Fatal work injuries totaled 62 in 2014 for Minnesota, 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 Minnesota decreased by seven 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 4,679 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 62 fatal work injuries reported in Minnesota in 2014, 25 resulted from transportation incidents and 14 from contact with objects and equipment. Together these two major categories accounted for almost two-thirds of 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 16 deaths. This category accounted for 26 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. In the contact with objects and equipment category, 10 of the 14 deaths occurred as a result of being struck by an object or equipment. (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 the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2014, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. In Minnesota, transportation incidents also accounted for 40 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 Minnesota was 15 percent. 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 13 percent of workplace fatalities, while contact with objects and equipment was responsible for 23 percent of workplace fatalities.

Additional highlights:

• The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 21, up from the 17 from the previous year. Transportation incidents accounted for 10 fatal work injuries in this industry. (See table 2.)
• Trade, transportation, and utilities had the second highest fatality count with 18. Transportation incidents accounted for 10 of the deaths.
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 17. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers suffered 10 fatalities. (See table 3.)
• Men accounted for 60, or 97 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 40 percent of these fatalities.
• In Minnesota, 84 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 30, or 48 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 62 fatal work injuries in Minnesota, 56 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both wage and salary workers and for the self-employed 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, Minnesota, 2013–14

Event or exposure (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	69	62	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	6	8	13
Intentional injury by person	3	6	10
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	--	4	6
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm	--	3	5
Transportation incidents	34	25	40
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	16	16	26
Roadway collision with other vehicle	10	10	16
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	4	7	11
Roadway noncollision incident	6	4	6
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	6	4	6
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	7	5	8
Nonroadway noncollision incident	7	3	5
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	6	3	5
Falls, slips, trips	11	9	15
Falls to lower level	8	7	11
Fall through surface or existing opening	--	3	5
Other fall to lower level	7	4	6
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	4	5	8
Contact with objects and equipment	12	14	23
Struck by object or equipment	11	10	16
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	4	6	10
Struck or run over by rolling powered vehicle	--	3	5
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	5	4	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, Minnesota, 2013–14

Industry (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	69	62	100
Private industry	65	60	97
Natural resources and mining	17	21	34
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	17	21	34
Crop production	12	9	15
Animal production and aquaculture	4	10	16
Cattle ranching and farming	--	9	15
Beef cattle ranching and farming, including feedlots	--	4	6
Beef cattle ranching and farming	--	3	5
Dairy cattle and milk production	--	4	6
Construction	11	7	11
Construction	11	7	11
Specialty trade contractors	8	4	6
Manufacturing	7	3	5
Manufacturing	7	3	5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	14	18	29
Wholesale trade	5	7	11
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods	3	3	5
Transportation and warehousing	8	9	15
Truck transportation	5	6	10
General freight trucking	4	4	6
Professional and business services	4	--	--
Educational and health services	6	3	5
Health care and social assistance	4	3	5
Leisure and hospitality	3	3	5
Other services, except public administration	3	3	5
Other services, except public administration	3	3	5
Government (3)	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, Minnesota, 2013–14

Occupation (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	69	62	100
Management occupations	15	15	24
Other management occupations	15	14	23
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	13	14	23
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	13	14	23
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	1	--	--
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	6	--	--
Office and administrative support occupations	1	--	--
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	4	6	10
Agricultural workers	4	4	6
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	4	4	6
Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals	3	3	5
Construction and extraction occupations	6	4	6
Construction trades workers	5	3	5
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	3	6	10
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	--	3	5
Production occupations	6	--	--
Transportation and material moving occupations	17	17	27
Motor vehicle operators	10	14	23
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	9	14	23
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	9	10	16
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, Minnesota, 2013–14

Worker characteristics	2013 (1)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	69	62	100
Employee status
Wage and salary (2)	51	35	56
Self-employed (3)	18	27	44
Gender
Men	65	60	97
Women	4	--	--
Age (4)
20 to 24 years	3	3	5
25 to 34 years	7	7	11
35 to 44 years	8	9	15
45 to 54 years	16	14	23
55 to 64 years	21	11	18
65 years and over	14	17	27
Race or ethnic origin (5)
White, non-Hispanic	61	52	84
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	3	5	8
Hispanic or Latino	--	4	6
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.