Fatal work injuries totaled 55 in 2013 for North Dakota, 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 North Dakota declined by 10 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 65 in 2012 to a low of 20 in 1992. (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 fatalities 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 55 fatal work injuries reported in North Dakota in 2013, 31 resulted from transportation incidents and 13 from contact with objects and equipment. Together these two major categories accounted for over three-fourths of all fatal work injuries reported in the state. (See table 1.) Other major event categories each reported five or fewer deaths. Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 26 deaths. This category accounted for nearly one-half of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. In the contact with objects and equipment category, 9 of the 13 deaths occurred as a result of 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 of 2015 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 2013, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. North Dakota’s 56-percent share of fatalities due to this event was larger than the nationwide share. (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; the share in North Dakota was 5 percent. Contact with objects or 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 24 and 9 percent of workplace fatalities, respectively.

Additional key characteristics:

• The mining industry had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 12, compared to 15 the previous year. Transportation incidents accounted for seven worker deaths in this industry. (See table 2.) 
• Construction had the second highest fatality count with 11, followed by transportation and warehousing with 8 worker deaths. Transportation incidents accounted for the largest number deaths in each of these industries.
• Construction and extraction occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 16. Construction trades workers suffered seven deaths and extraction workers, six fatalities. (See table 3.)
• Men accounted for 50, or 91 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 54 percent of these fatalities.
• In North Dakota, 87 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 33, or 60 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2013. Nationally, workers in this group also accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 55 fatal work injuries in North Dakota, 82 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder was self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers was transportation incidents. For the self-employed, transportation incidents and contact with objects and equipment were the most frequent fatal events.

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.

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, North Dakota, 2012-2013

Event or exposure(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	65	55	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	3	3	5
Animal and insect related incidents	--	2	4
Bites and stings	--	1	2
Struck by animal	--	1	2
Transportation incidents	40	31	56
Pedestrian vehicular incident	4	1	2
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	3	1	2
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	26	26	47
Roadway collision with other vehicle	18	16	29
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	6	6	11
Roadway noncollision incident	7	8	15
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	7	7	13
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	4	3	5
Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle	--	1	2
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	--	1	2
Fires and Explosions	5	3	5
Explosions	3	3	5
Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids	--	1	2
Falls, slips, trips	7	5	9
Falls to lower level	7	5	9
Other fall to lower level	5	5	9
Other fall to lower level more than 30 feet	--	2	4
Contact with objects and equipment	8	13	24
Struck by object or equipment	6	9	16
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	3	5	9
Caught between rolling powered vehicle and other object	--	2	4
Struck or run over by rolling powered vehicle	--	1	2
Struck by discharged or flying object	--	1	2
Struck by dislodged flying object, particle	--	1	2
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	2	3	5
Caught in running equipment or machinery	2	3	5
Excavation or trenching cave-in	--	1	2
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, North Dakota, 2012-2013

Industry(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	65	55	100
Private industry	63	51	93
Natural resources and mining	26	21	38
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	11	9	16
Crop production	6	4	7
Animal production	5	4	7
Cattle ranching and farming	4	4	7
Support activities for agriculture and forestry	--	1	2
Mining(3)	15	12	22
Support activities for mining	12	11	20
Support activities for mining	12	11	20
Construction	25	11	20
Construction	25	11	20
Heavy and civil engineering construction	7	5	9
Utility system construction	4	4	7
Highway, street, and bridge construction	3	1	2
Specialty trade contractors	16	6	11
Trade, transportation, and utilities	8	13	24
Wholesale trade	--	4	7
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods	--	3	5
Transportation and warehousing	6	8	15
Truck transportation	5	6	11
Specialized freight trucking	--	3	5
Support activities for transportation	--	1	2
Couriers and messengers	--	1	2
Couriers	--	1	2
Professional and business services	--	4	7
Administrative and waste services	--	2	4
Administrative and support services	1	1	2
Services to buildings and dwellings	--	1	2
Waste management and remediation services	--	1	2
Waste collection	--	1	2
Government(4)	--	4	7
Federal government	1	3	5
Local government	--	1	2
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 at all establishments categorized as Mining (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, 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.
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, North Dakota, 2012-2013

Occupation(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	65	55	100
Management occupations	10	7	13
Other management occupations	9	7	13
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	8	7	13
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	8	7	13
Protective service occupations	2	1	2
Law enforcement workers	1	1	2
Detectives and criminal investigators	1	1	2
Detectives and criminal investigators	1	1	2
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	--	1	2
Supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers	--	1	2
First-line supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers	--	1	2
First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers	--	1	2
Office and administrative support occupations	--	3	5
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers	--	1	2
Postal service workers	--	1	2
Postal service mail carriers	--	1	2
Construction and extraction occupations	34	16	29
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	6	3	5
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	12	3	5
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	12	3	5
Construction trades workers	16	7	13
Electricians	--	4	7
Electricians	--	4	7
Extraction workers	12	6	11
Roustabouts, oil and gas	5	3	5
Roustabouts, oil and gas	5	3	5
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	--	5	9
Transportation and material moving occupations	14	15	27
Motor vehicle operators	9	12	22
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	9	12	22
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	7	11	20
Light truck or delivery services drivers	1	1	2
Military occupations(3)	--	1	2
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. (3) Includes fatal injuries to persons identified as resident armed forces regardless of individual occupation listed.
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, North Dakota, 2012-2013

Worker characteristics	2012(1)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	65	55	100
Employee status
Wage and salary(2)	50	45	82
Self-employed(3)	15	10	18
Gender
Men	62	50	91
Women	3	5	9
Age(4)
18 to 19 years	--	2	4
20 to 24 years	6	6	11
25 to 34 years	11	8	15
35 to 44 years	11	9	16
45 to 54 years	18	16	29
55 to 64 years	11	10	18
65 years and over	7	4	7
Race or ethnic origin(5)
White, non-Hispanic	50	48	87
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	--	3	5
American Indian or Alaskan Native, non-Hispanic	3	3	5
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.