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News Release Information

14-1748-ATL
Friday, November 07, 2014

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

Fatal Work Injuries in North Carolina - 2013

Fatal work injuries totaled 104 in 2013 for North Carolina, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that while the 2013 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in North Carolina decreased by 42 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 234 in 2000 to this year’s low of 104. Over the last 5 years, the number of fatalities has remained below 150. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,405 fatal work injuries was recorded in 2013, down from a final count of 4,628 fatal work injuries in 2012, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2013 CFOI data will be released in spring 2015.

Of the 104 fatal work injuries reported in North Carolina in 2013, 41 resulted from transportation incidents, 23 from contact with objects and equipment, and 20 from violence and other injuries by persons or animals; together these three major categories accounted for more than 80 percent of all fatal work injuries. Other major event categories reported 12 or fewer deaths each. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents were the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 26 deaths, accounting for 25 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. In the contact with objects and equipment category, 17 deaths occurred from being struck by an object or equipment. In the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category, 17 deaths occurred from intentional injury by other person. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are released in spring 2015 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)

In the United States, transportation incidents was also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2013, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. North Carolina’s 39-percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was similar to the nationwide share. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second most frequent type of event nationally with 17 percent of work-related fatalities; lower than the 19 percent share for this event in North Carolina. Contact with objects or equipment and falls, slips, or trips each accounted for 16 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities.

Additional key characteristics:
  • The trade, transportation and utilities industry sector had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 24, down from 44 the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents accounted for the most workers deaths in this industry with 15.
  • The construction industry had the second highest number of workplace fatalities with 20. Transportation incidents accounted for 8 worker deaths in this sector.
  • Workers in construction and extraction occupations and transportation and material moving occupations had the most fatal work injuries with 19 each. (See table 3.) The majority of the fatalities within the construction and extraction occupational group were construction laborers (6), while heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers had the highest fatal count (11) within the transportation and material moving group.
  • Men accounted for 96, or 92 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 41 percent of these fatalities.
  • In North Carolina, 71 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 54, or 52 percent, of the State’s work-related fatalities in 2013. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
  • Of the 104 workers that suffered fatal work injuries in North Carolina, 77 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. Transportation incidents was the most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers (32) and self-employed (9).

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 assures 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/soii/home.htm.

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, in particular the North Carolina Department of Labor.

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, North Carolina, 2012-2013
Event or exposure(1)2012(2)2013(p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

146104100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

332019

Intentional injury by person

331716

Intentional injury by other person

2899

Shooting by other person--intentional

2366

Self-inflicted injury--intentional

588

Shooting--intentional self-harm

455

Injury by person--unintentional or intent unknown

--33

Transportation incidents

594139

Pedestrian vehicular incident

1444

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle

352625

Roadway collision with other vehicle

191111

Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly

466

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle

121313

Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway

121313

Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles

477

Nonroadway noncollision incident

466

Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway

366

Falls, slips, trips

181111

Falls to lower level

161010

Other fall to lower level

1277

Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet

--33

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

1377

Exposure to electricity

644

Indirect exposure to electricity

433

Contact with objects and equipment

222322

Struck by object or equipment

141716

Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport

444

Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects

444

Caught in running equipment or machinery

444

Footnotes:
(1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. Total may include other events not shown.
(2) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.
(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.
 

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.
 

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, North Carolina, 2012-2013
Industry(1)2012(2)2013(p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

146104100

Private industry

1249188

Natural resources and mining

161615

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

151615

Crop production

1155

Other crop farming

344

All other crop farming

--22

Animal production

344

Forestry and logging

--55

Logging

--55

Construction

182019

Construction of buildings

--44

Residential remodelers

--11

Heavy and civil engineering construction

433

Specialty trade contractors

151313

Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors

766

Building finishing contractors

--44

Manufacturing

1255

Trade, transportation, and utilities

442423

Wholesale trade

855

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods

655

Electrical and electronic goods merchant wholesalers

--11

Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers

--33

Retail trade

1688

Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers

--11

Building material and supplies dealers

--11

Transportation and warehousing

201111

Truck transportation

1488

General freight trucking

1166

General freight trucking, long-distance

1033

General freight trucking, long-distance, truckload

833

Financial activities

--33

Real estate and rental and leasing

--33

Real estate

--33

Professional and business services

1899

Architectural, engineering, and related services

--22

Administrative and waste services

--66

Administrative and support services

1455

Services to buildings and dwellings

1055

Landscaping services

955

Leisure and hospitality

977

Accommodation and food services

655

Food services and drinking places

655

Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)

--33

Other services, except public administration

566

Other services, except public administration

566

Repair and maintenance

344

Government(3)

221313

Federal government

655

Local government

977

Footnotes:
(1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. Total may include other industries not shown.
(2) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.
(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.
(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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
 

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, North Carolina, 2012-2013
Occupation(1)2012(2)2013(p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

146104100

Management occupations

101111

Other management occupations

899

Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

355

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations

--11

Media and communication equipment workers

--11

Protective service occupations

1066

Food preparation and serving related occupations

344

Cooks and food preparation workers

--33

Cooks

--33

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

1299

Grounds maintenance workers

966

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

444

Sales and related occupations

1155

Supervisors of sales workers

533

First-line supervisors of sales workers

533

Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks

--11

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

121111

Agricultural workers

933

Miscellaneous agricultural workers

933

Forest, conservation, and logging workers

--44

Logging workers

--44

Fallers

--44

Construction and extraction occupations

201918

Construction trades workers

151716

Carpenters

--33

Construction laborers

466

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

977

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers

533

Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

--33

Production occupations

844

Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers

--11

Transportation and material moving occupations

391918

Motor vehicle operators

281514

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

271413

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

211111

Military occupations(3)

544

Footnotes:
(1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010.
(2) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.
(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.
(3) 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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
 

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by worker characteristics, North Carolina, 2012-2013
Worker characteristics2012(1)2013(p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

146104100

Employee status

 

Wage and salary(2)

1168077

Self-employed(3)

302423

Gender

 

Men

1339692

Women

1388

Age(4)

 

20 to 24 years

577

25 to 34 years

221111

35 to 44 years

312019

45 to 54 years

362322

55 to 64 years

432423

65 years and over

71716

Race or ethnic origin(5)

 

White, non-Hispanic

1017471

Black or African-American, non-Hispanic

261111

Hispanic or Latino

131615

Footnotes:
(1) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.
(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.
(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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, November 07, 2014