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Spotlight on Statistics
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June 2009

Worker Safety and Health – Spotlight on Statistics

Chart Data

Rate of fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers, 1992-2007
Year Rate per 100,000 workers

1992

5.2

1993

5.2

1994

5.3

1995

4.9

1996

4.8

1997

4.8

1998

4.5

1999

4.5

2000

4.3

2001

4.3

2002

4.0

2003

4.0

2004

4.1

2005

4.0

2006

4.0

2007

3.8

 

Rate of fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers, by age group, 2007
Age group Rate per 100,000

16 to 17 years

0.9

18 to 19 years

2.6

20 to 24 years

3.0

25 to 34 years

3.1

35 to 44 years

3.4

45 to 54 years

4.1

55 to 64 years

4.6

65 years and over

10.2

 

Fatality rate per 100,000 workers and number of fatalities, selected occupations with high fatality rates, 2007
Fatality rate
(per 100,000 workers)
Number of fatalities

Fishers and related fishing workers

111.8 38

Logging workers

86.4 76

Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

70.7 87

Structural iron and steel workers

45.5 40

Farmers and ranchers

9.5 293

Roofers

29.4 79

Electrical power-line installers and repairers

29.1 30

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

28.2 976

Refuse and recyclable material collectors

22.8 18

Police and sheriff's patrol officers

21.8 146

 

Percent distribution by manner in which workplace fatalities occurred, 2007
Percent distribution

Transportation incidents

42%

Contact with objects and equipment

16%

Assaults and violent acts

15%

Falls

15%

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

9%

Fires and explosions

3%

 

Number of worker fatalities by state in 2007
State Total

Alabama

108

Alaska

30

Arizona

97

Arkansas

89

California

461

Colorado

126

Connecticut

38

Delaware

10

District of Columbia

13

Florida

363

Georgia

193

Hawaii

23

Idaho

31

Illinois

185

Indiana

127

Iowa

89

Kansas

101

Kentucky

112

Louisiana

139

Maine

21

Maryland

82

Massachusetts

75

Michigan

120

Minnesota

72

Mississippi

93

Missouri

156

Montana

54

Nebraska

63

Nevada

71

New Hampshire

14

New Jersey

106

New Mexico

52

New York

220

North Carolina

167

North Dakota

25

Ohio

165

Oklahoma

104

Oregon

69

Pennsylvania

220

Rhode Island

5

South Carolina

122

South Dakota

22

Tennessee

154

Texas

528

Utah

78

Vermont

10

Virginia

146

Washington

90

West Virginia

61

Wisconsin

104

Wyoming

48

Total

5,657

 

Nonfatal injury and illness incidence rates per 100 full-time workers, private industry, 2003-2007
Total recordable cases Days away from work cases

2003

5.0 1.5

2004

4.8 1.4

2005

4.6 1.4

2006

4.4 1.3

2007

4.2 1.2

 

Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers, nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by industry, 2007
Industry Rate

Manufacturing

5.6

Construction

5.4

Education and health services

5.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

4.9

Leisure and hospitality

4.5

Natural resources and mining

4.4

Other services

3.1

Professional and business services

2.1

Information

2.0

Financial activities

1.4

 

Percent distribution of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by days away from work, private industry, 2007

31 or more days

25.6

21-30 days

6.5

11-20 days

11.1

6-10 days

12.3

3-5 days

18.3

2 days

11.4

1 day

14.8

 

Incidence rates per 10,000 full-time workers and number of injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work due to musculoskeletal disorders, selected occupations, 2007
Incidence rate (per 10,000 full-time workers) Number of musculoskeletal disorder cases

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

252 24,340

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

179 2,230

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers

149 27,040

Reservation and transportation ticket agents

132 1,900

Light or delivery service truck drivers

117 10,460

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

101 16,470

Bus, truck, diesel mechanics

88 1,780

Maids and housekeeping cleaners

83 5,490

Driver/sales workers

80 3,010

Construction laborers

80 6,950

Janitors and cleaners

80 9,200

Industrial machinery mechanics

77 1,910

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

76 2,780

NOTE: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) include cases where the nature of the injury or illness is sprains, strains, tears; back pain, hurt back; soreness, pain, hurt, except the back; carpal tunnel syndrome; hernia; or musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases and disorders and when the event or exposure leading to the injury or illness is bodily reaction/bending, climbing, crawling, reaching, twisting; overexertion; or repetition.

 

Percent of all injuries and illnesses with days away from work, by hours on the job before event occurred, private industry, 2007
Hours on the job before event occurred: Percent

Before shift began

0.7

After shift began to less than 2 hours

18.1

2 hours to less than 4 hours

20.9

4 hours to less than 6 hours

15.9

6 hours to less than 8 hours

14.0

8 hours to less than 10 hours

7.2

10 hours to less than 12 hours

1.9

12 hours to less than 16 hours

0.7

NOTE: In about 21 percent of the cases of nonfatal injuries and illnesses with days away from work, the number of hours on the job before the event occurred was not reported.

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