Fatal work injuries totaled 71 in 2013 for Iowa, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that while the 2013 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Iowa declined by 26 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 110 in 1992 to a low of 54 in 1995. (See chart 1.)

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

Of the 71 fatal work injuries reported in Iowa in 2013, 28 resulted from transportation incidents and 16 from contact with objects and equipment; together these two major categories accounted for almost two-thirds of all fatal work injuries. Other major event categories each reported less than 15 deaths. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 11 deaths, accounting for 15 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. The second largest event in transportation incidents, nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles, accounted for 7 fatalities. In the contact with objects and equipment category, 8 deaths occurred from being struck by an object or equipment. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are released in  the late spring 2015 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)

In the United States and Iowa, transportation incidents was the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2013, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries nationally and for 39 percent of the share statewide. (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, which was higher than Iowa’s share at 6-percent. 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 were responsible for 23 and 18 percent of workplace fatalities, respectively.

Additional key characteristics:

• The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry sector had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 21, compared to 38 the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents and contact with objects and equipment each accounted for 8 worker deaths in 2013.
• The trade, transportation, and utilities and construction industries had the second and third highest fatality counts with 16 and 12 deaths, respectively. Both of these sectors recorded fewer worker deaths in 2013 compared to 2012. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents accounted for the most worker deaths (8) in the trade, transportation, and utilities industry. In the construction industry, falls, slips and trips were responsible for 4 deaths.
• Management occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 17. (See table 3.) The majority of these fatalities were farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers (16). Workers in transportation and material moving occupations had the next highest fatality count at 13.
• Men accounted for 68, or 96 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up over one-third of these fatalities.
• In Iowa, 99 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 41, or 57.7-percent, of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2013. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 71 persons that suffered fatal work injuries in Iowa, 69-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 Iowa Division of Labor Services.

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, Iowa, 2012-2013

Event or exposure(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	97	71	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	7	4	6
Transportation incidents	53	28	39
Aircraft incidents	2	4	6
Other in-flight crash	1	3	4
Other in-flight crash into structure, object, or ground	1	3	4
Pedestrian vehicular incident	5	6	8
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	3	5	7
Pedestrian struck by vehicle backing up in nonroadway area	--	3	4
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	32	11	15
Roadway collision with other vehicle	7	4	6
Roadway noncollision incident	21	5	7
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	20	4	6
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	14	7	10
Nonroadway noncollision incident	13	7	10
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	12	5	7
Falls, slips, trips	10	13	18
Falls to lower level	8	11	15
Other fall to lower level	8	11	15
Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet	3	3	4
Other fall to lower level more than 30 feet	--	4	6
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	4	8	11
Exposure to other harmful substances	1	6	8
Inhalation of harmful substance	1	5	7
Inhalation of harmful substance--single episode	1	5	7
Contact with objects and equipment	20	16	23
Struck by object or equipment	15	8	11
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	11	3	4
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	3	4	6
Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part	--	3	4
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	4	3	4
Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material	1	5	7
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. (2) Data for 2012 are revised and final. (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late spring 2015.
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.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Iowa, 2012-2013

Industry(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	97	71	100
Private industry	96	68	96
Natural resources and mining	39	21	30
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	38	21	30
Crop production	27	15	21
Animal production	8	5	7
Construction	14	12	17
Construction	14	12	17
Heavy and civil engineering construction	6	5	7
Specialty trade contractors	4	5	7
Manufacturing	5	5	7
Manufacturing	5	5	7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	25	16	23
Wholesale trade	5	4	6
Retail trade	6	3	4
Transportation and warehousing	14	8	11
Professional and business services	3	4	6
Administrative and waste services	--	4	6
Administrative and support services	3	3	4
Educational and health services	3	3	4
Health care and social assistance	2	3	4
Hospitals	--	2	3
Leisure and hospitality	2	3	4
Other services, except public administration	1	4	6
Other services, except public administration	1	4	6
Government(3)	1	3	4
Local government	--	3	4
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 (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late spring 2015. (3) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
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 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Iowa, 2012-2013

Occupation(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	97	71	100
Management occupations	32	17	24
Other management occupations	31	16	23
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	29	16	23
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	29	16	23
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	--	2	3
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	3	4	6
Grounds maintenance workers	1	3	4
Grounds maintenance workers	1	3	4
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	1	3	4
Sales and related occupations	5	3	4
Supervisors of sales workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of sales workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers	--	2	3
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	8	6	8
Agricultural workers	7	5	7
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	7	5	7
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	4	4	6
Construction and extraction occupations	11	10	14
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	3	4
Construction trades workers	10	7	10
Construction laborers	4	4	6
Construction laborers	4	4	6
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	7	10	14
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	4	4	6
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	--	2	3
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	--	2	3
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	2	4	6
Line installers and repairers	--	2	3
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	--	2	3
Production occupations	2	3	4
Transportation and material moving occupations	24	13	18
Motor vehicle operators	17	10	14
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	17	10	14
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	14	9	13
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 are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late 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, Iowa, 2012-2013

Worker characteristics	2012(1)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	97	71	100
Employee status
Wage and salary(2)	52	49	69
Self-employed(3)	45	22	31
Gender
Men	91	68	96
Women	6	3	4
Age(4)
20 to 24 years	1	2	3
25 to 34 years	15	10	14
35 to 44 years	13	11	15
45 to 54 years	19	20	28
55 to 64 years	19	16	23
65 years and over	26	11	15
Race or ethnic origin(5)
White, non-Hispanic	93	70	99
Footnotes: (1) Data for 2012 are revised and final (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late spring 2015. (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.
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.