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News Release Information

18-53-NEW
Monday, March 12, 2018

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (617) 565-4141

Fatal Work Injuries in the New York Area – 2016

Fatal work injuries totaled 222 in 2016 for the New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. Metropolitan Statistical Area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Chief Regional Economist Martin Kohli noted that the number of work-related fatalities in the New York area was similar to the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the metropolitan area have ranged from a high of 236 in 2004 to a low of 145 in 2010. (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 reported in 2015, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

In 2016, the New York area had the largest population nationally and placed first in the number of work-related fatalities among the 10 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the United States. (See table 1 and chart 2.) The fifth-most populated area in the country, Houston, had the next highest number of workplace fatalities (115). Philadelphia, the seventh largest metropolitan area, had the lowest fatality count with 52.

Type of incident

Of the 222 fatal work injuries in the New York metropolitan area in 2016, 62 resulted from transportation incidents; 30 of these were roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles, and 16 were pedestrian vehicular incidents. Transportation incidents were  the most frequent fatal event in 7 of the 10 largest metropolitan areas in 2016, including New York. The areas with the highest shares of work-related deaths from transportation incidents were Philadelphia (40 percent), Dallas (34 percent), and Atlanta (32 percent). (See table 1 and table 2.)

Falls, slips, and trips were the second-most frequent fatal event in the New York area, resulting in 26 percent of all fatalities. Of the 57 fatalities in this category in the New York area, 47 involved falls to a lower level. This category had the second-highest count of fatal events in five other large metropolitan areas including Houston, Philadelphia, and Washington.

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the next most frequent fatal event in the New York metropolitan area, accounting for 19 percent of worker deaths. Twenty-three of the 42 New York area fatalities in this category were intentional injuries by other persons (homicides). Suicides accounted for 19 deaths, up 3 from last year. Los Angeles had the highest share of workplace fatalities due to violence and other injuries by persons or animals, 31 percent, and Philadelphia had the lowest share, 14 percent.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2016, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 3.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most frequent type of event (17 percent), followed by falls, slips, or trips (16 percent) and contact with objects and equipment (15 percent).

Industry

The construction industry had the largest number of fatalities in the New York area with 66, up from 57 in 2015. (See table 3.) Thirty of these incidents were fatal falls, slips, and trips. The trade, transportation, and utilities sector had the second-highest fatality count with 57. Transportation incidents accounted for 26 worker deaths in this sector.

Occupation

In the New York area, construction and extraction occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 59. (See table 4.) The majority of these fatalities were construction trades workers (45), including construction laborers. Transportation and material moving workers had the second-highest fatality count at 43, followed by installation, maintenance, and repair occupations, with 26.

Additional highlights:
  • Men accounted for 92 percent of the work-related fatalities in the area, similar to 93-percent national share. (See table 5.) Transportation incidents and falls, slips and trips each accounted for about 27 percent of the fatalities among men in the New York area.
  • Hispanic or Latino workers accounted for 29 percent of the area’s work-related fatalities in 2016, compared to 17 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally. Foreign-born Hispanic or Latino workers accounted for 50 incidents compared to 48 in 2015. The most frequent event for Hispanic or Latino workers was falls, slips, and trips.
  • Older workers—those 55 years old and over—accounted for 75, or 34 percent, of the metropolitan area’s work-related fatalities in 2016. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 36 percent of on-the-job fatalities.

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.


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 national 2016 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. 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.

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, dated February 28, 2013. A detailed list of the geographic definitions is available at www.bls.gov/lau/lausmsa.htm.

The New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties in New York; Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties in New Jersey; and Pike County in Pennsylvania.

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 selected event groups in the largest 10 metropolitan areas in 2016
Metropolitan area(1)Total fatalities(2)Transportation incidentsViolence and other injuries by persons or animalsFalls, slips, tripsExposure to harmful substances or environmentsContact with objects and equipment

United States(2)

5,1902,083866849518761

New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa.

2226242572334

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas

1153519321513

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Calif.

109273425713

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.

105312928710

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

93321620913

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla.

922614211511

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass.-N.H.

75141716199

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga.

69221814104

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va.

6614191689

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md.

522171436

Footnotes:
(1) Metropolitan areas used in this table are Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) based on definitions from the Office of Management and Budget Bulletin Number 13-01, February 2013.
(2) Also includes fatalities occurring in nonmetropolitan areas.
 

Note: Data are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
 

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, New York-Newark-Jersey City, 2015–16
Event or exposure (1)20152016
NumberNumberPercent

Total

221222100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

464219

Intentional injury by person

454219

Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)

292310

Shooting by other person--intentional

20125

Stabbing, cutting, slashing, piercing

542

Hitting, kicking, beating, shoving

342

Strangulation by other person

--21

Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)

16199

Shooting--intentional self-harm

652

Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm

894

Transportation incidents

706228

Aircraft incidents

331

Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing

2----

Other in-flight crash

131

Other in-flight crash due to mechanical failure

131

Animal and other non-motorized vehicle transportation incidents

------

Animal transportation incident

--10

Pedestrian vehicular incident

14167

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway

542

Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in roadway

442

Pedestrian struck by vehicle on side of road

--31

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area

794

Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in nonroadway area

442

Pedestrian struck by vehicle backing up in nonroadway area

331

Capsized or sinking water vehicle

2----

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle

433014

Roadway collision with other vehicle

20199

Roadway collision--moving in same direction

673

Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming

984

Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly

431

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle

1673

Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway

1373

Roadway noncollision incident

742

Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway

442

Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles

452

Nonroadway noncollision incident

331

Fires and explosions

6----

Explosions

4----

Falls, slips, trips

535726

Falls on same level

784

Fall on same level due to tripping

--31

Fall on same level due to slipping

4----

Falls to lower level

434721

Fall from collapsing structure or equipment

--42

Fall through surface or existing opening

642

Fall through surface or existing opening 11 to 15 feet

3----

Other fall to lower level

353817

Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet

531

Other fall to lower level 16 to 20 feet

684

Other fall to lower level 21 to 25 feet

4----

Other fall to lower level more than 30 feet

5105

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

202310

Exposure to electricity

363

Direct exposure to electricity

--52

Direct exposure to electricity, greater than 220 volts

142

Exposure to other harmful substances

12157

Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose

10146

Inhalation of harmful substance

2----

Exposure to oxygen deficiency, n.e.c.

3----

Contact with objects and equipment

263415

Struck by object or equipment

15219

Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport

784

Struck or run over by rolling powered vehicle

--42

Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle

7136

Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part

352

Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects

394

Caught in running equipment or machinery

--52

Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation

--31

Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material

742

Struck, caught, or crushed in other collapsing structure or equipment

531

Overexertion and bodily reaction

------

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 3. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, New York-Newark-Jersey City, 2015–16
Industry (1)20152016
NumberNumberPercent

Total

221222100

Private industry

19819186

Natural resources and mining

6----

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

5----

Crop production

1----

Vegetable and melon farming

1----

Animal production and aquaculture

1----

Fishing, hunting and trapping

3----

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (2)

1----

Construction

576630

Construction

576630

Construction of buildings

16199

Residential building construction

15167

Residential building construction

15167

New single-family housing construction (except for-sale builders)

531

Residential remodelers

973

Nonresidential building construction

------

Commercial and institutional building construction

--10

Heavy and civil engineering construction

542

Land subdivision

1----

Other heavy and civil engineering construction

--10

Specialty trade contractors

334118

Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors

1594

Poured concrete foundation and structure contractors

5----

Structural steel and precast concrete contractors

--31

Masonry contractors

--10

Roofing contractors

431

Other foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors

--10

Building equipment contractors

10115

Electrical contractors

--31

Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors

531

Other building equipment contractors

--52

Building finishing contractors

3115

Drywall and insulation contractors

--31

Painting and wall covering contractors

--31

Finish carpentry contractors

--31

Residential finish carpentry contractors

--10

Other specialty trade contractors

5105

Site preparation contractors

531

Nonresidential site preparation contractors

1----

All other specialty trade contractors

--73

Manufacturing

1284

Manufacturing

1284

Food manufacturing

510

Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing

3----

Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing

--10

Bread and bakery product manufacturing

--10

Commercial bakeries

--10

Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing

--10

Beverage manufacturing

--10

Wineries

--10

Chemical manufacturing

------

Paint, coating, and adhesive manufacturing

1----

Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing

3----

Cement and concrete product manufacturing

3----

Fabricated metal product manufacturing

131

Other fabricated metal product manufacturing

1----

Trade, transportation, and utilities

585726

Utilities

--31

Wholesale trade

4105

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods

152

Lumber and other construction materials merchant wholesalers

1----

Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers

--21

Industrial machinery and equipment merchant wholesalers

--21

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods

352

Grocery and related product wholesalers

------

General line grocery merchant wholesalers

--10

Miscellaneous nondurable goods merchant wholesalers

1----

Retail trade

20219

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

--63

Automobile dealers

--31

New car dealers

--31

Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores

--31

Electronics and appliance stores

--21

Electronics and appliance stores

--21

Electronics and appliance stores

--21

Electronics stores

--21

Food and beverage stores

763

Grocery stores

452

Supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores

4----

Convenience stores

--31

Beer, wine, and liquor stores

210

Gasoline stations

410

Gasoline stations

410

Gasoline stations with convenience stores

210

Clothing and clothing accessories stores

--31

General merchandise stores

1----

Transportation and warehousing

332310

Air transportation

1----

Water transportation

3----

Inland water transportation

1----

Truck transportation

1494

General freight trucking

1063

General freight trucking, local

631

General freight trucking, long-distance

431

Specialized freight trucking

331

Transit and ground passenger transportation

1273

Taxi and limousine service

1252

Taxi service

1142

School and employee bus transportation

--10

Support activities for transportation

--52

Support activities for water transportation

--31

Navigational services to shipping

131

Support activities for road transportation

--10

Motor vehicle towing

--10

Information

331

Information

331

Telecommunications

------

Wired telecommunications carriers

1----

Financial activities

631

Finance and insurance

2----

Credit intermediation and related activities

1----

Nondepository credit intermediation

1----

Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles

1----

Real estate and rental and leasing

431

Real estate

431

Professional and business services

27219

Professional and technical services

7----

Professional, scientific, and technical services

7----

Legal services

1----

Management, scientific, and technical consulting services

1----

Administrative and waste services

20209

Administrative and support services

12199

Employment services

1----

Temporary help services

1----

Investigation and security services

3----

Investigation, guard, and armored car services

310

Security guards and patrol services

310

Services to buildings and dwellings

8167

Landscaping services

6115

Waste management and remediation services

810

Remediation and other waste management services

210

Remediation services

2----

All other waste management services

--10

Educational and health services

594

Educational services

------

Educational services

------

Technical and trade schools

1----

Technical and trade schools

1----

Flight training

1----

Health care and social assistance

384

Ambulatory health care services

--42

Home health care services

--31

Other ambulatory health care services

--10

Ambulance services

--10

Social assistance

--10

Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services

--10

Community housing services

--10

Temporary shelters

--10

Leisure and hospitality

12167

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

452

Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries

4----

Performing arts companies

3----

Spectator sports

--10

Promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events

1----

Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions

--10

Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions

--10

Museums

--10

Accommodation and food services

8115

Food services and drinking places

8105

Restaurants and other eating places

684

Restaurants and other eating places

684

Full-service restaurants

352

Other services, except public administration

1273

Other services, except public administration

1273

Repair and maintenance

663

Automotive repair and maintenance

642

Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance

--31

Automotive body, paint, interior, and glass repair

1----

Other automotive repair and maintenance

3----

Personal and laundry services

5----

Death care services

1----

Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations

110

Religious organizations

110

Government (3)

233114

Federal government

342

State government

473

Local government

16209

Footnotes:
(1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012.
(2) Includes fatal injuries at all establishments categorized as Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, 2012, including establishments not governed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction.
(3) 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 4. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, New York-Newark-Jersey City, 2015–16
Occupation (1)20152016
NumberNumberPercent

Total

221222100

Management occupations

1073

Top executives

1----

Other management occupations

863

Food service managers

--31

Property, real estate, and community association managers

--31

Miscellaneous managers

1----

Business and financial operations occupations

------

Computer and mathematical occupations

------

Architecture and engineering occupations

310

Architects, surveyors, and cartographers

--10

Architects, except naval

--10

Architects, except landscape and naval

--10

Engineers

3----

Life, physical, and social science occupations

------

Community and social service occupations

------

Religious workers

110

Miscellaneous religious workers

--10

Legal occupations

1----

Lawyers, judges, and related workers

1----

Education, training, and library occupations

--31

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations

531

Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers

3----

Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers

--10

Athletes and sports competitors

--10

Musicians, singers, and related workers

3----

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations

3----

Healthcare support occupations

--52

Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides

--42

Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides

--42

Home health aides

--31

Protective service occupations

17167

Supervisors of protective service workers

242

Fire fighting and prevention workers

321

Firefighters

321

Law enforcement workers

752

Detectives and criminal investigators

2----

Police officers

431

Other protective service workers

552

Security guards and gaming surveillance officers

431

Security guards

431

Food preparation and serving related occupations

531

Supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

4----

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

11209

Supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers

331

Building cleaning and pest control workers

363

Building cleaning workers

352

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

331

Grounds maintenance workers

5115

Grounds maintenance workers

5115

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

573

Tree trimmers and pruners

--42

Personal care and service occupations

------

Sales and related occupations

17157

Supervisors of sales workers

652

Retail sales workers

984

Cashiers

642

Retail salespersons

342

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing

------

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing

------

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

--10

Office and administrative support occupations

531

Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers

4----

Postal service workers

--10

Postal service clerks

--10

Stock clerks and order fillers

3----

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

5----

Agricultural workers

2----

Fishing and hunting workers

3----

Fishers and related fishing workers

3----

Construction and extraction occupations

525927

Supervisors of construction and extraction workers

9105

Construction trades workers

394520

Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons

--10

Brickmasons and blockmasons

--10

Carpenters

673

Construction laborers

192210

Construction equipment operators

--31

Electricians

--31

Painters and paperhangers

--31

Painters, construction and maintenance

--31

Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

3----

Roofers

5----

Other construction and related workers

342

Elevator installers and repairers

--31

Hazardous materials removal workers

1----

Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

--10

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

162612

Supervisors of installation, maintenance, and repair workers

342

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers

342

Automotive technicians and repairers

--31

Automotive service technicians and mechanics

--31

Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians and mechanics

1----

Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

9167

Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

--31

Industrial machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers

--31

Line installers and repairers

--31

Telecommunications line installers and repairers

131

Maintenance and repair workers, general

531

Miscellaneous installation, maintenance, and repair workers

--42

Production occupations

7105

Supervisors of production workers

4----

Metal workers and plastic workers

--42

Transportation and material moving occupations

574319

Supervisors of transportation and material moving workers

------

First-line supervisors of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators

3----

Air transportation workers

310

Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

310

Commercial pilots

310

Motor vehicle operators

302813

Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians

--10

Bus drivers

--21

Bus drivers, transit and intercity

--10

Bus drivers, school or special client

--10

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

18199

Driver/sales workers

5----

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

12136

Light truck or delivery services drivers

152

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs

1163

Water transportation workers

231

Sailors and marine oilers

--21

Ship and boat captains and operators

210

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

210

Material moving workers

1794

Crane and tower operators

--31

Laborers and material movers, hand

8----

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

6----

Refuse and recyclable material collectors

6----

Military specific occupations (2)

------

Footnotes:
(1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010.
(2) Includes fatal injuries to persons identified as resident armed forces regardless of individual occupation listed.
 

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 5. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, New York-Newark-Jersey City, 2015–16
Worker characteristics20152016
NumberNumberPercent

Total

221222100

Employee status

 

Wage and salary workers (1)

17518684

Self-employed (2)

463616

Gender

 

Men

20820592

Women

13178

Age (3)

 

20 to 24 years

1094

25 to 34 years

383214

35 to 44 years

374922

45 to 54 years

595525

55 to 64 years

525324

65 years and over

242210

Race or ethnic origin (4)

 

White, non-Hispanic

10811050

Black or African-American, non-Hispanic

323717

Hispanic or Latino

646529

Asian, non-Hispanic

1394

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.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Monday, March 12, 2018