Fatal work injuries totaled 148 in 2014 for Georgia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that while the 2014 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Georgia rose by 31 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 249 in 1994, to a low of 101 in 2012. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,679 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2014, up from a revised count of 4,585 fatalities in 2013, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2014 CFOI data will be released in the late spring of 2016.

Of the 148 fatal work injuries reported in Georgia in 2014, 59 resulted from transportation incidents and 32 from violence and other injuries by persons or animals. Together these two major categories accounted for over three-fifths of all fatal work injuries reported in the state. (See table 1.) Other major event categories each reported 30 or fewer deaths. Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 36 deaths. This category accounted for nearly a quarter of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. In the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category, all of the deaths were homicides (intentional injury by other person). (Note that roadway counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2014 data are released in the late spring of 2016 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)

In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2014, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries, matching the state’s share of fatalities for this event. (See chart 2.) Falls, slips, and trips, was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities; the share in Georgia was 20 percent. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for 16 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities, while in the state, this event was responsible for 22 percent of workplace fatalities. Contact with objects and equipment was responsible for 15 percent of work-related fatalities for both the state and the nation.

Additional highlights:

• Both the construction and the trade, transportation, and utilities industries had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 31 each, compared to 23 and 37, respectively, the previous year. Falls, trips, and slips (19) accounted for the most fatalities in construction. Transportation incidents (17) were the most frequent event or exposure in trade, transportation, and utilities. (See table 2.)
• Natural resources and mining, and manufacturing had the second highest fatality counts with 15 each. Transportation incidents and contact with objects and equipment tied for the most deaths in the natural resources and mining industry. The majority of manufacturing fatalities resulted from transportation incidents.
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 40. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers suffered 27 of those deaths. (See table 3.)
• Men accounted for 136, or 92 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 40 percent of these fatalities.
• In Georgia, 57 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 101, or 68 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2014. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 58 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 148 fatal work injuries in Georgia, 82 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers was transportation incidents. For the self-employed, falls, slips, and trips were the most frequent fatal events.

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 ensures 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/pdf/homch9.pdf.

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.

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, Georgia, 2013–14

Event or exposure (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	117	148	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	16	32	22
Intentional injury by person	15	32	22
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	9	18	12
Shooting by other person--intentional	9	16	11
Stabbing, cutting, slashing, piercing	--	1	1
Hitting, kicking, beating, shoving	--	1	1
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	6	14	9
Shooting--intentional self-harm	5	10	7
Transportation incidents	49	59	40
Aircraft incidents	7	3	2
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing	5	2	1
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing--into structure, object, or ground	5	2	1
Other in-flight crash	--	1	1
Rail vehicle incidents	--	1	1
Collision between rail vehicle and another vehicle	--	1	1
Pedestrian vehicular incident	8	8	5
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in work zone	--	1	1
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle on side of road	--	1	1
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	33	36	24
Roadway collision with other vehicle	14	16	11
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	3	8	5
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	3	4	3
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	15	14	9
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	14	13	9
Roadway noncollision incident	3	6	4
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	3	4	3
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	1	11	7
Nonroadway noncollision incident	1	9	6
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	1	8	5
Fires and explosions	--	--	--
Falls, slips, trips	26	30	20
Falls on same level	3	3	2
Falls to lower level	23	26	18
Fall through surface or existing opening	4	6	4
Other fall to lower level	17	20	14
Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet	--	1	1
Other fall to lower level 11 to 15 feet	3	3	2
Other fall to lower level 16 to 20 feet	3	4	3
Other fall to lower level more than 30 feet	2	1	1
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	5	3	2
Inhalation of harmful substance	--	1	1
Inhalation of harmful substance--single episode	--	1	1
Contact with objects and equipment	19	22	15
Struck by object or equipment	13	15	10
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	4	6	4
Struck by falling part of powered vehicle still attached	1	1	1
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	4	8	5
Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part	--	3	2
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	3	6	4
Caught in running equipment or machinery	--	5	3
Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning	--	3	2
Overexertion and bodily reaction	--	--	--
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. (2) Totals for 2013 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016.
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 guidelines.

 

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Georgia, 2013–14

Industry (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	117	148	100
Private industry	108	134	91
Natural resources and mining	7	15	10
Crop production	--	5	3
Forestry and logging	3	5	3
Support activities for agriculture and forestry	--	3	2
Construction	23	31	21
Construction of buildings	6	6	4
Specialty trade contractors	13	20	14
Manufacturing	11	15	10
Food manufacturing	--	2	1
Wood product manufacturing	3	2	1
Paper manufacturing	3	2	1
Chemical manufacturing	--	2	1
Transportation equipment manufacturing	2	1	1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	37	31	21
Utilities	--	1	1
Wholesale trade	4	5	3
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	2	4	3
Retail trade	5	6	4
Food and beverage stores	--	3	2
Gasoline stations	1	2	1
Transportation and warehousing	28	20	14
Truck transportation	16	15	10
Transit and ground passenger transportation	5	2	1
Support activities for transportation	3	1	1
Information	--	3	2
Motion picture and sound recording industries	--	1	1
Telecommunications	--	1	1
Financial activities	--	5	3
Real estate and rental and leasing	--	3	2
Professional and business services	10	11	7
Administrative and waste services	6	9	6
Administrative and support services	5	6	4
Waste management and remediation services	1	3	2
Educational and health services	7	6	4
Educational services	--	2	1
Health care and social assistance	7	4	3
Hospitals	--	2	1
Social assistance	--	1	1
Leisure and hospitality	4	6	4
Accommodation and food services	3	4	3
Food services and drinking places	--	4	3
Other services, except public administration	6	11	7
Other services, except public administration	6	11	7
Repair and maintenance	3	7	5
Personal and laundry services	--	2	1
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	2	2	1
Government (3)	9	14	9
Federal government	2	5	3
State government	--	1	1
Local government	7	8	5
Footnotes: (1) Industry data for 2013 are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. Industry data for 2014 are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012. (2) Totals for 2013 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016. (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. 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, Georgia, 2013–14

Occupation (1)	2013 (2)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	117	148	100
Management occupations	5	8	5
Top executives	--	1	1
General and operations managers	--	1	1
Operations specialties managers	1	3	2
Computer and information systems managers	--	1	1
Other management occupations	3	4	3
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	--	1	1
Food service managers	--	1	1
Architecture and engineering occupations	3	--	--
Community and social services occupations	1	1	1
Religious workers	1	1	1
Clergy	1	1	1
Legal occupations	1	1	1
Lawyers, judges, and related workers	--	1	1
Lawyers and judicial law clerks	--	1	1
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	--	1	1
Media and communication equipment workers	--	1	1
Television, video, and motion picture camera operators and editors	--	1	1
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	6	--	--
Registered nurses	--	1	1
Registered nurses	--	1	1
Protective service occupations	5	5	3
Law enforcement workers	2	3	2
Police officers	2	3	2
Food preparation and serving related occupations	--	2	1
Cooks and food preparation workers	--	1	1
Cooks	--	1	1
Food and beverage serving workers	--	1	1
Fast food and counter workers	--	1	1
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	3	7	5
Grounds maintenance workers	3	6	4
Personal care and service occupations	--	3	2
Personal appearance workers	--	2	1
Barbers, hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists	--	2	1
Sales and related occupations	2	9	6
Supervisors of sales workers	2	3	2
First-line supervisors of sales workers	2	3	2
Retail sales workers	--	3	2
Cashiers	--	2	1
Retail salespersons	--	1	1
Office and administrative support occupations	3	4	3
Information and record clerks	--	1	1
Eligibility interviewers, government programs	--	1	1
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers	--	3	2
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	--	1	1
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	3	11	7
Agricultural workers	1	8	5
Construction and extraction occupations	23	28	19
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	1	3	2
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	1	3	2
Construction trades workers	21	25	17
Construction laborers	8	9	6
Electricians	3	3	2
Roofers	--	4	3
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	7	12	8
Radio and telecommunications equipment installers and repairers	--	1	1
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	1	4	3
Automotive technicians and repairers	--	4	3
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	5	6	4
Maintenance and repair workers, general	3	1	1
Production occupations	11	10	7
Food processing workers	--	1	1
Metal workers and plastic workers	--	3	2
Woodworkers	3	1	1
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders	3	1	1
Other production occupations	6	4	3
Chemical processing machine setters, operators, and tenders	--	1	1
Transportation and material moving occupations	40	40	27
Air transportation workers	--	2	1
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	--	2	1
Motor vehicle operators	33	30	20
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	28	28	19
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	24	27	18
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	5	2	1
Material moving workers	6	7	5
Crane and tower operators	1	1	1
Laborers and material movers, hand	3	3	2
Refuse and recyclable material collectors	1	2	1
Military specific occupations (3)	2	3	2
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. (2) Totals for 2013 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016. (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. 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 worker characteristics, Georgia, 2013–14

Worker characteristics	2013 (1)	2014 (p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	117	148	100
Employee status
Wage and salary (2)	102	121	82
Self-employed (3)	15	27	18
Gender
Men	103	136	92
Women	14	12	8
Age (4)
20 to 24 years	9	9	6
25 to 34 years	16	24	16
35 to 44 years	26	30	20
45 to 54 years	36	47	32
55 to 64 years	21	28	19
65 years and over	8	9	6
Race or ethnic origin (5)
White, non-Hispanic	74	84	57
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	27	35	24
Hispanic or Latino	14	21	14
Asian, non-Hispanic	--	7	5
Footnotes: (1) Totals for 2013 are revised and final. (p) Data for 2014 are preliminary. Revised and final 2014 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2016. (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. 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.