The National Council for Occupational Safety
and Health (formerly the "National COSH Network")
Facts on Workplace Safety and Health in the U.S.
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
National
COSH 
