Fatal work injuries totaled 138 in 2014 for Michigan, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that while the 2014 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Michigan increased by 3 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 182 in 1999 to a low of 94 in 2009. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,679 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2014, up from a revised count of 4,585 fatalities in 2013, according to 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 138 fatal work injuries reported in Michigan in 2014, 49 resulted from transportation incidents and 31 from violence and other injuries by persons or animals. Together these two major categories accounted for 58 percent of all fatal work injuries reported in the state. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 23 deaths. In the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category, 26 of 31 deaths occurred as a result of intentional injury by person. (Note that roadway incident counts presented in this release 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.)

In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2014, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. In Michigan, transportation incidents accounted for 36 percent of the state’s share of fatalities. (See chart 2.) Falls, slips, or trips was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities; the share in Michigan matched that of the nation. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals and contact with objects or equipment accounted for 16 percent and 15 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities, respectively. In the state, violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for 22 percent of workplace fatalities, while contact with objects and equipment was responsible for 15 percent of workplace fatalities.

Additional highlights:

• The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 23, up from 16 the previous year. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals and contact with objects and equipment each accounted for seven fatalities in this industry. (See table 2.)
• Construction had the second highest fatality count with 21, compared to 19 the previous year. Falls, slips, or trips accounted for 11 deaths in this industry.
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 31. Motor vehicle operators suffered 17 fatalities. (See table 3.)
• Men accounted for 120, or 87 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 34 percent of these fatalities.
• In Michigan, 82 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 81, or 59 percent, of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2014. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 58 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 138 fatal work injuries in Michigan, 66 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers 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 ensures 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/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. 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, Michigan, 2013–14

Event or exposure (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	135	138	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	40	31	22
Intentional injury by person	36	26	19
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	14	18	13
Shooting by other person--intentional	14	14	10
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	22	8	6
Animal and insect related incidents	--	5	4
Transportation incidents	43	49	36
Aircraft incidents	--	5	4
Pedestrian vehicular incident	9	10	7
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	5	5	4
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	25	23	17
Roadway collision with other vehicle	16	12	9
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	5	6	4
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	5	8	6
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	4	6	4
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	6	5	4
Fires and explosions	2	3	2
Falls, slips, trips	17	23	17
Falls to lower level	14	19	14
Other fall to lower level	10	16	12
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	7	11	8
Exposure to electricity	2	5	4
Exposure to other harmful substances	4	5	4
Contact with objects and equipment	25	21	15
Struck by object or equipment	18	14	10
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	10	8	6
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 guidelines.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Michigan, 2013–14

Industry (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	135	138	100
Private industry	122	129	93
Natural resources and mining	17	23	17
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	16	23	17
Crop production	7	10	7
Animal production and aquaculture	5	6	4
Cattle ranching and farming	--	6	4
Dairy cattle and milk production	--	5	4
Forestry and logging	4	5	4
Logging	4	5	4
Logging	4	5	4
Construction	19	21	15
Construction	19	21	15
Construction of buildings	6	8	6
Residential building construction	5	5	4
Residential building construction	5	5	4
Residential remodelers	--	5	4
Specialty trade contractors	11	12	9
Building equipment contractors	2	5	4
Manufacturing	10	11	8
Manufacturing	10	11	8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	36	39	28
Wholesale trade	1	6	4
Retail trade	8	13	9
Transportation and warehousing	27	19	14
Truck transportation	14	12	9
General freight trucking	9	8	6
General freight trucking, long-distance	6	7	5
General freight trucking, long-distance, truckload	5	6	4
Financial activities	8	5	4
Professional and business services	12	7	5
Administrative and waste services	7	7	5
Administrative and support services	5	5	4
Educational and health services	5	5	4
Leisure and hospitality	10	9	7
Accommodation and food services	4	6	4
Other services, except public administration	5	9	7
Other services, except public administration	5	9	7
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	1	5	4
Government (3)	13	9	7
Local government	6	5	4
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. (p) Data for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016. (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. 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, Michigan, 2013–14

Occupation (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	135	138	100
Management occupations	16	20	14
Other management occupations	14	17	12
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	9	9	7
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	9	9	7
Business and financial operations occupations	3	--	--
Community and social services occupations	--	3	2
Legal occupations	1	--	--
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	4	4	3
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	3	1	1
Healthcare support occupations	1	--	--
Protective service occupations	5	3	2
Food preparation and serving related occupations	1	3	2
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	4	6	4
Personal care and service occupations	2	3	2
Sales and related occupations	11	9	7
Retail sales workers	3	5	4
Office and administrative support occupations	5	5	4
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	7	11	8
Agricultural workers	2	6	4
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	2	6	4
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	--	5	4
Forest, conservation, and logging workers	5	5	4
Logging workers	5	5	4
Fallers	5	5	4
Construction and extraction occupations	24	18	13
Construction trades workers	21	14	10
Construction laborers	6	8	6
Construction laborers	6	8	6
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	7	11	8
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	3	6	4
Production occupations	6	8	6
Transportation and material moving occupations	31	31	22
Motor vehicle operators	21	17	12
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	17	15	11
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	15	14	10
Material moving workers	8	9	7
Laborers and material movers, hand	6	5	4
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	6	5	4
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, Michigan, 2013–14

Worker characteristics	2013 (1)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	135	138	100
Employee status
Wage and salary (2)	95	91	66
Self-employed (3)	40	47	34
Gender
Men	122	120	87
Women	13	18	13
Age (4)
20 to 24 years	11	11	8
25 to 34 years	24	21	15
35 to 44 years	29	30	22
45 to 54 years	22	30	22
55 to 64 years	26	25	18
65 years and over	21	21	15
Race or ethnic origin (5)
White, non-Hispanic	108	113	82
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	20	14	10
Hispanic or Latino	3	6	4
Footnotes: (1) 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. (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. 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.