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Friday, February 24, 2023
Fatal work injuries totaled 105 in 2021 for Wisconsin, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Wisconsin was down from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 138 in 1993 to a low of 77 in 2008.
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 Wisconsin, transportation incidents resulted in 36 fatal work injuries and accounted for 34 percent of all fatal workplace injuries in the state. (See chart 2 and table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were up from 29 over the year.
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most frequent fatal work event with 21 fatalities, down from 26 over the year. Contact with objects and equipment resulted in 18 fatalities, down from 27 in the prior year. Falls, slips, or trips resulted in 13 work-related deaths, the same as 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 construction industry sector had the highest number of fatalities in Wisconsin with 17, up from 13 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Falls, slips, or trips resulted in 6 of the 17 fatalities in the industry. The specialty trade contractors subsector accounted for 12 of the 17 fatal workplace injuries in the construction industry.
The private transportation and warehousing industry sector had 15 fatal workplace injuries, up from 9 in the previous year. The truck transportation subsector accounted for 8, or 53 percent, of the fatal injuries in this industry.
OccupationThe construction and extraction occupational group and the transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 22 each. (See table 3.) Construction trades workers accounted for 14 of the 22 fatalities among construction and extraction workers. Motor vehicle operators suffered 13 of the work-related deaths within the transportation and material moving group.
Additional highlightsMen accounted for 87 percent of the work-related fatalities in Wisconsin, compared to the 91-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 33 percent of the fatalities for men in Wisconsin.
White non-Hispanics accounted for 87 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 60 percent of work-related deaths.
Workers 55 years and older accounted for 41 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2021, compared to 35 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
Of the 105 fatal work injuries in Wisconsin, 80 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers, as well as self-employed workers was transportation incidents.
Background 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 thanks the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene 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 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 | 108 | 105 | 100 |
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals | 26 | 21 | 20 |
Intentional injury by person | 26 | 19 | 18 |
Transportation incidents | 29 | 36 | 34 |
Aircraft incidents | -- | 6 | 6 |
Pedestrian vehicular incident | 10 | 7 | 7 |
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle | 8 | 17 | 16 |
Roadway collision with other vehicle | 5 | 14 | 13 |
Roadway collision--moving in same direction | -- | 4 | 4 |
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly | -- | 5 | 5 |
Roadway collision--moving and standing vehicle in roadway | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Fires and explosions | -- | 4 | 4 |
Falls, slips, trips | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments | -- | 13 | 12 |
Exposure to electricity | -- | 6 | 6 |
Exposure to other harmful substances | -- | 7 | 7 |
Contact with objects and equipment | 27 | 18 | 17 |
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects | 7 | 10 | 10 |
Caught in running equipment or machinery | 3 | 8 | 8 |
Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning | -- | 3 | 3 |
Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation | -- | 4 | 4 |
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 | 108 | 105 | 100 |
Private industry (2) | 106 | 95 | 90 |
Goods producing | -- | -- | -- |
Natural resources and mining | 27 | 13 | 12 |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 27 | 13 | 12 |
Crop production | 13 | 4 | 4 |
Animal production and aquaculture | 10 | 7 | 7 |
Cattle ranching and farming | 7 | 5 | 5 |
Dairy cattle and milk production | -- | 2 | 2 |
Construction | 13 | 17 | 16 |
Construction | 13 | 17 | 16 |
Specialty trade contractors | 8 | 12 | 11 |
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors | 6 | 4 | 4 |
Building finishing contractors | -- | 3 | 3 |
Other specialty trade contractors | -- | 5 | 5 |
Manufacturing | 21 | 7 | 7 |
Manufacturing | 21 | 7 | 7 |
Service providing (3) | -- | -- | -- |
Trade, transportation, and utilities | 22 | -- | -- |
Wholesale trade | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Retail trade | 10 | 4 | 4 |
Transportation and warehousing | 9 | 15 | 14 |
Truck transportation | 7 | 8 | 8 |
Warehousing and storage | -- | 3 | 3 |
Warehousing and storage | -- | 3 | 3 |
General warehousing and storage | -- | 3 | 3 |
Financial activities | -- | 1 | 1 |
Finance and insurance | -- | 1 | 1 |
Credit intermediation and related activities | -- | 1 | 1 |
Depository credit intermediation | -- | 1 | 1 |
Commercial banking | -- | 1 | 1 |
Professional and business services | -- | 13 | 12 |
Professional, scientific, and technical services | -- | 7 | 7 |
Professional, scientific, and technical services | -- | 7 | 7 |
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Administrative and support services | 6 | 1 | 1 |
Educational and health services | -- | 7 | 7 |
Educational services | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Educational services | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Health care and social assistance | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Nursing and residential care facilities | -- | 3 | 3 |
Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly | -- | 3 | 3 |
Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly | -- | 3 | 3 |
Assisted living facilities for the elderly | -- | 3 | 3 |
Leisure and hospitality | 6 | 9 | 9 |
Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 6 | 6 |
Accommodation and food services | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Government (4) | -- | -- | -- |
State government | -- | 3 | 3 |
Local government | 1 | 6 | 6 |
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 | 108 | 105 | 100 |
Management occupations | 18 | 9 | 9 |
Other management occupations | 18 | 9 | 9 |
Educational instruction and library occupations | -- | 1 | 1 |
Postsecondary teachers | -- | 1 | 1 |
Engineering and architecture teachers, postsecondary | -- | 1 | 1 |
Engineering teachers, postsecondary | -- | 1 | 1 |
Healthcare support occupations | -- | 3 | 3 |
Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides | -- | 3 | 3 |
Home health and personal care aides; and nursing assistants, orderlies, and psychiatric aides | -- | 3 | 3 |
Home health and personal care aides | -- | 3 | 3 |
Personal care aides | -- | 3 | 3 |
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations | 5 | 8 | 8 |
Office and administrative support occupations | -- | 3 | 3 |
Financial clerks | -- | 1 | 1 |
Tellers | -- | 1 | 1 |
Tellers | -- | 1 | 1 |
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations | 11 | 5 | 5 |
Agricultural workers | 7 | 4 | 4 |
Miscellaneous agricultural workers | -- | 3 | 3 |
Forest, conservation, and logging workers | -- | 1 | 1 |
Logging workers | -- | 1 | 1 |
Fallers | -- | 1 | 1 |
Construction and extraction occupations | 16 | 22 | 21 |
Construction trades workers | 16 | 14 | 13 |
Construction laborers | -- | 3 | 3 |
Construction laborers | -- | 3 | 3 |
Painters and paperhangers | -- | 4 | 4 |
Painters, construction and maintenance | -- | 4 | 4 |
Roofers | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Roofers | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 9 | 11 | 10 |
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers | -- | 3 | 3 |
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 4 | 8 | 8 |
Line installers and repairers | -- | 3 | 3 |
Electrical power-line installers and repairers | -- | 3 | 3 |
Production occupations | 17 | 3 | 3 |
Transportation and material moving occupations | 17 | 22 | 21 |
Air transportation workers | -- | 5 | 5 |
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers | -- | 5 | 5 |
Motor vehicle operators | 12 | 13 | 12 |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers | -- | 10 | 10 |
Material moving workers | -- | 4 | 4 |
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 | 108 | 105 | 100 |
Employee status | |||
Wage and salary workers (1) | 64 | 84 | 80 |
Self-employed (2) | 44 | 21 | 20 |
Gender | |||
Men | 97 | 91 | 87 |
Women | 11 | 14 | 13 |
Age (3) | |||
20 to 24 years | -- | 6 | 6 |
25 to 34 years | 13 | 15 | 14 |
35 to 44 years | 15 | 17 | 16 |
45 to 54 years | 20 | 24 | 23 |
55 to 64 years | 23 | 21 | 20 |
65 years and over | 31 | 22 | 21 |
Race or ethnic origin (4) | |||
White, non-Hispanic | 85 | 91 | 87 |
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic | 6 | 7 | 7 |
Hispanic or Latino | 12 | 4 | 4 |
Asian, non-Hispanic | -- | 3 | 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. |
Last Modified Date: Friday, February 24, 2023