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Each year, some 5,500 workers die on the job and some 5.7 million are injured or become ill due to workplace hazards in the U.S. Over 1.6 million workers are injured seriously enough to miss work each year. Over 600 people are killed in acts of workplace violence each year. It would take 84 years for OSHA to inspect each workplace in the U.S. once. Over 8 million workers in the U.S.--those employees by state and local governments--lack any OSHA protections. |
KEY FACTS
Fatality rate for all U.S. workers in 2002: 4.0 per 100,000 employees.
Fatality rate in 1970 when the OSH Act was passed: 18.0
While fatality rates for all workers have steadily declined in recent years, the rate for Hispanic workers actually increased significantly.
Occupational injuries and illnesses per 100 workers in 2000: 6.1
Occupational injuries and illnesses per 100 workers in 1972: 10.9
53 youth aged 17 and under were killed on the job in 2001.
Federal OSHA's budget is insufficient to allow them to enforce safety and health laws adequately. The OSHA budget in 1980 provided for a total of 2,951 Full-Time Equivalent staff positions. The budget for 2002 provides for only 2,316--a 22% reduction from the 1980 high point.
OSHA programs, including both state and federal jurisdictions, have a combined total of only 2,238 inspectors (compliance officers) to enforce the law and provide protections for over 200 million workers.
Dangerous Jobs: Selected Occupations with High Fatality Rates
| Occupation | Number of Fatal Injuries | Fatality Rate/100,000 |
| Pilots and Navigators | 90 | 69.8 |
| Farm Occupations | 519 | 28.0 |
| Construction Laborers | 302 | 27.7 |
| Truck Drivers | 808 | 25.0 |
| Groundskeepers | 146 | 15.0 |
| Police and Detectives | 140 | 11.6 |
| Laborers (non-constr.) | 181 | 14.2 |
| Electricians | 116 | 13.5 |
| Carpenters | 108 | 6.9 |
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2002 data.
Fatality Rates by Industry Division, 2002
| Industry Division | Fatality Rate | Fatalities |
| Mining | 23.5 | 121 |
| Agriculture | 22.7 | 789 |
| Construction | 12.2 | 1,121 |
| Transportation | 11.3 | 910 |
| Wholesale trade | 4.0 | 205 |
| Manufacturing | 3.1 | 563 |
| Government | 2.7 | 554 |
| Retail Trade | 2.1 | 487 |
| Services | 1.7 | 680 |
| Finace | 1.0 | 87 |
Major Causes of Fatal Injuries on the Job (2002)
| Cause | Number |
| Highway Incidents | 1,372 |
| Falls | 714 |
| Homicides | 609 |
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2002 data.
U.S. states with the highest fatality rates (2000)
| State | Fatality rate/100,000 |
| Alaska | 19.2 |
| Wyoming | 15.6 |
| Montana | 11.1 |
| Mississippi | 11.0 |
| North Dakota | 11.0 |
States with the lowest fatality rates
| State | Fatality rate/100,000 |
| Rhode Island | 1.5 |
| Massachusetts | 2.0 |
| New Hampshire | 2.1 |
| Minnesota | 2.6 |
Industries with the Highest Lost Workday Injury and Illness Rates, 2000
(per 100 workers)
|
Meat packing plants |
14.3 |
| Ship building and repairing | 11.7 |
| Motor vehicles and car bodies | 10.5 |
| Truck trailers | 10.4 |
| Air transportation, scheduled | 10.4 |
| Transportation equipment, n.e.c. | 10.2 |
| Travel trailers and campers | 10.0 |
| Aluminum foundries | 9.9 |
| Plastics pipe | 9.6 |
| Public building and related furniture | 9.5 |
Get the Details:
Detailed charts describing fatal work injuries in the U.S., 2002, with some historical data. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Workplace Fatalities, U.S. since the passage of OSHA (1970-2000) by year. (pdf)
Occupational Injury and Illness case rates by year, 1972-2000. (pdf)
Fatal workplace injuries by industry and event or exposure: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002. (pdf)
Detailed Occupational Injury and Illness data by occupation, industry, etc. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)