Fatal work injuries totaled 171 in 2016 for Illinois, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Illinois was little changed from the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 262 in 1996 to a low of 146 in 2012. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a total of 5,190 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2016, a 7-percent increase from the 4,836 fatal injuries in 2015, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. This was the third consecutive increase in annual workplace fatalities and the first time more than 5,000 fatalities have been recorded since 2008.

Type of incident

In Illinois, transportation incidents resulted in 54 fatal work injuries and falls, trips, or slips accounted for 37 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 53 percent of all workplace fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) Over the year, the number of worker deaths from transportation incidents decreased from 59, while worker fatalities due to falls, trips, or slips was up from 33.

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 35 fatalities, up from 27 in the prior year. Contact with objects or equipment resulted in 28 work-related deaths compared to 29 in 2015.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2016, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most common fatal event (17 percent), followed by falls, slips, or trips (16 percent).

Industry

The private transportation and warehousing sector had the highest number of fatalities in Illinois with 35, up from 22 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Twenty of the 22 fatalities in the sector were the result of transportation incidents. Seventy-seven percent of those fatally injured in this sector worked in truck transportation.

The private construction sector had 29 workplace fatalities, down from 38 in the previous year. The specialty trade contractor industry accounted for 21, or 72 percent, of the fatal injuries in this sector.

Occupation

The transportation and material moving and construction and extraction occupational groups had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 51 and 31, respectively. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers suffered 36 of the work-related deaths within the transportation and material moving group. Construction trade workers accounted for 22 of the 31 fatalities among construction and extraction workers.

Additional highlights

• Men accounted for 92 percent of the work-related fatalities in Illinois, similar to the 93-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 32 percent of the fatalities for men in Illinois.
• White non-Hispanics accounted for 71 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 67 percent of work-related deaths.
• Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 54 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2016, compared to 57 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
• Of the 171 fatally-injured workers in Illinois, 75 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both groups of workers was transportation incidents.

Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI 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 the 2016 national data, over 23,300 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for CFOI, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm.

Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, even those that may be outside the scope of other agencies or 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. More on the scope of CFOI can be found at www.bls.gov/iif/cfoiscope.htm.

Acknowledgments. BLS thanks the Illinois Department of Public Health for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that provided source documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation divisions); the Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; state vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of health, labor, and industrial relations and workers' compensation agencies; state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.

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, Illinois, 2015–16

Event or exposure (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	172	171	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	27	35	20
Intentional injury by person	26	32	19
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	18	22	13
Shooting by other person--intentional	14	18	11
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	8	10	6
Shooting--intentional self-harm	3	5	3
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm	3	4	2
Animal and insect related incidents	--	3	2
Bites and stings	--	3	2
Transportation incidents	59	54	32
Pedestrian vehicular incident	7	9	5
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in work zone	--	3	2
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	5	5	3
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	29	37	22
Roadway collision with other vehicle	20	21	12
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	10	7	4
Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming	6	8	5
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	3	5	3
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	5	10	6
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	5	8	5
Roadway noncollision incident	4	6	4
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	3	6	4
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	16	6	4
Nonroadway noncollision incident	12	3	2
Fires and explosions	5	3	2
Falls, slips, trips	33	37	22
Falls on same level	7	11	6
Fall on same level due to tripping	--	4	2
Falls to lower level	23	24	14
Fall through surface or existing opening	2	3	2
Other fall to lower level	20	19	11
Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet	--	4	2
Other fall to lower level 11 to 15 feet	--	4	2
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	19	14	8
Exposure to electricity	9	3	2
Exposure to other harmful substances	7	10	6
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	7	8	5
Contact with objects and equipment	29	28	16
Struck by object or equipment	22	22	13
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	13	10	6
Struck by powered vehicle tipping over--nontransport	1	3	2
Struck by other falling powered vehicle	4	3	2
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	9	9	5
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	4	4	2
Caught in running equipment or machinery	3	4	2
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. 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 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Illinois, 2015–16

Industry (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	172	171	100
Private industry	154	161	94
Natural resources and mining	19	19	11
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	16	17	10
Crop production	11	14	8
Oilseed and grain farming	2	3	2
Corn farming	1	3	2
Construction	38	29	17
Construction	38	29	17
Construction of buildings	6	3	2
Heavy and civil engineering construction	4	5	3
Utility system construction	--	3	2
Specialty trade contractors	27	21	12
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors	11	10	6
Structural steel and precast concrete contractors	3	4	2
Building equipment contractors	10	4	2
Electrical contractors	8	3	2
Building finishing contractors	4	5	3
Manufacturing	12	9	5
Manufacturing	12	9	5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	44	58	34
Wholesale trade	10	11	6
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	5	5	3
Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers	--	3	2
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods	5	6	4
Retail trade	11	11	6
Transportation and warehousing	22	35	20
Truck transportation	12	27	16
General freight trucking	8	15	9
General freight trucking, local	3	7	4
General freight trucking, long-distance	4	7	4
Specialized freight trucking	3	11	6
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, local	--	3	2
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, long-distance	3	8	5
Financial activities	1	3	2
Real estate and rental and leasing	--	3	2
Professional and business services	14	14	8
Professional and technical services	3	4	2
Professional, scientific, and technical services	3	4	2
Administrative and waste services	11	10	6
Administrative and support services	9	8	5
Services to buildings and dwellings	6	4	2
Landscaping services	4	3	2
Educational and health services	2	5	3
Health care and social assistance	2	4	2
Leisure and hospitality	14	11	6
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	4	4	2
Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries	1	4	2
Spectator sports	--	3	2
Spectator sports	--	3	2
Accommodation and food services	10	7	4
Food services and drinking places	9	6	4
Restaurants and other eating places	7	4	2
Restaurants and other eating places	7	4	2
Full-service restaurants	5	3	2
Other services, except public administration	9	11	6
Other services, except public administration	9	11	6
Repair and maintenance	6	6	4
Automotive repair and maintenance	3	6	4
Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance	--	3	2
General automotive repair	--	3	2
Automotive body, paint, interior, and glass repair	--	3	2
Personal and laundry services	--	3	2
Government (2)	18	10	6
Local government	12	8	5
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012. (2) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. 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, Illinois, 2015–16

Occupation (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	172	171	100
Management occupations	21	19	11
Other management occupations	16	18	11
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	11	14	8
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	11	14	8
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	4	3	2
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers	--	3	2
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	3	3	2
Protective service occupations	10	8	5
Law enforcement workers	3	3	2
Other protective service workers	3	5	3
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers	--	4	2
Security guards	--	4	2
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	9	6	4
Grounds maintenance workers	5	3	2
Grounds maintenance workers	5	3	2
Personal care and service occupations	2	5	3
Sales and related occupations	9	12	7
Supervisors of sales workers	5	7	4
First-line supervisors of sales workers	5	7	4
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers	3	5	3
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	6	4	2
Agricultural workers	4	3	2
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	4	3	2
Construction and extraction occupations	39	31	18
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	--	4	2
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	4	2
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	4	2
Construction trades workers	35	22	13
Carpenters	3	6	4
Carpenters	3	6	4
Construction laborers	12	8	5
Construction laborers	12	8	5
Electricians	6	3	2
Electricians	6	3	2
Extraction workers	2	3	2
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	10	14	8
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	4	8	5
Automotive technicians and repairers	--	5	3
Automotive service technicians and mechanics	--	4	2
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	5	6	4
Line installers and repairers	1	3	2
Production occupations	12	6	4
Metal workers and plastic workers	3	3	2
Transportation and material moving occupations	34	51	30
Motor vehicle operators	24	43	25
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	20	41	24
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	16	36	21
Light truck or delivery services drivers	--	4	2
Material moving workers	8	8	5
Laborers and material movers, hand	3	5	3
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	--	5	3
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010.
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 selected demographic characteristics, Illinois, 2015–16

Worker characteristics	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	172	171	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	132	129	75
Self-employed (2)	40	42	25
Gender
Men	162	157	92
Women	10	14	8
Age (3)
20 to 24 years	15	8	5
25 to 34 years	19	25	15
35 to 44 years	31	33	19
45 to 54 years	44	35	20
55 to 64 years	33	48	28
65 years and over	27	21	12
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	122	122	71
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	24	19	11
Hispanic or Latino	19	27	16
Asian, non-Hispanic	6	3	2
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.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. 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.