Fatal work injuries totaled 70 in 2012 for Minnesota, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that while the 2012 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Minnesota increased by 10 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 113 in 1993 to a low of 60 in 2011. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,383 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2012, down from a revised count of 4,693 fatalities in 2011, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2012 CFOI data will be released in spring 2014.

Of the 70 fatal work injuries reported in Minnesota in 2012, 28 resulted from transportation incidents, 14 from contact with objects and equipment, and 11 from violence and other injuries by persons or animals. These three major categories accounted for just over three-quarters of all fatal work injuries. Other major event categories each reported eight or fewer deaths.

Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 15 deaths, accounting for 21 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) The second-largest event in transportation incidents, non-roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles, accounted for nine fatalities. In the contact with objects and equipment category, eight fatalities resulted from workers being struck by objects or equipment. In the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category, all 11 deaths occurred from intentional injury by a person. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2012 data are released in Spring 2014 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)

In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2012, accounting for 41 percent of fatal work injuries. Minnesota’s 40-percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was similar to 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. Contact with objects or equipment (16 percent) and falls, slips, and trips (15 percent) were the third and fourth most frequent events, respectively, in the nation.

Additional key characteristics:

• The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry sector had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 20, similar to the 19 recorded in the previous year. (See table 2.) Within this industry sector, transportation incidents accounted for 10 worker deaths.
• Construction recorded 13 fatalities, down 3 fatalities from 2011. Fall, slips, and trips accounted for six on-the-job fatalities in construction.
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 16. (See table 3.) Seven of these fatalities were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Workers in construction and extraction occupations had the next highest fatality count at 13.
• Men accounted for 65, or 93 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 42 percent of these fatalities.
• In Minnesota, 91 percent of those 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 39 fatalities, or 56 percent, of the state’s work-related deaths in 2012. Workers in this group nationally accounted for 59 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 70 persons that suffered fatal work injuries in Minnesota, 70 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remaining were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both groups was transportation incidents.

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 United States 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 at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/soii/home.htm.

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 Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

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, Minnesota, 2011-2012

Event or exposure(1)	2011	2012(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	60	70	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	5	11	16
Intentional injury by person	4	11	16
Intentional injury by other person	--	9	13
Shooting by other person--intentional	--	9	13
Transportation incidents	16	28	40
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	10	15	21
Roadway collision with other vehicle	5	9	13
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	3	4	6
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	--	4	6
Roadway noncollision incident	--	5	7
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	--	5	7
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	3	9	13
Nonroadway noncollision incident	3	8	11
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	--	7	10
Fires and Explosions	--	3	4
Falls, slips, trips	14	8	11
Falls to lower level	14	7	10
Other fall to lower level	13	7	10
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	5	6	9
Exposure to electricity	--	3	4
Exposure to other harmful substances	--	3	4
Contact with objects and equipment	19	14	20
Struck by object or equipment	11	8	11
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	6	3	4
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	4	4	6
Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part	--	3	4
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	5	4	6
Caught in running equipment or machinery	5	3	4
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. Total may include other events not shown. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2012 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2014.
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, Minnesota, 2011-2012

Industry(1)	2011	2012(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	60	70	100
Private industry	56	67	96
Natural resources and mining	20	20	29
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	19	20	29
Crop production	13	15	21
Vegetable and melon farming	--	1	1
Vegetable and melon farming	--	1	1
Animal production	3	3	4
Cattle ranching and farming	3	3	4
Construction	16	13	19
Construction	16	13	19
Heavy and civil engineering construction	--	3	4
Other heavy and civil engineering construction	--	1	1
Specialty trade contractors	13	7	10
Other specialty trade contractors	--	3	4
Site preparation contractors	--	3	4
Manufacturing	3	12	17
Manufacturing	3	12	17
Fabricated metal product manufacturing	--	3	4
Miscellaneous manufacturing	--	6	9
Other miscellaneous manufacturing	--	6	9
Sign manufacturing	--	6	9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	10	15	21
Wholesale trade	3	4	6
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	--	3	4
Transportation and warehousing	3	9	13
Air transportation	--	1	1
Nonscheduled air transportation	--	1	1
Nonscheduled air transportation	--	1	1
Truck transportation	--	5	7
General freight trucking	--	4	6
General freight trucking, long-distance	--	3	4
Transit and ground passenger transportation	1	2	3
Taxi and limousine service	--	2	3
Taxi service	--	2	3
Educational and health services	--	3	4
Health care and social assistance	--	3	4
Social assistance	--	3	4
Other services, except public administration	--	1	1
Other services, except public administration	--	1	1
Repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. Total may include other industries not shown. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2012 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2014.
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, Minnesota, 2011-2012

Occupation(1)	2011	2012(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	60	70	100
Management occupations	14	12	17
Other management occupations	14	10	14
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	13	10	14
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	13	10	14
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	5	9	13
Agricultural workers	3	7	10
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	3	7	10
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	--	6	9
Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals	--	1	1
Construction and extraction occupations	15	13	19
Construction trades workers	8	11	16
Carpenters	--	3	4
Carpenters	--	3	4
Construction laborers	--	3	4
Construction laborers	--	3	4
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	3	3	4
Production occupations	4	7	10
Transportation and material moving occupations	6	16	23
Air transportation workers	--	1	1
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	--	1	1
Commercial pilots	--	1	1
Motor vehicle operators	5	12	17
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	5	10	14
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	5	7	10
Light truck or delivery services drivers	--	3	4
Material moving workers	--	3	4
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. Total may include occupations not shown. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2012 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2014.
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, Minnesota, 2011-2012

Worker characteristics	2011	2012(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	60	70	100
Employee status
Wage and salary(1)	35	49	70
Self-employed(2)	25	21	30
Gender
Men	57	65	93
Women	3	5	7
Age(3)
18 to 19 years	--	3	4
20 to 24 years	--	--	--
25 to 34 years	10	12	17
35 to 44 years	10	12	17
45 to 54 years	15	15	21
55 to 64 years	10	15	21
65 years and over	10	10	14
Race or ethnic origin(4)
White, non-Hispanic	58	64	91
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 2012 data are scheduled to be released in Spring 2014.
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.