Fatal work injuries totaled 174 in 2016 for North Carolina, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that the number of work-related fatalities in North Carolina has increased in each of the last three years. 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 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 North Carolina, transportation incidents resulted in 68 fatal work injuries and violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for 35 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 59 percent of all workplace fatalities in North Carolina. (See table 1.) The number of worker deaths from transportation incidents increased from 51 over the year and worker fatalities due to violence and other injuries by persons or animals were up from 24. Falls, slips, or trips was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 26 fatalities, unchanged from 2015.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2016, accounting for approximately 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 sector had the largest number of fatalities in North Carolina with 30, unchanged from the previous year. (See table 2.) Specialty trade contracting accounted for 22, or about 73 percent, of the fatal injuries in this industry.

The private transportation and warehousing industry sector had 25 workplace fatalities, up from 16 in the previous year. Thirteen, or 52 percent, of those fatally injured in this sector worked in general freight trucking.

Occupation

Transportation and material moving occupations and construction and extraction occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 44 and 30, respectively. (See table 3.) The majority of the fatalities within the transportation and material moving group were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (25). Construction laborers accounted for 8 of the 30 fatalities among construction and extraction workers.

Additional highlights

• Men accounted for 90 percent of the work-related fatalities in North Carolina, similar to the national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 39 percent of the fatalities for men in North Carolina.
• White non-Hispanics accounted for 63 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 57 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2016, similar to the 57 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
• Of the 174 fatally-injured workers in North Carolina, 87 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both groups of workers was transportation incidents.

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 North Carolina 2016 data, 923 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 North Carolina 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, North Carolina, 2015–16

Event or exposure (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	150	174	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	24	35	20
Intentional injury by person	20	33	19
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	14	25	14
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	6	8	5
Transportation incidents	51	68	39
Aircraft incidents	--	3	2
Other in-flight crash	1	2	1
Parachuting incident	--	1	1
Pedestrian vehicular incident	5	14	8
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway	--	6	3
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	--	6	3
Water vehicle incidents	5	3	2
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	35	37	21
Roadway collision with other vehicle	19	13	7
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	9	15	9
Roadway noncollision incident	7	9	5
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	4	10	6
Fires and explosions	3	3	2
Fires	--	1	1
Falls, slips, trips	26	26	15
Falls to lower level	21	23	13
Fall through surface or existing opening	--	5	3
Other fall to lower level	16	17	10
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	13	20	11
Exposure to electricity	4	3	2
Indirect exposure to electricity	--	3	2
Exposure to temperature extremes	3	5	3
Exposure to environmental heat	3	4	2
Exposure to other harmful substances	3	8	5
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	--	7	4
Exposure to oxygen deficiency, n.e.c.	--	4	2
Drowning, submersion, n.e.c.	--	4	2
Contact with objects and equipment	33	21	12
Struck by object or equipment	26	18	10
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	11	8	5
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	13	9	5
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, North Carolina, 2015–16

Industry (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	150	174	100
Private industry	132	155	89
Natural resources and mining	20	17	10
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	20	16	9
Crop production	11	6	3
Animal production and aquaculture	--	3	2
Forestry and logging	3	3	2
Logging	3	3	2
Fishing, hunting and trapping	5	3	2
Fishing	5	3	2
Support activities for agriculture and forestry	--	1	1
Support activities for crop production	--	1	1
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (2)	--	1	1
Mining (except oil and gas)	--	1	1
Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying	--	1	1
Construction	30	30	17
Construction of buildings	10	4	2
Residential building construction	7	3	2
Heavy and civil engineering construction	3	3	2
Highway, street, and bridge construction	1	2	1
Specialty trade contractors	17	22	13
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors	8	9	5
Building equipment contractors	4	--	--
Building finishing contractors	3	5	3
Other specialty trade contractors	2	6	3
Manufacturing	15	11	6
Textile product mills	--	2	1
Textile furnishings mills	--	1	1
Other textile product mills	--	1	1
Chemical manufacturing	1	1	1
Resin, synthetic rubber, and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing	--	1	1
Transportation equipment manufacturing	--	--	--
Motor vehicle manufacturing	--	1	1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	28	42	24
Wholesale trade	3	6	3
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	--	4	2
Furniture and home furnishing merchant wholesalers	--	1	1
Miscellaneous durable goods merchant wholesalers	1	1	1
Retail trade	9	11	6
Motor vehicle and parts dealers	--	1	1
Automobile dealers	--	1	1
Food and beverage stores	1	2	1
Grocery stores	1	2	1
Health and personal care stores	1	1	1
Gasoline stations	2	4	2
Transportation and warehousing	16	25	14
Air transportation	--	1	1
Truck transportation	12	17	10
General freight trucking	8	13	7
Specialized freight trucking	4	4	2
Transit and ground passenger transportation	1	5	3
Taxi and limousine service	--	4	2
Charter bus industry	--	1	1
Information	--	1	1
Publishing industries (except internet)	--	1	1
Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers	--	1	1
Financial activities	2	3	2
Real estate and rental and leasing	1	--	--
Real estate	1	--	--
Lessors of real estate	1	1	1
Professional and business services	22	22	13
Administrative and waste services	20	22	13
Administrative and support services	17	19	11
Employment services	--	5	3
Investigation and security services	--	1	1
Services to buildings and dwellings	14	11	6
Waste management and remediation services	3	3	2
Educational and health services	1	4	2
Health care and social assistance	1	4	2
Ambulatory health care services	1	--	--
Home health care services	--	1	1
Social assistance	--	1	1
Individual and family services	--	1	1
Leisure and hospitality	4	9	5
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	--	4	2
Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries	--	2	1
Other amusement and recreation industries	--	2	1
Accommodation and food services	4	5	3
Food services and drinking places	3	5	3
Other services, except public administration	8	16	9
Repair and maintenance	5	13	7
Automotive repair and maintenance	4	9	5
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance	--	3	2
Personal and household goods repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Personal and laundry services	2	2	1
Personal care services	2	1	1
Other personal services	--	1	1
Government (3)	18	19	11
Federal government	7	8	5
Local government	7	10	6
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, North Carolina, 2015–16

Occupation (1)	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	150	174	100
Management occupations	10	5	3
Other management occupations	9	4	2
Business and financial operations occupations	--	--	--
Computer and mathematical occupations	--	--	--
Architecture and engineering occupations	1	--	--
Life, physical, and social science occupations	--	--	--
Community and social service occupations	--	--	--
Legal occupations	--	--	--
Education, training, and library occupations	--	1	1
Preschool, primary, secondary, and special education school teachers	--	1	1
Elementary and middle school teachers	--	1	1
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	2	1	1
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers	1	1	1
Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers	1	1	1
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	1	--	--
Healthcare support occupations	--	1	1
Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides	--	1	1
Home health aides	--	1	1
Protective service occupations	5	10	6
Fire fighting and prevention workers	1	2	1
Firefighters	1	2	1
Law enforcement workers	2	4	2
Police officers	2	3	2
Other protective service workers	--	4	2
Food preparation and serving related occupations	--	6	3
Supervisors of food preparation and serving workers	--	4	2
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	13	11	6
Grounds maintenance workers	10	11	6
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	3	5	3
Tree trimmers and pruners	7	5	3
Personal care and service occupations	2	3	2
Personal appearance workers	2	1	1
Barbers, hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists	2	1	1
Sales and related occupations	7	12	7
Supervisors of sales workers	3	6	3
Retail sales workers	3	4	2
Cashiers	2	4	2
Sales representatives, services	--	1	1
Office and administrative support occupations	3	--	--
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	13	11	6
Agricultural workers	6	6	3
Fishing and hunting workers	5	3	2
Construction and extraction occupations	28	30	17
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	7	2	1
Construction trades workers	18	27	16
Carpenters	--	4	2
Construction laborers	5	8	5
Construction equipment operators	2	1	1
Roofers	--	6	3
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	13	25	14
Supervisors of installation, maintenance, and repair workers	--	3	2
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	5	12	7
Automotive technicians and repairers	3	6	3
Automotive service technicians and mechanics	--	5	3
Small engine mechanics	1	--	--
Motorcycle mechanics	--	1	1
Miscellaneous vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	--	1	1
Tire repairers and changers	--	1	1
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	4	9	5
Production occupations	11	4	2
Transportation and material moving occupations	35	44	25
Air transportation workers	--	2	1
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	--	2	1
Commercial pilots	--	2	1
Motor vehicle operators	29	37	21
Bus drivers	--	1	1
Bus drivers, transit and intercity	--	1	1
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	28	31	18
Driver/sales workers	3	2	1
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	21	25	14
Light truck or delivery services drivers	4	4	2
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	1	4	2
Material moving workers	5	5	3
Industrial truck and tractor operators	--	3	2
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, North Carolina, 2015–16

Worker characteristics	2015	2016
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	150	174	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	112	151	87
Self-employed (2)	38	23	13
Gender
Men	142	156	90
Women	8	18	10
Age (3)
16 to 17 years	--	1	1
20 to 24 years	4	19	11
25 to 34 years	22	23	13
35 to 44 years	35	36	21
45 to 54 years	35	41	24
55 to 64 years	33	35	20
65 years and over	17	18	10
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	101	110	63
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	17	38	22
Hispanic or Latino	17	19	11
Asian, non-Hispanic	7	5	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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.