13
General freight trucking	7	--	--
General freight trucking, long-distance	7	1	3
General freight trucking, long-distance, truckload	3	1	3
Specialized freight trucking	1	3	8
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, local	--	1	3
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, long-distance	--	2	5
Support activities for transportation	--	--	--
Support activities for road transportation	--	1	3
Motor vehicle towing	--	1	3
Information	--	1	3
Publishing industries (except internet)	--	1	3
Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers	--	1	3
Newspaper publishers	--	1	3
Professional and business services	6	3	8
Professional, scientific, and technical services	--	1	3
Professional, scientific, and technical services	--	1	3
Architectural, engineering, and related services	--	1	3
Engineering services	--	1	3
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	6	2	5
Administrative and support services	3	2	5
Investigation and security services	--	1	3
Investigation, guard, and armored car services	--	1	3
Security guards and patrol services	--	1	3
Services to buildings and dwellings	3	1	3
Landscaping services	--	1	3
Leisure and hospitality	1	1	3
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	--	1	3
Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries	--	1	3
Spectator sports	--	1	3
Spectator sports	--	1	3
Racetracks	--	1	3
Other services, except public administration	--	2	5
Personal and laundry services	--	1	3
Drycleaning and laundry services	--	1	3
Linen and uniform supply	--	1	3
Linen supply	--	1	3
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	--	1	3
Religious organizations	--	1	3
Religious organizations	--	1	3
Government (4)	4	1	3
Local government	3	1	3
Service providing	3	1	3
Public administration	--	1	3
Justice, public order, and safety activities	--	1	3
Justice, public order, and safety activities	--	1	3
Fire protection	1	1	3
Footnotes: (1) Industry data for 2013 are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. Industry data for 2014 are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012. (2) Totals for 2013 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, 2012, 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 for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016.
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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, West Virginia, 2013-14

Occupation (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	61	38	100
Management, business, science, and arts occupations	5	5	13
Professional and related occupations	3	3	8
Education, legal, community service, arts, and media occupations	--	1	3
Education, training, and library occupations	--	1	3
Other teachers and instructors	--	1	3
Self-enrichment education teachers	--	1	3
Self-enrichment education teachers	--	1	3
Service occupations	10	3	8
Protective service occupations	2	2	5
Fire fighting and prevention workers	--	1	3
Firefighters	--	1	3
Firefighters	--	1	3
Other protective service workers	--	1	3
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers	--	1	3
Security guards	--	1	3
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	5	1	3
Grounds maintenance workers	3	1	3
Grounds maintenance workers	3	1	3
Tree trimmers and pruners	3	1	3
Office and administrative support occupations	--	1	3
Supervisors of office and administrative support workers	--	1	3
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	--	1	3
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers	--	1	3
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations	23	14	37
Construction and extraction occupations	11	10	26
Construction trades workers	5	--	--
Electricians	--	1	3
Electricians	--	1	3
Other construction and related workers	--	1	3
Construction and building inspectors	--	1	3
Construction and building inspectors	--	1	3
Extraction workers	4	5	13
Mining machine operators	--	--	--
Continuous mining machine operators	--	1	3
Roof bolters, mining	1	2	5
Roof bolters, mining	1	2	5
Miscellaneous extraction workers	--	1	3
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	6	2	5
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	3	2	5
Line installers and repairers	--	1	3
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	--	1	3
Maintenance and repair workers, general	--	1	3
Maintenance and repair workers, general	--	1	3
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations	21	14	37
Production occupations	--	1	3
Metal workers and plastic workers	--	1	3
Welding, soldering, and brazing workers	--	1	3
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers	--	1	3
Transportation and material moving occupations	19	13	34
Supervisors, transportation and material moving workers	--	1	3
First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators	--	1	3
First-line supervisors of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators	--	1	3
Motor vehicle operators	14	9	24
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	14	9	24
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	12	7	18
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. (2) Totals for 2013 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016.
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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by worker characteristics, West Virginia, 2013-14

Worker characteristics	2013 (1)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	61	38	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (2)	48	35	92
Self-employed (3)	13	3	8
Gender
Men	60	36	95
Age (4)
20 to 24 years	4	3	8
25 to 34 years	9	6	16
35 to 44 years	17	6	16
45 to 54 years	13	11	29
55 to 64 years	12	6	16
65 years and over	5	6	16
Race or ethnic origin (5)
White (non-Hispanic)	59	36	95
Footnotes: (1) Totals for 2013 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 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016.
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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.