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News Release Information

22-409-ATL
Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

Fatal Occupational Injuries in Florida — 2020

Fatal work injuries totaled 275 in 2020 for Florida, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Florida was down from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 422 in 2004 to a low of 218 in 2012.

Nationwide, a total of 4,764 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2020, an 11-percent decrease from 5,333 in 2020, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). The 4,764 fatal occupational injuries in 2020 represents the lowest annual number since 2013. 


Fatal event or exposure

In Florida, transportation incidents resulted in 90 fatal work injuries and falls, slips, and trips accounted for 77 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 61 percent of all fatal workplace injuries in the state. (See chart 2 and table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were down from 106 over the year, while worker fatalities due to falls, slips, and trips were up from 69.

Exposure to harmful substances or environments was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 43 fatalities, compared to 44 in the prior year. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals resulted in 36 work-related deaths, down from 43 in 2019.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2020, accounting for 37 percent of fatal work injuries. Falls, slips, and trips was the second-most common fatal event (17 percent).


Industry

The private construction industry sector had the highest number of fatalities in Florida with 82, down from 91 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Falls, slips, and trips resulted in 39 of the 82 fatalities in the industry. The specialty trade contractors subsector accounted for 50, or 61 percent, of fatal workplace injuries in the construction industry.

The private transportation and warehousing industry sector had 44 fatal workplace injuries. The truck transportation subsector accounted for 28, or 64 percent, of the fatal injuries in this industry.

Occupation

The construction and extraction occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 67. (See table 3.) Construction laborers accounted for 18 of the 67 fatalities among construction and extraction workers. The transportation and material moving occupational group had the second highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 60. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers suffered 37 of the work-related deaths within the transportation and material moving group.

Additional highlights
  • Men accounted for 88 percent of the work-related fatalities in Florida, compared to the national rate of 92 percent. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 34 percent of the fatalities for men in Florida.

  • White non-Hispanics accounted for 55 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 61 percent of work-related deaths.

  • Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 61 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2020, compared to 56 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.

  • Of the 275 fatal work injuries in Florida, 85 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers was transportation incidents; falls, slips, and trips were the most frequent fatal event for self-employed workers.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

CFOI reports fatal workplace injuries only. These may include fatal workplace injuries complicated by an illness such as COVID-19. Fatal workplace illnesses not precipitated by an injury are not in scope for CFOI. CFOI does not report any illness related information, including COVID-19. Additional information is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-on-workplace-injuries-and-illnesses-compensation-and-occupational-requirements.htm.


Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, is a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI uses a variety of state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This ensures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2020 national data, over 21,600 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see the BLS Handbook of Methods at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm and the CFOI definitions at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm.

Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, some of which may be outside the scope of other agencies or regulatory coverage. Comparisons between CFOI counts and those released by other agencies should account for the different coverage requirements and definitions used by each agency. For more information on the scope of CFOI, see www.bls.gov/iif/cfoiscope.htm and www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/concepts.htm.

Acknowledgments. BLS appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that provided 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 Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation divisions); the Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; state vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of health, labor, and industrial relations and workers' compensation agencies; state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Florida, 2019–20
Event or exposure (1)20192020
NumberNumberPercent

Total

306275100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

433613

Intentional injury by person

383412

Intentional injury by other person

27259

Self-inflicted injury--intentional

1193

Transportation incidents

1069033

Aircraft incidents

1231

Pedestrian vehicular incident

16218

Water vehicle incidents

441

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle

635420

Roadway collision with other vehicle

493513

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle

7145

Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles

1183

Fires and explosions

--31

Falls, slips, trips

697728

Falls on same level

--124

Falls to lower level

616022

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

444316

Exposure to electricity

18114

Exposure to other harmful substances

16238

Contact with objects and equipment

39259

Struck by object or equipment

36155

Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects

362

Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material

--41

Overexertion and bodily reaction

1----

Footnotes:
(1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward.

NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.


Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Florida, 2019–20
Industry (1)20192020
NumberNumberPercent

Total

306275100

Private industry (2)

29426095

Goods producing

------

Natural resources and mining

17----

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

17135

Construction

918230

Construction

918230

Construction of buildings

--73

Heavy and civil engineering construction

12218

Specialty trade contractors

--5018

Manufacturing

--104

Service providing (3)

------

Trade, transportation, and utilities

------

Wholesale trade

593

Retail trade

13155

Transportation and warehousing

--4416

Air transportation

--21

Truck transportation

--2810

Transit and ground passenger transportation

--41

Support activities for transportation

--73

Financial activities

14----

Real estate and rental and leasing

1062

Professional and business services

58----

Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services

482810

Educational and health services

12----

Health care and social assistance

983

Leisure and hospitality

14269

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

562

Accommodation and food services

9207

Other services, except public administration

13104

Government (4)

12155

Federal government

231

State government

241

Local government

883

Footnotes:
(1) CFOI has used several versions of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) since 2003 to define industry. For complete information on the version of NAICS used in this year, see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm.
(2) Cases where ownership is unknown are included in private industry counts.
(3) Cases where industry is unknown are included in the service sector counts.
(4) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry. Cases classified as foreign government and other government are included in all government counts, but not displayed separately.

NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.


Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Florida, 2019–20
Occupation (1)20192020
NumberNumberPercent

Total

306275100

Management occupations

6145

Business and financial operations occupations

--41

Computer and mathematical occupations

------

Architecture and engineering occupations

------

Life, physical, and social science occupations

1----

Community and social service occupations

------

Legal occupations

------

Educational instruction and library occupations

1----

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations

4----

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations

441

Healthcare support occupations

331

Protective service occupations

1062

Food preparation and serving related occupations

6114

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

362911

Grounds maintenance workers

29249

Personal care and service occupations

452

Sales and related occupations

10145

Office and administrative support occupations

--73

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

1673

Construction and extraction occupations

836724

Supervisors of construction and extraction workers

452

Construction trades workers

725520

Carpenters

1093

Construction laborers

19187

Electricians

431

Painters and paperhangers

673

Roofers

16114

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

28259

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers

12104

Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

13124

Production occupations

1283

Transportation and material moving occupations

706022

Air transportation workers

--31

Motor vehicle operators

504617

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

464115

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

363713

Material moving workers

1073

Footnotes:
(1) CFOI has used several versions of the Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) system since 2003 to define occupation. For complete information on the version of SOC used in this year, see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Cases where occupation is unknown are included in the total.

NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.


Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, Florida, 2019–20
Worker characteristics20192020
NumberNumberPercent

Total

306275100

Employee status

Wage and salary workers (1)

26923485

Self-employed (2)

374115

Gender

Men

27924388

Women

273212

Age (3)

20 to 24 years

14166

25 to 34 years

384817

35 to 44 years

785520

45 to 54 years

616524

55 to 64 years

696022

65 years and over

412810

Race or ethnic origin (4)

White, non-Hispanic

15015155

Black or African-American, non-Hispanic

413312

Hispanic or Latino

1098230

Footnotes:
(1) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. Cases where employment status is unknown are included in the counts of wage and salary workers.
(2) 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.
(3) Information may not be available for all age groups.
(4) Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude data for Hispanics and Latinos. Cases where ethnicity is unknown are included in counts of non-Hispanic workers.

NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2022