BLS Cites Economy for Preliminary BLS Data Showing Decline in 2009 Fatalities
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced on August 19 a dramatic decrease in 2009 workplace fatalities. The report can be found at http://www.bls.gov/iif/#tables.
“A preliminary total of 4,340 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2009, down from a final count of 5,214 fatal work injuries in 2008. The 2009 total represents the smallest annual preliminary total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program was first conducted in 1992. Based on this preliminary count, the rate of fatal work injury for U.S. workers in 2009 was 3.3 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, down from a final rate of 3.7 in 2008. Counts and rates are likely to increase with the release of final 2009 CFOI results in April 2011.”
BLS went on to say, “Economic factors played a major role in the fatal work injury decrease in 2009. Total hours worked fell by 6 percent in 2009 following a 1 percent decline in 2008, and some industries that have historically accounted for a significant share of fatal work injuries, such as construction, experienced even larger declines in employment or hours worked.”
Key preliminary findings include –
• Workplace homicides declined 1 percent in 2009, in contrast to an overall decline of 17 percent for all fatal work injuries.
• The wholesale trade industry was one of the few major private industry sectors reporting higher numbers of fatal work injuries in 2009.
• Fatal work injuries in the private construction sector declined by 16 percent in 2009 following the decline of 19 percent in 2008.
• Fatalities among non-Hispanic black or African-American workers were down 24 percent.
• Transportation incidents fell 21 percent from the 2,130 fatal work injuries reported in 2008.
• Fatal work injuries involving workers in transportation and material moving occupations accounted for more than one-fifth of all occupational fatalities in 2009, though fatalities in this occupational group declined by 28 percent.
• The number of fatal work injuries fell 16 percent among non-Hispanic white workers in 2009 and declined 17 percent among Hispanic or Latino workers.