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News Release Information

15-2492-SAN
Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (415) 625-2270

Fatal Work Injuries in Arizona – 2014

Fatal work injuries totaled 86 in 2014 for Arizona, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Richard J. Holden noted that while the 2014 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Arizona declined by 9 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 118 in 2000 to a low of 55 in 1993. (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 86 fatal work injuries reported in Arizona in 2014, 33 resulted from transportation incidents and 16 from violence and other injuries by persons. Other major event categories were exposure to harmful substances or environments (14) and falls, slips, or trips (12). (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 20 deaths. This category accounted for nearly one-quarter of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. (Note that transportation 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 Arizona, transportation incidents accounted for 38 percent of the state’s share of fatalities. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 16 percent of work-related fatalities; the share in Arizona was 19 percent. Exposure to harmful substance or environments accounted for 16 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities, and falls, slips, or trips accounted for 14 percent. In Arizona, these events were responsible for 8 and 17 percent of workplace fatalities, respectively.

Additional highlights:
  • The construction industry had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 17, compared to 13 the previous year. Falls, slips, or trips accounted for six fatal work injuries in this industry (See table 2.)
  • Transportation and warehousing had the second highest fatality count with 15. Transportation incidents accounted for the largest number of deaths in this industry.
  • Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 28. Motor vehicle operators suffered 17 deaths and material moving workers, 7 fatalities. (See table 3.)
  • Men accounted for 81, or 94 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 37 percent of these fatalities.
  • In Arizona, 53 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 51, or 59 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2014. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
  • Of the 86 fatal work injuries in Arizona, 93 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder was self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers was transportation incidents.

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 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.
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, Arizona, 2013-14
Event or exposure (1)2013 (2)2014 (p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

9586100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

251619

Intentional injury by person

251315

Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)

201113

Shooting by other person--intentional

121012

Injured by physical contact with person while restraining, subduing--unintentional

--11

Transportation incidents

243338

Aircraft incidents

867

Pedestrian vehicular incident

367

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area

--45

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle

102023

Roadway collision with other vehicle

689

Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming

--45

Roadway collision--moving and standing vehicle in roadway

--11

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle

356

Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway

356

Roadway noncollision incident

--67

Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway

--56

Falls, slips, trips

131214

Falls to lower level

111012

Other fall to lower level

1078

Other fall to lower level 21 to 25 feet

--33

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

51416

Exposure to electricity

333

Direct exposure to electricity

--33

Exposure to other harmful substances

--89

Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose

--33

Inhalation of harmful substance

--45

Inhalation of harmful substance--single episode

--45

Contact with objects and equipment

8910

Struck by object or equipment

389

Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport

--67

Struck by swinging part of powered vehicle

--33

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, Arizona, 2013–14
Industry (1)2013 (2)2014 (p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

9586100

Private industry

677284

Natural resources and mining

356

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

356

Support activities for agriculture and forestry

--33

Construction

131720

Construction

131720

Construction of buildings

333

Heavy and civil engineering construction

433

Specialty trade contractors

61113

Manufacturing

333

Manufacturing

333

Fabricated metal product manufacturing

--11

Trade, transportation, and utilities

172327

Wholesale trade

--56

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods

--45

Retail trade

633

Gasoline stations

--11

Miscellaneous store retailers

111

Transportation and warehousing

91517

Air transportation

--22

Truck transportation

41012

Scenic and sightseeing transportation

211

Publishing industries (except internet)

--11

Financial activities

433

Real estate and rental and leasing

433

Real estate

433

Professional and business services

978

Administrative and waste services

767

Administrative and support services

767

Educational and health services

--45

Health care and social assistance

--33

Leisure and hospitality

845

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

233

Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries

211

Accommodation and food services

611

Food services and drinking places

611

Other services, except public administration

645

Other services, except public administration

645

Repair and maintenance

233

Government (3)

281416

Federal government

245

Local government

25910

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, Arizona, 2013–14
Occupation (1)2013 (2)2014 (p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

9586100

Protective service occupations

251113

Law enforcement workers

--89

Police officers

--89

Police and sheriff's patrol officers

--89

Other protective service workers

333

Security guards and gaming surveillance officers

333

Security guards

333

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

467

Grounds maintenance workers

--67

Grounds maintenance workers

--67

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

--45

Sales and related occupations

656

Retail sales workers

--33

Cashiers

--11

Cashiers

--11

Construction and extraction occupations

91517

Construction trades workers

91214

Construction laborers

--45

Construction laborers

--45

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

878

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers

--45

Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

--11

Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

--11

Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

533

Assemblers and fabricators

--11

Structural metal fabricators and fitters

--11

Structural metal fabricators and fitters

--11

Transportation and material moving occupations

162833

Air transportation workers

--45

Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

--45

Commercial pilots

--45

Motor vehicle operators

91720

Bus drivers

--11

Bus drivers, school or special client

--11

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

61517

Driver/sales workers

--11

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

51315

Material moving workers

378

Laborers and material movers, hand

--45

Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

--11

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

--33

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.
 

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, Arizona, 2013–14
Worker characteristics2013 (1)2014 (p)
NumberNumberPercent

Total

9586100

Employee status

 

Wage and salary (2)

848093

Self-employed (3)

1167

Gender

 

Men

908194

Women

556

Age (4)

 

20 to 24 years

1356

25 to 34 years

231517

35 to 44 years

191416

45 to 54 years

192226

55 to 64 years

161922

65 years and over

51012

Race or ethnic origin (5)

 

White, non-Hispanic

564653

Hispanic or Latino

253136

American Indian or Alaskan Native, non-Hispanic

356

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.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, December 30, 2015