April 2007 - 2005 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

Since 1992, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has published data from the annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) covering fatal occupational injuries from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For 2005, the highest percentages of fatal workplace injuries were attributed to highway incidents, followed by falls, being struck by an object, and homicides.

The following is a summary of statistics from the 2005 report:

• There were a total of 5,702 work-related fatal injuries and a rate of 4.0 deaths per 100,000 workers. When compared with 1992, this represents an 8 percent decline in the number of deaths (from 6,217 in 1992) and a 23 percent decline in the fatality rate (from 5.2 in 1992).
• Males accounted for 93 percent of all deaths and had a work-related fatality rate approximately 12 times the rate for females (6.9 per 100,000 workers versus 0.6).
• Workers aged 35--54 years accounted for 46 percent of workplace deaths.
• Approximately 43 percent of fatal work-related injuries resulted from transportation incidents.
• After transportation, the remaining categories with the highest rates of fatal occupational injuries were contact with objects or equipment at 18 percent (e.g., being struck by a falling object, such as a tree; being crushed during a cave-in while digging ditches; or getting caught in running machinery), assaults and violent acts at 14 percent, and falls at 13 percent.

The report, Fatal Occupational Injuries – United States, 2005, may be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5613a1.htm.

Additional information may be found at the BLS Web site at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm.

COPYRIGHT ©2007, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

The information contained in this publication was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. ISO Services Properties, Inc., its companies and employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with either the information herein contained or the safety suggestions herein made. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable safety procedure is contained herein or that abnormal or unusual circumstances may not warrant or require further or additional procedure.