Fatal work injuries totaled 90 in 2017 for Arizona, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Richard Holden noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Arizona was higher than the 77 fatalities in the previous 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 total of 5,147 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2017, down slightly from the 5,190 fatal injuries in 2016, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

Type of incident

In Arizona, transportation incidents resulted in 37 fatal work injuries, accounting for 41 percent of workplace fatalities. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals (20), falls, slips, and trips (12), and contact with objects and equipment (10) accounted for 46 percent of workplace fatalities in the state. (See table 1.)

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2017, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Falls, slips, or trips was the second-most common fatal event (17 percent), followed by violence and other injuries by persons or animals (16 percent).

Industry

The private transportation and warehousing industry sector had the highest number of fatalities in Arizona with 28, compared to 19 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal event in the transportation and warehousing sector with 17 worker deaths. Fifteen of those fatally injured in this sector worked in general freight trucking.

The private construction sector had 11 workplace fatalities in 2017, with specialty trade contracting accounting for 10 of the deaths.

Occupation

Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 39. (See table 3.) Twenty-five of these fatalities were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.

Additional highlights:

• Men accounted for 87 percent of the work-related fatalities in Arizona, compared to the 93-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 41 percent of the fatalities for men in Arizona.
• White non-Hispanics accounted for 47 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 2017. Nationwide, this group accounted for 55 percent of work-related deaths.
• Of the 90 fatally-injured workers in Arizona, 90 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were 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 (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 2017 national data, over 23,400 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 website at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm. 

Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, even those that may be outside the scope of other agencies or 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. More on the scope of CFOI can be found at www.bls.gov/iif/cfoiscope.htm. 

Acknowledgments. BLS 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, Arizona, 2016–17

Event or exposure (1)	2016	2017
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	77	90	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	12	20	22
Intentional injury by person	11	14	16
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	6	9	10
Shooting by other person--intentional	4	9	10
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	5	5	6
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm	--	3	3
Animal and insect related incidents	--	5	6
Bites and stings	--	4	4
Stings and venomous bites	--	4	4
Transportation incidents	33	37	41
Aircraft incidents	6	4	4
Other in-flight crash	--	--	--
Other in-flight crash into structure, object, or ground	1	1	1
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	18	29	32
Roadway collision with other vehicle	8	14	16
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	3	6	7
Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming	--	4	4
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	--	3	3
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	1	8	9
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	1	8	9
Roadway noncollision incident	8	7	8
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	8	6	7
Fall or jump from vehicle in normal operation, roadway	--	1	1
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	3	3	3
Falls, slips, trips	11	12	13
Falls to lower level	10	10	11
Other fall to lower level	9	8	9
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	13	9	10
Exposure to other harmful substances	--	8	9
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	--	6	7
Contact with objects and equipment	8	10	11
Struck by object or equipment	7	6	7
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	4	4	4
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, Arizona, 2016–17

Industry (1)	2016	2017
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	77	90	100
Private industry	70	82	91
Natural resources and mining	5	4	4
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	4	--	--
Support activities for agriculture and forestry	--	1	1
Support activities for crop production	--	1	1
Support activities for crop production	--	1	1
Soil preparation, planting, and cultivating	--	1	1
Construction	15	11	12
Construction	15	11	12
Specialty trade contractors	8	10	11
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors	--	3	3
Building equipment contractors	3	5	6
Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors	--	4	4
Manufacturing	--	6	7
Manufacturing	--	6	7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	23	37	41
Retail trade	4	7	8
Clothing and clothing accessories stores	--	1	1
Clothing stores	--	1	1
Family clothing stores	--	1	1
Miscellaneous store retailers	--	--	--
Other miscellaneous store retailers	--	1	1
All other miscellaneous store retailers	--	1	1
Tobacco stores	--	1	1
Nonstore retailers	1	--	--
Direct selling establishments	--	1	1
Transportation and warehousing	19	28	31
Truck transportation	18	18	20
General freight trucking	14	15	17
General freight trucking, long-distance	7	7	8
General freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload	--	2	2
Transit and ground passenger transportation	--	5	6
Taxi and limousine service	--	3	3
Taxi service	--	3	3
Charter bus industry	--	1	1
Support activities for transportation	--	4	4
Support activities for road transportation	--	3	3
Couriers and messengers	--	1	1
Couriers	--	1	1
Financial activities	--	3	3
Finance and insurance	--	1	1
Credit intermediation and related activities	--	1	1
Nondepository credit intermediation	--	1	1
Other nondepository credit intermediation	--	1	1
Professional and business services	9	12	13
Management of companies and enterprises	--	1	1
Management of companies and enterprises	--	1	1
Management of companies and enterprises	--	1	1
Management of companies and enterprises	--	1	1
Offices of other holding companies	--	1	1
Administrative and waste services	5	9	10
Administrative and support services	5	8	9
Services to buildings and dwellings	4	6	7
Landscaping services	3	5	6
Leisure and hospitality	4	--	--
Accommodation and food services	3	--	--
Food services and drinking places	3	--	--
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)	--	1	1
Other services, except public administration	3	7	8
Other services, except public administration	3	7	8
Repair and maintenance	--	5	6
Automotive repair and maintenance	--	5	6
Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance	--	3	3
General automotive repair	--	3	3
Personal and laundry services	--	1	1
Other personal services	--	1	1
Pet care (except veterinary) services	--	1	1
Government (2)	7	8	9
Federal government	--	3	3
Local government	4	3	3
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, Arizona, 2016–17

Occupation (1)	2016	2017
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	77	90	100
Management occupations	--	3	3
Top executives	--	1	1
Chief executives	--	1	1
Chief executives	--	1	1
Other management occupations	--	--	--
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	--	1	1
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	--	1	1
Education, training, and library occupations	--	1	1
Other teachers and instructors	--	1	1
Self-enrichment education teachers	--	1	1
Self-enrichment education teachers	--	1	1
Protective service occupations	7	5	6
Supervisors of protective service workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of fire fighting and prevention workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of fire fighting and prevention workers	--	1	1
Food preparation and serving related occupations	--	3	3
Supervisors of food preparation and serving workers	--	1	1
Supervisors of food preparation and serving workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers	--	1	1
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	4	6	7
Grounds maintenance workers	--	5	6
Grounds maintenance workers	--	5	6
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	--	4	4
Personal care and service occupations	--	1	1
Animal care and service workers	--	1	1
Nonfarm animal caretakers	--	1	1
Nonfarm animal caretakers	--	1	1
Sales and related occupations	4	7	8
Supervisors of sales workers	--	3	3
First-line supervisors of sales workers	--	3	3
Other sales and related workers	--	2	2
Miscellaneous sales and related workers	--	2	2
Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers	--	1	1
Construction and extraction occupations	15	7	8
Construction trades workers	13	6	7
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	7	10	11
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	--	4	4
Automotive technicians and repairers	--	4	4
Automotive service technicians and mechanics	--	4	4
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	4	6	7
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	--	3	3
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	--	3	3
Maintenance and repair workers, general	4	3	3
Maintenance and repair workers, general	4	3	3
Production occupations	--	3	3
Metal workers and plastic workers	--	3	3
Transportation and material moving occupations	29	39	43
Air transportation workers	6	2	2
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	6	2	2
Commercial pilots	6	2	2
Motor vehicle operators	21	31	34
Bus drivers	--	2	2
Bus drivers, transit and intercity	--	1	1
Bus drivers, school or special client	--	1	1
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	20	26	29
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	18	25	28
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	--	3	3
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	--	3	3
Material moving workers	--	5	6
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 selected demographic characteristics, Arizona, 2016–17

Worker characteristics	2016	2017
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	77	90	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	66	81	90
Self-employed (2)	11	9	10
Gender
Men	75	78	87
Women	--	12	13
Age (3)
20 to 24 years	5	6	7
25 to 34 years	12	20	22
35 to 44 years	17	17	19
45 to 54 years	21	14	16
55 to 64 years	17	25	28
65 years and over	5	8	9
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White (non-Hispanic)	38	42	47
Black or African-American (non-Hispanic)	4	6	7
Hispanic or Latino	21	30	33
Asian (non-Hispanic)	7	4	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.