Fatal Work Injuries to Hispanics Increase 9 Percent

Sept. 27, 2002
Fatal injuries to Hispanic or Latino workers were up 9 percent, from 815 in 2000 to 891 in 2001 (excluding 9/11), according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This resulted from a rise in Hispanic worker fatalities in the services and agriculture industries, rather than in construction, as in prior years.

Fatalities to white (non-Hispanic) workers fell for the sixth year in a row; fatalities among black (non-Hispanic) workers fell for the second year in a row. Fatal work injuries to men were down slightly, although fatalities to women increased by 5 percent over 2000. The number of occupational fatalities to workers aged 17 years and younger decreased to 53 in 2001 from 73 in 2000. In 2001 fatalities to the self-employed were down by 5 percent to their lowest level recorded since 1992.

On average, about 16 workers were fatally injured each day during 2001. The total number of multiple fatality incidents (incidents that resulted in two or more worker deaths) decreased from 214 in 2000 to 197 in 2001. However, the total number of job-related deaths in multiple fatality incidents increased from 531 in 2000 to 563 in 2001 (excluding September 11th).

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

June 16, 2025
This free guide will define complacency, explain individual and organizational complacency, provide insights into the contributing factors and give a high-level overview of what...
May 22, 2025
Heat stress is a serious challenge that poses immediate and long-term health effects for workers in high-temperature environments. To combat heat stress, it's critical to educate...
May 15, 2025
Foot safety is a serious concern. At your next safety meeting, give your crew eye-opening facts about feet and how proper footwear matters more than they may know. Show your team...
May 15, 2025
If reimbursing employees for safety footwear is how its always been done, maybe its time to learn about the advantages a managed footwear program can offer instead. See a ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!