Fatal work injuries totaled 70 in 2015 for Alabama, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Alabama was down from 75 in the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 155 in 1996 to this year’s low of 70. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a total of 4,836 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2015, a slight increase from the 4,821 fatal injuries in 2014, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

Type of incident

In Alabama, transportation incidents resulted in 37 fatal work injuries, accounting for more than half of the workplace fatalities in the state. Falls, slips, or trips resulted in 10 fatalities and contact with objects and equipment accounted for 9 fatalities. (See table 1.) The number of worker deaths from transportation incidents increased from 34 in 2014. Worker fatalities due to falls, slips, or trips and contact with objects and equipment were little changed from the prior year. A fourth category, violence and other injuries by persons or animals, resulted in 5 work-related deaths in 2015, down from 17 in 2014.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2015, accounting for approximately 42 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Falls, slips, or trips was the second-most frequent type of event (17 percent), followed by contact with objects and equipment (15 percent).

Industry

The private transportation and warehousing industry sector had the largest number of fatalities in Alabama with 16, similar to the count in the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents was the most frequent fatal event in the transportation and warehousing sector with 15 worker deaths. Half of those fatally injured in this sector worked in specialized freight trucking.

The private construction industry had 14 workplace fatalities, up from 11 in the previous year. Specialty trade contractors accounted for nine, or 64 percent, of the fatal injuries in this industry.

Occupation

Transportation and material moving occupations and construction and extraction occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 26 and 13, respectively. (See table 3.) The majority of the fatalities within the transportation and material moving group were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (22). Construction trades workers accounted for 9 of the 13 fatalities among construction and extraction workers.

Additional highlights

• Men accounted for 90 percent of the work-related fatalities in Alabama, similar to the 93-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 51 percent of the fatalities for men in Alabama.
• White non-hispanics accounted for 67 percent of those who died from a workplace injury, matching the national share.
• Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 60 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2015, compared to 57 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
• Of the 70 fatal work injuries in Alabama, 87 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed.

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 2015 data, over 21,400 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 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. BLS thanks the Alabama Department of Health 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 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, Alabama, 2014–15

Event or exposure (1)	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	75	70	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	17	5	7
Intentional injury by person	17	5	7
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	4	3	4
Shooting--intentional self-harm	4	3	4
Transportation incidents	34	37	53
Aircraft incidents	6	1	1
Other in-flight crash	--	1	1
Other in-flight crash into structure, object, or ground	--	1	1
Pedestrian vehicular incident	3	8	11
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway	1	1	1
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in roadway	1	1	1
Pedestrian struck by vehicle on side of road	--	2	3
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle on side of road	--	2	3
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	18	24	34
Roadway collision with other vehicle	9	15	21
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	4	2	3
Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming	4	5	7
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	--	4	6
Roadway collision--moving and standing vehicle in roadway	--	3	4
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	--	8	11
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	--	8	11
Fires and explosions	--	5	7
Explosions	--	4	6
Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids	--	4	6
Falls, slips, trips	8	10	14
Falls to lower level	8	10	14
Fall through surface or existing opening	--	4	6
Fall through surface or existing opening 26 to 30 feet	--	1	1
Other fall to lower level	4	5	7
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	5	4	6
Exposure to electricity	3	3	4
Direct exposure to electricity	--	1	1
Direct exposure to electricity, greater than 220 volts	--	1	1
Contact with objects and equipment	8	9	13
Struck by object or equipment	6	8	11
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	4	6	9
Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part	1	4	6
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 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Alabama, 2014–15

Industry (1)	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	75	70	100
Private industry	69	61	87
Natural resources and mining	6	6	9
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	5	5	7
Mining (2)	1	1	1
Mining (except oil and gas)	1	1	1
Coal mining	1	1	1
Construction	11	14	20
Heavy and civil engineering construction	4	4	6
Utility system construction	--	2	3
Water and sewer line and related structures construction	--	1	1
Power and communication line and related structures construction	--	1	1
Specialty trade contractors	6	9	13
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors	--	4	6
Other specialty trade contractors	--	3	4
Manufacturing	7	10	14
Apparel manufacturing	--	1	1
Cut and sew apparel manufacturing	--	1	1
Chemical manufacturing	--	2	3
Other chemical product and preparation manufacturing	--	2	3
All other chemical product and preparation manufacturing	--	2	3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	20	23	33
Utilities	--	1	1
Water, sewage and other systems	--	1	1
Wholesale trade	--	3	4
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	--	3	4
Retail trade	5	3	4
Motor vehicle and parts dealers	--	1	1
Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores	--	1	1
Transportation and warehousing	15	16	23
Truck transportation	9	15	21
General freight trucking	4	7	10
Specialized freight trucking	5	8	11
Support activities for transportation	1	1	1
Support activities for air transportation	--	1	1
Information	--	--	--
Financial activities	1	1	1
Real estate and rental and leasing	1	1	1
Rental and leasing services	--	1	1
Automotive equipment rental and leasing	--	1	1
Professional and business services	13	3	4
Administrative and waste services	7	3	4
Administrative and support services	4	3	4
Services to buildings and dwellings	3	2	3
Educational and health services	4	--	--
Leisure and hospitality	4	--	--
Other services, except public administration	3	2	3
Repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Automotive repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Other automotive repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Personal and laundry services	1	1	1
Drycleaning and laundry services	--	1	1
Linen and uniform supply	--	1	1
Government (3)	6	9	13
Federal government	--	--	--
State government	--	1	1
Local government	4	8	11
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 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Alabama, 2014–15

Occupation (1)	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	75	70	100
Management occupations	4	--	--
Business and financial operations occupations	--	--	--
Computer and mathematical occupations	--	--	--
Architecture and engineering occupations	1	--	--
Life, physical, and social science occupations	--	--	--
Community and social services occupations	--	--	--
Legal occupations	--	--	--
Education, training, and library occupations	--	1	1
Other education, training, and library occupations	--	1	1
Teacher assistants	--	1	1
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	2	--	--
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	--	--	--
Healthcare support occupations	--	--	--
Protective service occupations	5	5	7
Supervisors of protective service workers	--	--	--
First-line supervisors of law enforcement workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of police and detectives	--	1	1
Law enforcement workers	2	1	1
Police officers	2	1	1
Police and sheriff's patrol officers	2	1	1
Other protective service workers	1	2	3
Miscellaneous protective service workers	--	2	3
Crossing guards	--	1	1
Food preparation and serving related occupations	1	--	--
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	4	3	4
Building cleaning and pest control workers	--	1	1
Building cleaning workers	--	1	1
Personal care and service occupations	1	--	--
Sales and related occupations	3	3	4
Office and administrative support occupations	--	--	--
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	4	4	6
Agricultural workers	--	1	1
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	--	1	1
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	--	1	1
Construction and extraction occupations	13	13	19
Construction trades workers	12	9	13
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	6	5	7
Production occupations	--	8	11
Other production occupations	--	5	7
Transportation and material moving occupations	27	26	37
Air transportation workers	5	1	1
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	5	1	1
Commercial pilots	5	1	1
Motor vehicle operators	18	24	34
Bus drivers	--	1	1
Bus drivers, school or special client	--	1	1
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	18	23	33
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	15	22	31
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010.
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 worker characteristics, Alabama, 2014–15

Worker characteristics	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	75	70	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	60	61	87
Self-employed (2)	15	9	13
Gender
Men	68	63	90
Women	7	7	10
Age (3)
18 to 19 years	1	1	1
20 to 24 years	--	6	9
25 to 34 years	11	11	16
35 to 44 years	15	12	17
45 to 54 years	14	19	27
55 to 64 years	21	13	19
65 years and over	11	8	11
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	49	47	67
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	21	18	26
Hispanic or Latino	--	3	4
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.