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For release: January 19, 2011 Technical information: (816) 285-7000 • BLSInfoKansasCity@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/ro7 |
UTAH WORKPLACE FATALITIES - 2009 (PDF)
Fatal work injuries in Utah totaled 48 in 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Stanley W. Suchman noted that while the 2009 results are preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Utah decreased by 16 from the 2008 total and was the lowest total since the Bureau began tracking workplace fatalities in 1992. (See chart 1.) Final 2009 national and State results will be released in April 2011.
Chart 1. Total workplace fatalities in Utah, 1992-2009
The most frequent types of workplace fatalities in Utah in 2009 were highway incidents (14), aircraft incidents (6), and fires and explosions (6). Combined, these three types of events1 accounted for 54 percent of all work-related fatalities in the State in 2009. (See tables A and B.)
Highway incidents were the most frequent type of fatal workplace event for both the State and the nation in 2009. In Utah, there were 14 fatalities from highway incidents, little changed from the 15 fatalities reported in 2008. Highway incidents accounted for 29 percent of all job-related deaths in the State and 20 percent in the nation. (See tables A and B.)
On-the-job fatalities due to aircraft incidents declined from 11 in 2008 to 6 in 2009, representing 13 percent of the State's total. Nationally, aircraft incidents accounted for four percent of all work-related deaths. Fires and explosions were also responsible for 6 worker fatalities in Utah in 2009 and represented 13 percent of all workplace fatalities in the State and 3 percent of the total for the United States.
Other events leading to workplace fatalities in Utah in 2009 included workers being struck by an object or equipment (5), workers struck by a vehicle or mobile equipment (5), and falls to a lower level (4). Together, these three events were responsible for 29 percent of all fatal work injuries in the State. (See table 1.) Fatalities from these same three events accounted for 28 percent of the total for the United States.
| Year | Total fatalities | Highway incidents | Aircraft incidents | Fires and explosions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | ||
1992 |
59 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 25 | -- | -- |
1993 |
66 | 21 | 32 | 6 | 9 | -- | -- |
1994 |
66 | 18 | 27 | 3 | 5 | -- | -- |
1995 |
51 | 17 | 33 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
1996 |
64 | 16 | 25 | 3 | 5 | -- | -- |
1997 |
66 | 26 | 39 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
1998 |
67 | 23 | 34 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 4 |
1999 |
54 | 21 | 39 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
2000 |
61 | 21 | 34 | 8 | 13 | 6 | 10 |
2001 |
65 | 20 | 31 | -- | -- | 3 | 5 |
2002 |
52 | 18 | 35 | 6 | 12 | -- | -- |
2003 |
54 | 24 | 44 | 6 | 11 | -- | -- |
2004 |
50 | 23 | 46 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
2005 |
54 | 22 | 41 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
2006 |
60 | 16 | 27 | 9 | 15 | -- | -- |
2007 |
78 | 22 | 28 | 10 | 13 | 6 | 8 |
2008(1) |
64 | 15 | 23 | 11 | 17 | -- | -- |
2009(2) |
48 | 14 | 29 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 13 |
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Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. |
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Key characteristics of fatal work injuries in Utah:
- Men accounted for 94 percent (45) of the work-related fatalities in the State in 2009. Transportation incidents, which include highway, nonhighway, pedestrian, air, water, and rail fatalities, accounted for 53 percent of these deaths. Three women were also fatally injured on-the-job as a result of transportation incidents. (See table 2.)
- Eighty-one percent of those who died from a workplace injury in Utah were white, non-Hispanic (39) and 17 percent were Hispanic or Latino (8). Transportation incidents were the most frequent type of fatal event for white, non-Hispanic workers (24). (See table 2.)
- Workers 25-54 years old—the prime working age group—made up 52 percent of the State's work-related fatalities in 2009 with 25 deaths. (See table 2.) Nationally, those 25-54 years old accounted for 61 percent of on-the-job fatalities. Fatal work injuries among workers 55 to 64 years old represented 23 percent of workplace fatalities in the State (11) and 19 percent nationally.
- Eighty-three percent of workers killed on-the-job in Utah worked for wages and salaries (40), the rest were self-employed. Transportation incidents accounted for 55 percent of fatalities among wage and salary workers (22) and 63 percent of on-the-job fatalities for self-employed workers (5). (See table 2.)
- Two industry sectors made up 44 percent of the workplace fatalities in Utah—transportation and warehousing (11) and construction (10). Transportation incidents were the leading cause of death in both the transportation and warehousing (9) and the construction (6) sectors. (See table 3.)
- From an occupational perspective, transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities (18), followed by construction and extraction occupations (8). Combined, these two occupational groups accounted for over half (54 percent) of all fatal work injuries in Utah. Transportation incidents were the most frequent cause of on-the-job fatalities in both occupational groups. (See table 4.)
- Among Utah's metropolitan areas, Salt Lake City registered the most work-related fatalities with 23.
U.S. workplace fatalities
Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,340 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2009, a decrease of 17 percent from the revised total of 5,214 fatal work injuries recorded in 2008. This preliminary figure represents the smallest annual total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program was first conducted in 1992. (See table B.) Economic factors played a major role in the national fatal work injury decrease as total hours worked declined during the year. Similarly, 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.
Highway incidents in 2009 continued to lead all other events in the frequency of on-the-job fatalities, a position held since the program's inception in 1992. Still, the 2009 count of 882 fatal injuries from highway incidents was down 27 percent from the 2008 count of 1,215 fatal injuries.
Workplace homicides (521) declined 1 percent in 2009. Workplace suicides (237) were down 10 percent nationwide in 2009 from the series high of 263 in 2008. However, this 2009 preliminary count of workplace suicides is the second highest annual total reported by the fatality census.
Falls to a lower level decreased 13 percent (from 593 in 2008 to 518 in 2009). Around half of all fatal falls to a lower level occur in construction, so the decline in construction employment may account for the lower number of fatal work injuries due to falls to a lower level.
Thirty-seven states reported lower numbers of fatal work injuries in 2009 than in 2008, while 13 states and the District of Columbia reported higher numbers.
| Year | Total fatalities | Highway incidents | Homicides | Falls to a lower level | Struck by object or equipment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | ||
1992 |
6,217 | 1,158 | 19 | 1,044 | 17 | 507 | 8 | 557 | 9 |
1993 |
6,331 | 1,242 | 20 | 1,074 | 17 | 534 | 8 | 565 | 9 |
1994 |
6,632 | 1,343 | 20 | 1,080 | 16 | 580 | 9 | 591 | 9 |
1995 |
6,275 | 1,346 | 21 | 1,036 | 17 | 578 | 9 | 547 | 9 |
1996 |
6,202 | 1,346 | 22 | 927 | 15 | 610 | 10 | 582 | 9 |
1997 |
6,238 | 1,393 | 22 | 860 | 14 | 653 | 10 | 579 | 9 |
1998 |
6,055 | 1,442 | 24 | 714 | 12 | 625 | 10 | 520 | 9 |
1999 |
6,054 | 1,496 | 25 | 651 | 11 | 634 | 10 | 585 | 10 |
2000 |
5,920 | 1,365 | 23 | 677 | 11 | 659 | 11 | 571 | 10 |
2001(1) |
5,915 | 1,409 | 24 | 643 | 11 | 700 | 12 | 553 | 9 |
2002 |
5,534 | 1,373 | 25 | 609 | 11 | 638 | 12 | 505 | 9 |
2003 |
5,575 | 1,353 | 24 | 632 | 11 | 604 | 11 | 531 | 10 |
2004 |
5,764 | 1,398 | 24 | 559 | 10 | 738 | 13 | 602 | 10 |
2005 |
5,734 | 1,437 | 25 | 567 | 10 | 664 | 12 | 607 | 11 |
2006 |
5,840 | 1,356 | 23 | 540 | 9 | 738 | 13 | 589 | 10 |
2007 |
5,657 | 1,414 | 25 | 628 | 11 | 746 | 13 | 504 | 9 |
2008(2) |
5,214 | 1,215 | 23 | 526 | 10 | 593 | 11 | 520 | 10 |
2009(3) |
4,340 | 882 | 20 | 521 | 12 | 518 | 12 | 414 | 10 |
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Footnotes: |
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Additional Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data are available on the BLS Internet site at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm. Data can be accessed in a number of ways. Selected current and historical information is available in PDF format. Detailed data may be accessed through the online query application or via an extensive collection of flat text files. For personal assistance or further information on the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program, as well as other Bureau programs, contact the Mountain-Plains Economic Analysis & Information Office at 816-285-7000 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT.
Technical note
Background of the program
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. in each calendar year. The program uses diverse State, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible.
For technical information about the CFOI program, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS web site here: www.bls.gov/opub/hom/homch9_a1.htm. The technical information and definitions for the CFOI Program are in Chapter 9, Part III of the BLS Handbook of Methods.
Federal/State agency coverage
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all fatal work injuries, whether the decedent was working in a job covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or State agencies or was outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison between the BLS fatality census counts and those released by other agencies should take into account the different coverage requirements and definitions being used by each agency.
Several federal and State agencies have jurisdiction over workplace safety and health. OSHA and affiliated agencies in States with approved safety programs cover the largest portion of the nation's workers. However, injuries and illnesses occurring in certain industries or activities, such as coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and highway, water, rail, and air transportation, are excluded from OSHA coverage because they are covered by other federal agencies, such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration and various agencies within the Department of Transportation.
Acknowledgments
BLS thanks the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Statistics for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, State, local, and private sector entities that submitted source documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Employment Standards Administration (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' divisions); the Federal Railroad Administration; the Department of Energy; State vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; State departments of health, labor and industries, and workers' compensation agencies; State and local police departments; and State farm bureaus.
Notes
1
Fatal events are categorized into several major groupings including transportation incidents, assaults and violent acts, and falls, among others. These major groups are further broken down into more detailed groups. See the Occupational Injury & Illness Classification System (OIICS) Manual at www.bls.gov/iif/oshoiics.htm for detailed information on the categories of fatalities used in this census.
| Event or exposure(2) | Total fatalities (number) | Goods producing | Service providing | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total goods producing | Natural resources and mining(3) | Construc-tion | Manufac-turing | Total service providing | Trade, transpor-tation, and utilities | Informa-tion | Financial activities | Profes-sional and business services | Education and health services | Leisure and hospitality | Other services | ||
Total |
48 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 26 | 17 | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Contact with objects and equipment |
7 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Struck by object or equipment |
5 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Struck by falling object or equipment |
4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Falls |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall to lower level |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation accidents |
27 | 8 | -- | 6 | -- | 17 | 11 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
Highway accident |
14 | 4 | -- | 3 | -- | 10 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Moving in opposite directions, oncoming |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Noncollision accident |
7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Jack-knifed or overturned--no collision |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Pedestrian, nonpassenger struck by vehicle, mobile equipment |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Aircraft accident |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fires and explosions |
6 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fire--unintended or uncontrolled |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Explosion |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
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Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. n.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Data for 2009 are preliminary. |
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| Worker characteristics | Total fatalities (number) | Event or exposure(1) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation incidents(2) | Assaults and violent acts(3) | Contact with objects and equipment | Falls | Exposure to harmful sub- stances or environ- ments | Fires and explosions | ||
Total |
48 | 27 | -- | 7 | 4 | -- | 6 |
| Employee Status | |||||||
Wage and Salary Workers(4) |
40 | 22 | -- | 6 | 3 | -- | 5 |
Self-employed(5) |
8 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Gender | |||||||
Men |
45 | 24 | -- | 7 | 4 | -- | 6 |
Women |
3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Age | |||||||
Under 16 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
16 to 17 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
18 to 19 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
20 to 24 years |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
25 to 34 years |
7 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
35 to 44 years |
7 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
45 to 54 years |
11 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
55 to 64 years |
11 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 |
65 years and over |
8 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Race or Ethnic Origin(6) | |||||||
White, non-Hispanic |
39 | 24 | -- | 5 | 3 | -- | 5 |
Black, non-Hispanic |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Hispanic or Latino |
8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
American Indian or Alaska Native |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Asian |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
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Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Data for 2009 are preliminary. |
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| Industry(1) | NAICS code(1) | Total fatalities (number) | Event or exposure(2) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transpor- tation incidents(3) | Assaults and violent acts(4) | Contact with objects and equipment | Falls | Exposure to harmful sub- stances or environments | Fires and explosions | |||
Total |
48 | 27 | -- | 7 | 4 | -- | 6 | |
Private Industry |
45 | 25 | -- | 7 | 4 | -- | 6 | |
Goods Producing |
19 | 8 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 3 | |
Natural Resources and Mining |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting |
11 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction |
10 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Construction |
23 | 10 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Specialty Trade Contractors |
238 | 7 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
2389 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Manufacturing |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Manufacturing |
31-33 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Service providing |
26 | 17 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | 3 | |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities |
17 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Wholesale Trade |
42 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Retail Trade |
44-45 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation and Warehousing |
48-49 | 11 | 9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Truck Transportation |
484 | 8 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
General Freight Trucking |
4841 | 6 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance |
48412 | 6 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Professional and Business Services |
4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services |
56 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Administrative and Support Services |
561 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Government(6) |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
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Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Data for 2009 are preliminary. |
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| Occupation(1) | Total fatalities (number) | Event or exposure(2) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation incidents(3) | Assaults and violent acts(4) | Contact with objects and equipment | Falls | Exposure to harmful sub- stances or environments | Fires and explosions | ||
Total |
48 | 27 | -- | 7 | 4 | -- | 6 |
Management occupations |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Other management occupations |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction managers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction managers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction and extraction occupations |
8 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Supervisors, construction and extraction workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction trades workers |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Production occupations |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation and material moving occupations |
18 | 12 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
Air transportation workers |
4 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers |
4 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Commercial pilots |
4 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Motor vehicle operators |
11 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers |
11 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
9 | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
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Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Data for 2009 are preliminary. |
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Last Modified Date: October 6, 2011