NIOSH Releases Report Detailing Work-Related Deaths

Oct. 4, 2001
Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, West Virginia and Mississippi logged the highest occupational fatality rates per 100,000 workers in data collected over a 16-year\r\nperiod by NIOSH.

Workers in Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, West Virginia and Mississippi beware: your states logged the highest occupational fatality rates per 100,000 workers in data collected over a 16-year period from 1980 to 1995. The greatest number of fatal occupational injuries for the same period occurred in California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

Fatal work-related injuries claimed 93,338 lives from 1980 to 1995, according to two new reports released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention''s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The new reports show numbers and rates of job-related fatalities by occupation, by industry, by age, and by cause for the 16-year period. NIOSH hopes the data will help researchers and policy makers identify high-risk occupations and industries for focusing injury prevention efforts.

The documents show that:

  • The number and rate of fatal occupational injuries decreased from 1980 through 1995. The number decreased 28 percent from 7,343 deaths in 1980 to 5,314 in 1995. The average annual rate declined 42 percent from 7.4 deaths per 100,000 workers in 1980 to 4.3 per 100,000 in 1995.
  • Leading causes of job-related death during the 16-year period were motor vehicle crashes, homicides, machine-related incidents, falls, electrocutions, and being struck by falling objects.
  • Male workers had a job-related fatality rate 11 times higher than the rate for female workers.
  • Workers 65 years and older had the highest fatality rate of all age groups in every industry and occupation.

The reports are based on a comprehensive NIOSH assessment of data gathered from death certificates nationwide. One report, "Fatal Injuries to Civilian Workers in the United States, 1980-1995 (National and State Profiles)" [DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-129S], provides both national and state-specific data. The other, "Fatal Injuries to Civilian Workers in the United States, 1980-1995 (National Profile)" [DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-129], includes only the national data.

The information included in the reports should help efforts to assess trends over time to determine where risks may be growing. The findings also will help researchers develop further studies where more information is needed for targeting significant workplace safety hazards.

The two documents are available by calling the NIOSH toll-free information number, 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674). They also are available on the NIOSH web page at www.cdc.gov/niosh.

by Sandy Smith

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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