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Thursday, December 03, 2015
Fatal work injuries totaled 128 in 2014 for North Carolina, 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 North Carolina increased by 19 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 234 in 2000 to a low of 109 in 2013. (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 128 fatal work injuries reported in North Carolina in 2014, 46 resulted from transportation incidents and 24 from falls, slips, and trips. Together these two major categories accounted for over one-half of all fatal work injuries reported in the state. (See table 1.) Other major event categories each reported 18 or fewer deaths. Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 23 deaths. This category accounted for nearly 18 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. In the falls, slips, and trips category, 22 of the 24 deaths occurred as a result of falls to lower level. (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. In North Carolina, transportation incidents accounted for 36 percent of the state’s share of fatalities. (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 North Carolina was 19 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 13 percent of workplace fatalities. Contact with objects and equipment was responsible for 15 percent of work-related fatalities nationwide; this event accounted for 14 percent of the state’s fatalities.
Additional highlights: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/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, 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.
Event or exposure(1) | 2013(2) | 2014(p) | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
109 | 128 | 100 |
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals |
20 | 16 | 13 |
Intentional injury by person |
17 | 15 | 12 |
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person) |
9 | 9 | 7 |
Shooting by other person--intentional |
6 | 6 | 5 |
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional) |
8 | 6 | 5 |
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm |
-- | 3 | 2 |
Injury by person--unintentional or intent unknown |
3 | 1 | 1 |
Transportation incidents |
46 | 46 | 36 |
Aircraft incidents |
-- | 3 | 2 |
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Pedestrian vehicular incident |
4 | 12 | 9 |
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle |
30 | 23 | 18 |
Roadway collision with other vehicle |
13 | 4 | 3 |
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle |
15 | 18 | 14 |
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway |
15 | 18 | 14 |
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles |
8 | 8 | 6 |
Nonroadway noncollision incident |
7 | 5 | 4 |
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway |
7 | 3 | 2 |
Fires and explosions |
-- | 6 | 5 |
Falls, slips, trips |
11 | 24 | 19 |
Falls to lower level |
10 | 22 | 17 |
Other fall to lower level |
7 | 12 | 9 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments |
7 | 18 | 14 |
Exposure to electricity |
4 | 4 | 3 |
Exposure to other hamrful substances |
-- | 11 | 9 |
Contact with objects and equipment |
23 | 18 | 14 |
Struck by object or equipment |
17 | 10 | 8 |
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport |
4 | 4 | 3 |
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects |
4 | 4 | 3 |
Caught in running equipment or machinery |
4 | 3 | 2 |
Footnotes: |
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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. |
Industry(1) | 2013(2) | 2014(p) | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
109 | 128 | 100 |
Private industry |
96 | 108 | 84 |
Natural resources and mining |
18 | 13 | 10 |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting |
18 | 12 | 9 |
Crop production |
6 | 4 | 3 |
Forestry and logging |
5 | 3 | 2 |
Construction |
21 | 35 | 27 |
Construction of buildings |
4 | 4 | 3 |
Heavy and civil engineering construction |
3 | 4 | 3 |
Specialty trade contractors |
14 | 26 | 20 |
Manufacturing |
5 | 11 | 9 |
Food manufacturing |
-- | 3 | 2 |
Trade, transportation, and utilities |
26 | 29 | 23 |
Wholesale trade |
5 | 4 | 3 |
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods |
5 | 3 | 2 |
Retail trade |
8 | 8 | 6 |
Transportation and warehousing |
13 | 17 | 13 |
Air transportation |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Truck transportation |
9 | 10 | 8 |
Support activities for transportation |
-- | 3 | 2 |
Information |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Financial activities |
3 | 3 | 2 |
Finance and insurance |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Real estate and rental and leasing |
3 | 2 | 2 |
Professional and Business Services |
9 | 8 | 6 |
Administrative and waste services |
6 | 8 | 6 |
Educational and health services |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Healthcare and social assistance |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Lesiure and hospitality |
7 | 3 | 2 |
Arts, entertainment, and recreation |
-- | 2 | 2 |
Accommodation and food services |
5 | 1 | 1 |
Other services, except public administration |
6 | 1 | 1 |
Government(3) |
13 | 20 | 16 |
Federal government |
5 | 9 | 7 |
Local government |
7 | 9 | 7 |
Footnotes: |
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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. |
Occupation(1) | 2013(2) | 2014(p) | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
109 | 128 | 100 |
Management occupations |
13 | 6 | 5 |
Other management occupations |
11 | 5 | 4 |
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers |
7 | 4 | 3 |
Arts, desing, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
1 | 1 | 1 |
Protective service occupations |
6 | 8 | 6 |
Fire fighting and prevention workers |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Firefighters |
-- | 3 | 2 |
Law enforcement workers |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Police officers |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Law enforcement workers |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Police officers |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
9 | 6 | 5 |
Personal care and service occupations |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Sales and related occupations |
5 | 8 | 6 |
Supervisors of sales workers |
3 | 4 | 3 |
First-line supervisors of sales workers |
3 | 4 | 3 |
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers |
-- | 4 | 3 |
Retail sales workers |
-- | 3 | 2 |
Cashiers |
-- | 3 | 2 |
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
11 | 8 | 6 |
Agricultural workers |
3 | 5 | 4 |
Construction and extraction occupations |
20 | 29 | 23 |
Construction trades workers |
18 | 26 | 20 |
Carpenters |
3 | 1 | 1 |
Construction laborers |
6 | 7 | 5 |
Roofers |
3 | 9 | 7 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
7 | 12 | 9 |
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3 | 7 | 5 |
Production Occupations |
4 | 6 | 5 |
Transportation and material moving occupations |
21 | 31 | 24 |
Air transportation workers |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Motor vehicle operators |
17 | 22 | 17 |
Bus drivers |
-- | 1 | 1 |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers |
16 | 18 | 14 |
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers |
12 | 17 | 13 |
Material moving workers |
-- | 7 | 5 |
Military occupations(3) |
4 | 8 | 6 |
Footnotes: |
|||
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. |
Worker characteristics | 2013(1) | 2014(p) | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
109 | 128 | 100 |
Employee status |
|||
Wage and salary(2) |
83 | 106 | 83 |
Self-employed(3) |
26 | 22 | 17 |
Gender |
|||
Men |
100 | 121 | 95 |
Women |
9 | 7 | 5 |
Age(4) |
|||
20 to 24 years |
7 | 14 | 11 |
25 to 34 years |
12 | 16 | 13 |
35 to 44 years |
20 | 23 | 18 |
45 to 54 years |
26 | 36 | 28 |
55 to 64 years |
25 | 26 | 20 |
65 years and over |
17 | 13 | 10 |
Race or ethnic origin(5) |
|||
White, non-Hispanic |
77 | 81 | 63 |
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic |
13 | 24 | 19 |
Hispanic or Latino |
16 | 18 | 14 |
Footnotes: |
|||
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: Thursday, December 03, 2015