Fatal work injuries totaled 172 in 2013 for Illinois, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that while the 2013 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Illinois rose by 26 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 262 in 1996 to a low of 146 in 2012. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,405 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2013, down from a revised count of 4,628 fatal work injuries in 2012, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2013 CFOI data will be released in the late spring 2015.

Of the 172 fatal work injuries reported in Illinois in 2013, 63 resulted from transportation incidents, 35 from contact with objects and equipment, and 32 from violence and other injuries by persons or animals; together these three major categories accounted for just over three-fourths of all fatal work injuries. Other major event categories each reported 21 or fewer deaths. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 33 deaths, accounting for 19 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. In the contact with objects and equipment category, 22 deaths occurred from being struck by an object or equipment. Within the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category, 16 deaths occurred from intentional injury by another person and 12 were intentional self-inflicted injuries. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are released in the late spring 2015 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)

In the United States, transportation incidents was also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2013, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. Illinois’ 37 percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was lower than the nationwide share. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities, lower than the 19-percent share for this event in Illinois. Contact with objects and equipment and falls, slips, or trips each accounted for 16 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities. In Illinois, these events accounted for 20 and 12 percent of the state’s fatal injuries, respectively. 

Additional key characteristics:

• The construction industry had the highest fatality count with 27, up from 16 in 2012. Transportation incidents accounted for nine worker deaths in this sector, while seven were due to falls, slips, or trips in 2013.
• Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting had the next largest fatality count with 21, an increase of 12 over the year. Transportation incidents accounted for eight fatalities, and seven were the result of contact with objects or equipment. (See table 2.)
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 40. (See table 3.) The majority of these fatalities were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (18). Workers in construction and extraction occupations had the next highest fatality count at 31.
• Men accounted for 155, or 90 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up almost one-third of these fatalities.
• In Illinois, 70 percent of those who died from a workplace injury were white non-Hispanics. Nationwide, this group accounted for 68 percent of work-related deaths.
• Workers 25-54 years old—the prime working age group—accounted for 105, or 61 percent, of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2013. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 172 persons that suffered fatal work injuries in Illinois, 73 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remaining were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both wage and salary workers and the self-employed was transportation incidents.

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 United States during the 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 at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/soii/home.htm.

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.

Acknowledgments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that submitted source documents used to identify fatal work injuries, in particular the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Illinois, 2012-2013

Event or exposure(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	146	172	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	32	32	19
Intentional injury by person	30	28	16
Intentional injury by other person	16	16	9
Shooting by other person--intentional	12	12	7
Self-inflicted injury--intentional	14	12	7
Shooting--intentional self-harm	3	5	3
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm	6	5	3
Transportation incidents	52	63	37
Pedestrian vehicular incident	17	12	7
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway	3	5	3
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in roadway	3	5	3
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	25	33	19
Roadway collision with other vehicle	18	18	10
Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming	4	9	5
Roadway noncollision incident	3	11	6
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	3	9	5
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	2	9	5
Fires and Explosions	8	6	3
Fires	3	5	3
Falls, slips, trips	25	21	12
Falls to lower level	19	17	10
Other fall to lower level	17	14	8
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	10	14	8
Exposure to other harmful substances	9	5	3
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	7	5	3
Contact with objects and equipment	17	35	20
Struck by object or equipment	14	22	13
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	9	7	4
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	3	13	8
Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part	--	5	3
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	--	10	6
Caught in running equipment or machinery	1	10	6
Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning	--	5	3
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward. Total may include other events not shown. (2) Data for 2012 are revised and final (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late spring 2015.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Illinois, 2012-2013

Industry(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	146	172	100
Private industry	131	159	92
Natural resources and mining	12	27	16
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	9	21	12
Crop production	9	14	8
Animal production	--	6	3
Mining(3)	3	6	3
Construction	16	27	16
Construction	16	27	16
Construction of buildings	--	5	3
Heavy and civil engineering construction	6	5	3
Specialty trade contractors	8	16	9
Manufacturing	17	20	12
Manufacturing	17	20	12
Trade, transportation, and utilities	44	38	22
Wholesale trade	--	7	4
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	--	5	3
Retail trade	10	12	7
Transportation and warehousing	32	19	11
Truck transportation	23	13	8
Professional and business services	11	19	11
Administrative and waste services	--	16	9
Administrative and support services	4	15	9
Educational and health services	10	5	3
Leisure and hospitality	8	12	7
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	3	6	3
Accommodation and food services	5	6	3
Food services and drinking places	4	6	3
Other services, except public administration	4	5	3
Other services, except public administration	4	5	3
Government(4)	15	13	8
Local government	11	11	6
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007. Total may include other industries not shown. (2) Data for 2012 are revised and final (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late spring 2015. (3) Includes fatal injuries at all establishments categorized as Mining (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, including establishments not governed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction. (4) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. 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.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Illinois, 2012-2013

Occupation(1)	2012(2)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	146	172	100
Management occupations	10	25	15
Other management occupations	9	23	13
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	5	18	10
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	5	18	10
Protective service occupations	6	10	6
Food preparation and serving related occupations	3	6	3
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	--	7	4
Sales and related occupations	9	9	5
Construction and extraction occupations	27	31	18
Construction trades workers	20	23	13
Construction laborers	8	9	5
Construction laborers	8	9	5
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	6	9	5
Production occupations	9	18	10
Other production occupations	4	9	5
Miscellaneous production workers	--	6	3
Transportation and material moving occupations	46	40	23
Motor vehicle operators	30	24	14
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	28	22	13
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	26	18	10
Material moving workers	10	13	8
Laborers and material movers, hand	5	8	5
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	5	6	3
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. Total may include occupations not shown. (2) Data for 2012 are revised and final (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late spring 2015.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. 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.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by worker characteristics, Illinois, 2012-2013

Worker characteristics	2012(1)	2013(p)
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	146	172	100
Employee status
Wage and salary(2)	117	125	73
Self-employed(3)	29	47	27
Gender
Men	135	155	90
Women	11	17	10
Age(4)
20 to 24 years	9	7	4
25 to 34 years	17	29	17
35 to 44 years	30	38	22
45 to 54 years	47	38	22
55 to 64 years	23	38	22
65 years and over	18	19	11
Race or ethnic origin(5)
White, non-Hispanic	105	121	70
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	18	18	10
Hispanic or Latino	19	26	15
Asian, non-Hispanic	--	6	3
Footnotes: (1) Data for 2012 are revised and final (p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in the late spring 2015. (2) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. (3) Includes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses and farms, paid and unpaid family workers, and may include some owners of incorporated businesses or members of partnerships. (4) Information may not be available for all age groups. (5) Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude Hispanic and Latino workers.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. 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.