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23-136-CHI
Thursday, February 23, 2023
Fatal work injuries totaled 34 in 2021 for North Dakota, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the number of work-related fatalities in North Dakota was up from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 65 in 2012 to a low of 20 in 1992.
Nationwide, a total of 5,190 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2021, a 9-percent increase from 4,764 in 2020, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
In North Dakota, transportation incidents resulted in 10 fatal work injuries, and contact with objects or equipment accounted for 8 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 53 percent of all fatal workplace injuries in the state. (See chart 2 and table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were up from nine over the year, and worker fatalities due to contact with objects or equipment were up from seven.
Exposure to harmful substances or environments was the third-most frequent fatal work event with six fatalities. Falls, slips, or trips resulted in five work-related deaths compared to four in 2020.
Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal event in 2021, accounting for 38 percent of fatal work injuries. Falls, slips, and trips was the second-most common fatal event (16 percent), followed by both exposure to harmful substances or environments and violence and other injuries by persons or animals (15 percent each) and contact with objects and equipment (14 percent).
The private agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry sector had the highest number of fatalities in North Dakota with 11, down from 13 in the previous year. (See table 2.) The crop production subsector accounted for 7 of the 11 fatal workplace injuries in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry.
The private manufacturing industry sector and the other services, except public administration, sector had four fatal workplace injuries each. The repair and maintenance subsector accounted for all four of the fatal workplace injuries in the other services, except public administration, sector.
OccupationThe transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 10. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 5 of the 10 fatalities among transportation and material moving workers.
The management occupational group had the second-highest number of fatal workplace injuries with nine, followed by installation, maintenance, and repair occupations with five. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers suffered eight of the work-related deaths within the management group. Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers accounted for 3 of the 5 work-related deaths within the installation, maintenance, and repair occupational group.
Additional highlightsBackground of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, is a count of all fatalities resulting from workplace injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI uses a variety of 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 2021 national data, over 23,900 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see the BLS Handbook of Methods at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm and the CFOI definitions at www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/occupational-safety-and-health-definitions.htm.
Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, some of which may be outside the scope of other agencies or regulatory coverage. Comparisons between CFOI counts and those released by other agencies should account for the different coverage requirements and definitions used by each agency. For more information on the scope of CFOI, see www.bls.gov/iif/overview/cfoi-scope.htm and www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/concepts.htm.
Latency Cases. Latent fatal occupational injury cases occur when the date of injury differs from the date of death. In some cases, the death occurs in a different year than the occupational injury and are known as cross-year latent cases. In 2021, there were 197 cases nationally where this occurred, and 174 of these latent cases occurred more than 30 days prior to the start of 2021. For more information on latent cases, see www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-10/latency-in-fatal-occupational-injuries.htm.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. CFOI reports fatal workplace injuries only. These may include fatal workplace injuries complicated by an illness such as COVID-19. Fatal workplace illnesses not precipitated by an injury are not in scope for CFOI. CFOI does not report any illness related information, including COVID-19. Additional information is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-on-workplace-injuries-and-illnesses-compensation-and-occupational-requirements.htm.
Acknowledgments. BLS 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 individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.
Event or exposure (1) | 2020 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total | 26 | 34 | 100 |
Transportation incidents | 9 | 10 | 29 |
Aircraft incidents | -- | 1 | 3 |
Other in-flight crash | -- | 1 | 3 |
Other in-flight crash into structure, object, or ground | -- | 1 | 3 |
Pedestrian vehicular incident | -- | 1 | 3 |
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in work zone | -- | 1 | 3 |
Pedestrian struck by vehicle backing up in work zone | -- | 1 | 3 |
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle | 5 | 8 | 24 |
Roadway collision with other vehicle | 4 | 5 | 15 |
Roadway collision--moving in same direction | -- | 4 | 12 |
Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming | -- | 1 | 3 |
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle | -- | 1 | 3 |
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway | -- | 1 | 3 |
Roadway noncollision incident | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Falls, slips, trips | 4 | 5 | 15 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments | -- | 6 | 18 |
Contact with objects and equipment | 7 | 8 | 24 |
Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material | -- | 4 | 12 |
Footnotes: | |||
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at https://www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Industry (1) | 2020 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total | 26 | 34 | 100 |
Private industry (2) | 24 | 33 | 97 |
Goods producing | -- | -- | -- |
Natural resources and mining | 13 | -- | -- |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 13 | 11 | 32 |
Crop production | 8 | 7 | 21 |
Oilseed and grain farming | 6 | 2 | 6 |
Soybean farming | -- | 1 | 3 |
Corn farming | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Other crop farming | -- | 1 | 3 |
All other crop farming | -- | 1 | 3 |
Sugar beet farming | -- | 1 | 3 |
Animal production and aquaculture | 5 | 3 | 9 |
Cattle ranching and farming | 5 | 3 | 9 |
Support activities for agriculture and forestry | -- | 1 | 3 |
Support activities for crop production | -- | 1 | 3 |
Support activities for crop production | -- | 1 | 3 |
Soil preparation, planting, and cultivating | -- | 1 | 3 |
Manufacturing | -- | 4 | 12 |
Manufacturing | -- | 4 | 12 |
Food manufacturing | -- | 1 | 3 |
Dairy product manufacturing | -- | 1 | 3 |
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing | -- | 2 | 6 |
Plastics product manufacturing | -- | 2 | 6 |
Other plastics product manufacturing | -- | 2 | 6 |
Fabricated metal product manufacturing | -- | 1 | 3 |
Architectural and structural metals manufacturing | -- | 1 | 3 |
Ornamental and architectural metal products manufacturing | -- | 1 | 3 |
Service providing (3) | -- | -- | -- |
Trade, transportation, and utilities | -- | -- | -- |
Wholesale trade | -- | 1 | 3 |
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods | -- | 1 | 3 |
Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers | -- | 1 | 3 |
Farm and garden machinery and equipment merchant wholesalers | -- | 1 | 3 |
Financial activities | -- | 1 | 3 |
Real estate and rental and leasing | -- | 1 | 3 |
Real estate | -- | 1 | 3 |
Professional and business services | -- | -- | -- |
Professional, scientific, and technical services | -- | 1 | 3 |
Professional, scientific, and technical services | -- | 1 | 3 |
Architectural, engineering, and related services | -- | 1 | 3 |
Testing laboratories | -- | 1 | 3 |
Educational and health services | -- | 3 | 9 |
Health care and social assistance | -- | 3 | 9 |
Social assistance | -- | 1 | 3 |
Vocational rehabilitation services | -- | 1 | 3 |
Vocational rehabilitation services | -- | 1 | 3 |
Leisure and hospitality | -- | 1 | 3 |
Accommodation and food services | -- | 1 | 3 |
Food services and drinking places | -- | 1 | 3 |
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) | -- | 1 | 3 |
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) | -- | 1 | 3 |
Other services, except public administration | -- | 4 | 12 |
Other services, except public administration | -- | 4 | 12 |
Repair and maintenance | -- | 4 | 12 |
Government (4) | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Local government | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Footnotes: | |||
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at https://www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Occupation (1) | 2020 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total | 26 | 34 | 100 |
Management occupations | 12 | 9 | 26 |
Other management occupations | -- | 8 | 24 |
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | -- | 8 | 24 |
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | -- | 8 | 24 |
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations | -- | 1 | 3 |
Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners | -- | 1 | 3 |
Chiropractors | -- | 1 | 3 |
Chiropractors | -- | 1 | 3 |
Protective service occupations | -- | 2 | 6 |
Other protective service workers | -- | 2 | 6 |
Sales and related occupations | -- | 1 | 3 |
Other sales and related workers | -- | 1 | 3 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | -- | 5 | 15 |
Supervisors of installation, maintenance, and repair workers | -- | 1 | 3 |
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers | -- | 1 | 3 |
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers | -- | 1 | 3 |
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers | -- | 3 | 9 |
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | -- | 1 | 3 |
Control and valve installers and repairers | -- | 1 | 3 |
Transportation and material moving occupations | -- | 10 | 29 |
Air transportation workers | -- | 1 | 3 |
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers | -- | 1 | 3 |
Commercial pilots | -- | 1 | 3 |
Motor vehicle operators | -- | 5 | 15 |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers | -- | 5 | 15 |
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | -- | 5 | 15 |
Material moving workers | -- | 4 | 12 |
Laborers and material movers | -- | 4 | 12 |
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand | -- | 4 | 12 |
Footnotes: | |||
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at https://www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Worker characteristics | 2020 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total | 26 | 34 | 100 |
Employee status | |||
Wage and salary workers (1) | 15 | 23 | 68 |
Self-employed (2) | 11 | 11 | 32 |
Gender | |||
Men | 25 | 30 | 88 |
Women | 1 | 4 | 12 |
Age (3) | |||
25 to 34 years | 8 | 7 | 21 |
35 to 44 years | -- | 3 | 9 |
45 to 54 years | 4 | 3 | 9 |
55 to 64 years | 4 | 8 | 24 |
65 years and over | 8 | 11 | 32 |
Race or ethnic origin (4) | |||
White, non-Hispanic | 21 | 28 | 82 |
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic | -- | -- | -- |
Hispanic or Latino | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: | |||
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at https://www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Last Modified Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023