Fatal work injuries totaled 309 in 2016 for Florida, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Florida was up from 272 in the previous year and the first time since 2007 that more than 300 fatalities have been recorded. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 422 in 2004 to a low of 218 in 2012. (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 in 2015, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. This was the third consecutive increase in annual workplace fatalities and the first time more than 5,000 fatalities have been recorded since 2008.

Type of incident

In Florida, transportation incidents resulted in 105 fatal work injuries and falls, slips, or trips accounted for 64 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 55 percent of all workplace fatalities in Florida. (See table 1.) The number of worker deaths from transportation incidents was down from 127 over the year; worker fatalities due to falls, slips, or trips were up from 52. Exposure to harmful substances or environments was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 50 fatalities, up from 21 in 2015.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2016, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most common fatal event (17 percent), followed by falls, slips, or trips (16 percent).

Industry

The private construction industry sector had the largest number of fatalities in Florida with 76, up from 66 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Specialty trade contracting accounted for 61, or 80 percent, of the fatal injuries in this industry.

The private administrative and waste services industry sector had 48 workplace fatalities, up from 37 in the previous year. Thirty-seven, or 77 percent, of those fatally injured in this sector worked in services to buildings and dwellings.

Occupation

Construction and extraction occupations and transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 68 and 65, respectively. (See table 3.) Roofers accounted for 11 of the 68 workplace fatalities within the construction and extraction group. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 34 of the 65 fatalities in the transportation and material moving group.

Additional highlights

• Men accounted for 90 percent of the work-related fatalities in Florida, compared to the 93-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 36 percent of the fatalities for men in Florida.
• White non-Hispanics accounted for 53 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 67 percent of work-related deaths.
• Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 59 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2016, compared to 57 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
• Of the 309 fatally-injured workers in Florida, 85 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, exposure to harmful substances or environments was the most frequent event.

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 2016 national data, over 23,300 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For the Florida 2016 data, 1,161 unique source documents were reviewed. 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/cfoi/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. . BLS thanks the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity 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, Florida, 2015–16

Event or exposure (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	272	309	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	39	48	16
Intentional injury by person	36	45	15
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	23	28	9
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	13	17	6
Injury by person--unintentional or intent unknown	1	2	1
Injury by other person--unintentional or intent unknown	1	2	1
Animal and insect related incidents	--	1	0
Struck by animal	--	1	0
Transportation incidents	127	105	34
Aircraft incidents	25	4	1
Other in-flight crash	18	3	1
Pedestrian vehicular incident	24	26	8
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in work zone	6	7	2
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway	8	3	1
Pedestrian struck by vehicle on side of road	--	6	2
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	8	9	3
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	61	62	20
Roadway collision with other vehicle	39	43	14
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	15	7	2
Roadway noncollision incident	6	12	4
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	10	12	4
Nonroadway noncollision incident	5	10	3
Fires and explosions	--	9	3
Explosions	--	7	2
Falls, slips, trips	52	64	21
Falls on same level	11	10	3
Falls to lower level	40	54	17
Fall from collapsing structure or equipment	--	5	2
Fall through surface or existing opening	9	10	3
Other fall to lower level	29	39	13
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	21	50	16
Exposure to electricity	14	23	7
Direct exposure to electricity	11	10	3
Indirect exposure to electricity	3	13	4
Exposure to temperature extremes	--	4	1
Exposure to environmental heat	--	4	1
Exposure to other harmful substances	4	21	7
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	4	17	6
Contact with objects and equipment	28	33	11
Struck by object or equipment	24	21	7
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	11	10	3
Struck by rolling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	--	1	0
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	10	7	2
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	3	8	3
Caught in running equipment or machinery	--	8	3
Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material	--	3	1
Struck, caught, or crushed in other collapsing structure or equipment	--	2	1
Engulfment in other collapsing material	--	1	0
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, Florida, 2015–16

Industry (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	272	309	100
Private industry	243	286	93
Natural resources and mining	15	17	6
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	14	17	6
Crop production	7	9	3
Animal production and aquaculture	1	3	1
Support activities for agriculture and forestry	3	3	1
Construction	66	76	25
Construction of buildings	4	3	1
Residential building construction	--	3	1
Heavy and civil engineering construction	13	11	4
Utility system construction	6	--	--
Highway, street, and bridge construction	5	8	3
Specialty trade contractors	47	61	20
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors	20	21	7
Building equipment contractors	16	13	4
Building finishing contractors	7	18	6
Other specialty trade contractors	3	9	3
Manufacturing	12	14	5
Chemical manufacturing	--	5	2
Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing	--	2	1
Machinery manufacturing	--	1	0
Electrical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing	--	2	1
Miscellaneous manufacturing	--	1	0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	71	68	22
Utilities	1	2	1
Wholesale trade	11	10	3
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	5	5	2
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods	6	5	2
Retail trade	22	19	6
Motor vehicle and parts dealers	3	3	1
Automobile dealers	--	3	1
Food and beverage stores	12	6	2
Grocery stores	10	5	2
Gasoline stations	2	4	1
Transportation and warehousing	38	37	12
Truck transportation	24	18	6
General freight trucking	15	10	3
Specialized freight trucking	9	8	3
Transit and ground passenger transportation	4	5	2
Taxi and limousine service	--	5	2
Support activities for transportation	3	11	4
Information	--	6	2
Telecommunications	--	5	2
Wired telecommunications carriers	--	4	1
Wireless telecommunications carriers (except satellite)	--	1	0
Financial activities	5	7	2
Real estate and rental and leasing	3	7	2
Real estate	3	5	2
Professional and business services	43	53	17
Professional and technical services	6	5	2
Professional, scientific, and technical services	6	5	2
Administrative and waste services	37	48	16
Administrative and support services	32	46	15
Employment services	3	4	1
Services to buildings and dwellings	24	37	12
Other support services	--	2	1
Waste management and remediation services	5	2	1
Educational and health services	5	11	4
Educational services	2	4	1
Colleges, universities, and professional schools	1	2	1
Other schools and instruction	1	1	0
Health care and social assistance	3	7	2
Ambulatory health care services	--	3	1
Hospitals	--	1	0
Leisure and hospitality	19	21	7
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	4	6	2
Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions	--	1	0
Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries	3	4	1
Amusement parks and arcades	1	2	1
Accommodation and food services	15	15	5
Food services and drinking places	13	14	5
Restaurants and other eating places	9	11	4
Other services, except public administration	6	12	4
Repair and maintenance	4	8	3
Automotive repair and maintenance	--	5	2
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance	--	3	1
Personal and laundry services	1	4	1
Government (2)	29	23	7
Federal government	16	1	0
State government	3	4	1
Local government	10	18	6
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012. (2) 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, Florida, 2015–16

Occupation (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	272	309	100
Management occupations	8	7	2
Other management occupations	5	5	2
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	--	4	1
Business and financial operations occupations	3	--	--
Computer and mathematical occupations	--	--	--
Architecture and engineering occupations	1	--	--
Life, physical, and social science occupations	--	1	0
Life scientists	--	1	0
Community and social service occupations	--	--	--
Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists	--	1	0
Legal occupations	--	--	--
Education, training, and library occupations	--	3	1
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	--	3	1
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers	1	--	--
Musicians, singers, and related workers	--	1	0
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	--	3	1
Healthcare support occupations	--	--	--
Protective service occupations	8	14	5
Supervisors of protective service workers	--	1	0
Law enforcement workers	3	6	2
Detectives and criminal investigators	--	1	0
Police officers	2	5	2
Police and sheriff's patrol officers	2	5	2
Other protective service workers	5	7	2
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers	5	5	2
Security guards	5	5	2
Food preparation and serving related occupations	6	5	2
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	26	43	14
Supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers	5	7	2
First-line supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers	5	7	2
Building cleaning and pest control workers	5	6	2
Building cleaning workers	4	6	2
Grounds maintenance workers	16	30	10
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	8	17	6
Tree trimmers and pruners	8	13	4
Personal care and service occupations	--	7	2
Animal care and service workers	--	1	0
Personal appearance workers	--	3	1
Barbers, hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists	--	3	1
Sales and related occupations	16	21	7
Supervisors of sales workers	4	8	3
First-line supervisors of sales workers	4	8	3
Retail sales workers	9	10	3
Cashiers	9	7	2
Office and administrative support occupations	6	6	2
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	12	12	4
Agricultural workers	10	10	3
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	10	9	3
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	9	7	2
Construction and extraction occupations	56	68	22
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	4	5	2
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	4	5	2
Construction trades workers	50	57	18
Carpenters	4	9	3
Construction laborers	14	10	3
Construction equipment operators	--	6	2
Electricians	13	8	3
Painters and paperhangers	4	6	2
Roofers	5	11	4
Other construction and related workers	--	5	2
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	31	31	10
Supervisors of installation, maintenance, and repair workers	4	3	1
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers	4	3	1
Electrical and electronic equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	--	3	1
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	9	6	2
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	16	19	6
Production occupations	6	12	4
Metal workers and plastic workers	--	4	1
Welding, soldering, and brazing workers	--	3	1
Other production occupations	--	4	1
Transportation and material moving occupations	70	65	21
Air transportation workers	7	2	1
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	7	2	1
Commercial pilots	4	2	1
Motor vehicle operators	52	49	16
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	48	43	14
Driver/sales workers	4	6	2
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	37	34	11
Light truck or delivery services drivers	7	3	1
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	4	6	2
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	4	6	2
Material moving workers	8	12	4
Crane and tower operators	--	1	0
Industrial truck and tractor operators	--	4	1
Laborers and material movers, hand	3	5	2
Pumping station operators	--	1	0
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 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, Florida, 2015–16

Worker characteristics	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	272	309	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	225	263	85
Self-employed (2)	47	46	15
Gender
Men	255	279	90
Women	17	30	10
Age (3)
20 to 24 years	10	21	7
25 to 34 years	57	46	15
35 to 44 years	51	58	19
45 to 54 years	50	77	25
55 to 64 years	58	74	24
65 years and over	41	32	10
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	151	165	53
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	37	44	14
Hispanic or Latino	78	91	29
Asian, non-Hispanic	4	8	3
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.