Fatal work injuries totaled 86 in 2018 for Washington, 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 Washington was similar to the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 128 in 1996 to a low of 56 in 2013. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a total of 5,250 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2018, up from the 5,147 fatal injuries in 2017, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

Type of incident

In Washington, transportation incidents resulted in 29 fatal work injuries and violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for 20 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 57 percent of all workplace fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were little changed from the previous year and worker fatalities due to violence or other injuries by persons or animals were up from 13.

Falls, slips, or trips was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 17 fatalities, down from 26 in the prior year. Contact with objects or equipment resulted in 13 work-related deaths compared to 10 in 2017.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2018, 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 (16 percent), followed by falls, slips, and trips (15 percent) and contact with objects and equipment (15 percent).

Industry

The private agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry had the highest number of fatalities in Washington with 14, unchanged from the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents resulted in 6 of the 14 fatalities in the industry. The fruit and tree nut farming sector accounted for 6 of the 14 workplace fatalities in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry.

The private transportation and warehousing industry had 13 workplace fatalities compared to 10 in the previous year.

Occupation

The transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 18. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 6 of the 18 fatalities among transportation and material moving workers. The farming, fishing, and forestry occupational group had the second highest number of workplace fatalities with 11, followed by construction and extraction occupations with 10. Farmworkers and crop, nursery, and greenhouse laborers suffered 4 of the 11 work-related deaths within the farming, fishing, and forestry group. Construction trades workers accounted for 6 of the 10 construction and extraction occupational fatalities.

Additional highlights:

• Men accounted for 91 percent of the work-related fatalities in Washington, similar to the national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 33 percent of the fatalities for men in Washington.
• White non-Hispanics accounted for 66 percent of those who died from a workplace injury, similar to the national share.
• Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 49 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2018, compared to 58 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
• Of the 86 fatal work injuries in Washington, 83 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both wage and salary and self-employed workers was transportation incidents.

Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, is a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI uses a variety of 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 2018 national data, over 24,800 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see 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/opub/hom/cfoi/concepts.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, Washington, 2017–18

Event or exposure (1)	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	84	86	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	13	20	23
Intentional injury by person	13	20	23
Intentional injury by other person	6	9	10
Shooting by other person--intentional	4	7	8
Self-inflicted injury--intentional	7	11	13
Shooting--intentional self-harm	--	4	5
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm	--	7	8
Transportation incidents	30	29	34
Aircraft incidents	1	3	3
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing	--	1	1
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing--into structure, object, or ground	--	1	1
Pedestrian vehicular incident	3	4	5
Water vehicle incidents	3	4	5
Capsized or sinking water vehicle	--	2	2
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	18	16	19
Roadway collision with other vehicle	9	8	9
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	--	3	3
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle	4	5	6
Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway	4	5	6
Roadway noncollision incident	5	3	3
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	5	3	3
Fires and explosions	--	--	--
Falls, slips, trips	26	17	20
Falls on same level	6	3	3
Falls to lower level	20	14	16
Other fall to lower level	14	12	14
Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet	1	3	3
Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet	--	4	5
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	3	5	6
Exposure to other harmful substances	--	4	5
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	--	3	3
Contact with objects and equipment	10	13	15
Struck by object or equipment	9	8	9
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	4	4	5
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	--	3	3
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, Washington, 2017–18

Industry (1)	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	84	86	100
Private industry	80	72	84
Goods producing	36	27	31
Natural resources and mining	14	14	16
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	14	14	16
Crop production	6	8	9
Fruit and tree nut farming	--	6	7
Noncitrus fruit and tree nut farming	--	6	7
Apple orchards	--	5	6
Forestry and logging	4	4	5
Logging	4	4	5
Logging	4	4	5
Fishing, hunting and trapping	3	1	1
Fishing	3	1	1
Fishing	3	1	1
Shellfish fishing	--	1	1
Construction	15	10	12
Construction	15	10	12
Construction of buildings	4	4	5
Residential building construction	3	3	3
Residential building construction	3	3	3
Residential remodelers	1	3	3
Specialty trade contractors	10	4	5
Manufacturing	7	3	3
Manufacturing	7	3	3
Service providing	44	45	52
Trade, transportation, and utilities	26	23	27
Wholesale trade	6	4	5
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods	4	3	3
Retail trade	10	5	6
Motor vehicle and parts dealers	--	--	--
Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores	--	--	--
Tire dealers	--	1	1
Transportation and warehousing	10	13	15
Water transportation	--	1	1
Deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation	--	1	1
Deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation	--	1	1
Deep sea freight transportation	--	1	1
Truck transportation	7	--	--
Specialized freight trucking	6	1	1
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, local	4	1	1
Support activities for transportation	--	3	3
Couriers and messengers	--	4	5
Local messengers and local delivery	--	3	3
Local messengers and local delivery	--	3	3
Information	--	1	1
Information	--	1	1
Broadcasting (except internet)	--	1	1
Radio and television broadcasting	--	1	1
Television broadcasting	--	1	1
Financial activities	4	--	--
Finance and insurance	--	--	--
Credit intermediation and related activities	--	1	1
Nondepository credit intermediation	--	1	1
Other nondepository credit intermediation	--	1	1
Professional and business services	8	12	14
Administrative and waste services	8	11	13
Administrative and support services	6	9	10
Services to buildings and dwellings	6	7	8
Landscaping services	4	4	5
Waste management and remediation services	--	--	--
Remediation and other waste management services	--	1	1
Remediation services	--	1	1
Educational and health services	3	--	--
Educational services	1	1	1
Educational services	1	1	1
Technical and trade schools	1	1	1
Technical and trade schools	1	1	1
Flight training	1	1	1
Leisure and hospitality	1	4	5
Accommodation and food services	--	4	5
Accommodation	--	--	--
RV (recreational vehicle) parks and recreational camps	--	1	1
RV (recreational vehicle) parks and recreational camps	--	1	1
RV (recreational vehicle) parks and campgrounds	--	1	1
Other services, except public administration	1	--	--
Government (2)	4	14	16
Federal government	1	5	6
State government	1	--	--
Local government	--	8	9
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, Washington, 2017–18

Occupation (1)	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	84	86	100
Management occupations	2	4	5
Other management occupations	2	--	--
Lodging managers	--	1	1
Lodging managers	--	1	1
Business and financial operations occupations	--	--	--
Computer and mathematical occupations	--	--	--
Architecture and engineering occupations	--	--	--
Life, physical, and social science occupations	--	--	--
Community and social services occupations	--	--	--
Legal occupations	--	--	--
Education, training, and library occupations	--	--	--
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	--	--	--
Media and communication equipment workers	--	1	1
Broadcast and sound engineering technicians and radio operators	--	1	1
Broadcast technicians	--	1	1
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	--	--	--
Healthcare support occupations	--	--	--
Protective service occupations	--	4	5
Food preparation and serving related occupations	--	--	--
Cooks and food preparation workers	--	--	--
Cooks	--	--	--
Cooks, institution and cafeteria	--	1	1
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	5	8	9
Building cleaning and pest control workers	--	3	3
Building cleaning workers	--	3	3
Grounds maintenance workers	3	5	6
Grounds maintenance workers	3	5	6
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	1	3	3
Personal care and service occupations	--	--	--
Sales and related occupations	7	7	8
Supervisors of sales workers	3	4	5
First-line supervisors of sales workers	3	4	5
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers	3	4	5
Office and administrative support occupations	--	--	--
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	10	11	13
Agricultural workers	3	5	6
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	3	5	6
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	3	4	5
Fishing and hunting workers	3	1	1
Fishers and related fishing workers	3	1	1
Fishers and related fishing workers	3	1	1
Forest, conservation, and logging workers	3	4	5
Logging workers	3	4	5
Construction and extraction occupations	14	10	12
Construction trades workers	13	6	7
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	8	5	6
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	--	1	1
Miscellaneous vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	--	1	1
Tire repairers and changers	--	1	1
Production occupations	4	3	3
Transportation and material moving occupations	30	18	21
Motor vehicle operators	18	12	14
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	18	10	12
Driver/sales workers	--	4	5
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	15	6	7
Water transportation workers	--	1	1
Ship and boat captains and operators	--	1	1
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels	--	1	1
Material moving workers	7	4	5
Laborers and material movers, hand	7	4	5
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	6	4	5
Military specific occupations (2)	--	5	6
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, Washington, 2017–18

Worker characteristics	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	84	86	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	67	71	83
Self-employed (2)	17	15	17
Gender
Men	80	78	91
Women	4	8	9
Age (3)
18 to 19 years	1	1	1
20 to 24 years	3	4	5
25 to 34 years	14	15	17
35 to 44 years	11	12	14
45 to 54 years	15	15	17
55 to 64 years	24	25	29
65 years and over	16	14	16
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	62	57	66
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	4	3	3
Hispanic or Latino	9	16	19
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic	4	2	2
Asian, non-Hispanic	1	6	7
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic	3	1	1
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 data for Hispanics and Latinos.
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.