Fatal work injuries totaled 18 in 2015 for Hawaii, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Richard Holden noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Hawaii was lower than the 31 fatalities in the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from the high of 41 in 2001 to a low of 11 in 2013. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a total of 4,836 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2015, a slight increase from the 4,821 fatal injuries in 2014, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

Type of incident

In Hawaii, transportation incidents resulted in six fatal work injuries and violence and other injuries by persons or animals accounted for five fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 61 percent of all workplace fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) The number of worker deaths from transportation incidents fell by eight over the year and worker fatalities due to violence and other injuries by persons or animals were little changed.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2015, accounting for approximately 42 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Falls, slips, or trips was the second-most frequent type of event (17 percent), followed by contact with objects and equipment (15 percent).

Industry

The private construction industry sector had the largest number of fatalities in Hawaii with three, down from eight in the previous year. (See table 2.)

The private agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector had two workplace fatalities, compared to four in the previous year. Crop production and fishing each accounted for a fatal injury in this industry.

Occupation

Construction and extraction occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities with six. (See table 3.) Construction trades workers accounted for 5 of the 6 fatalities in the construction and extraction group.

Additional highlights:

• Men accounted for all of the work-related fatalities in Hawaii. Nationally, men accounted for 93 percent of the workplace fatalities. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 33 percent of the fatalities for men in Hawaii.
• White non-Hispanics accounted for 28 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 67 percent of work-related deaths
• Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 50 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2015, compared to 57 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
• All of the fatally-injured workers in Hawaii worked for wages and salaries.

Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI program uses diverse 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 2015 data, over 21,400 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for CFOI, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch9.pdf.

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. 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 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, Hawaii, 2014–15

Event or exposure (1)	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	31	18	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	4	5	28
Intentional injury by person	4	4	22
Homicides (Intentional injury by other person)	1	1	6
Shooting by other person--intentional	--	1	6
Suicides (Self-inflicted injury--intentional)	3	3	17
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm	--	3	17
Transportation incidents	14	6	33
Aircraft incidents	4	2	11
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing	3	2	11
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing--into structure, object, or ground	3	2	11
Water vehicle incidents	2	1	6
Water vehicle collisions	--	1	6
Collision between water vehicle and object	--	1	6
Nonroadway noncollision incident	4	1	6
Fall or jump from vehicle in normal operation, nonroadway	--	1	6
Falls, slips, trips	7	3	17
Falls to lower level	6	3	17
Other fall to lower level more than 30 feet	1	1	6
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	--	3	17
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. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Hawaii, 2014–15

Industry (1)	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	31	18	100
Private industry	26	12	67
Natural resources and mining	4	2	11
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	4	2	11
Crop production	3	1	6
Fruit and tree nut farming	--	1	6
Noncitrus fruit and tree nut farming	--	1	6
Fishing, hunting and trapping	--	1	6
Fishing	--	1	6
Fishing	--	1	6
Finfish fishing	--	1	6
Construction	8	3	17
Construction	8	3	17
Specialty trade contractors	3	3	17
Tile and terrazzo contractors	--	1	6
Residential tile and terrazzo contractors	--	1	6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	6	3	17
Utilities	--	1	6
Utilities	--	1	6
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution	--	1	6
Electric power generation	--	1	6
Solar electric power generation	--	1	6
Retail trade	3	1	6
Food and beverage stores	1	1	6
Grocery stores	--	1	6
Convenience stores	--	1	6
Transportation and warehousing	2	1	6
Water transportation	--	1	6
Deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation	--	1	6
Deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation	--	1	6
Deep sea passenger transportation	--	1	6
Financial activities	4	1	6
Real estate and rental and leasing	4	1	6
Rental and leasing services	--	1	6
Other services, except public administration	--	1	6
Other services, except public administration	--	1	6
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	--	1	6
Social advocacy organizations	--	1	6
Social advocacy organizations	--	1	6
Environment, conservation and wildlife organizations	--	1	6
Government (2)	5	6	33
Local government	--	1	6
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012. (2) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. 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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Hawaii, 2014–15

Occupation (1)	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	31	18	100
Life, physical, and social science occupations	1	1	6
Life scientists	--	1	6
Biological scientists	--	1	6
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	--	1	6
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers	--	1	6
Actors, producers, and directors	--	1	6
Actors	--	1	6
Protective service occupations	--	1	6
Other protective service workers	--	1	6
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers	--	1	6
Security guards	--	1	6
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	--	2	11
Fishing and hunting workers	--	1	6
Fishers and related fishing workers	--	1	6
Fishers and related fishing workers	--	1	6
Forest, conservation, and logging workers	--	1	6
Forest and conservation workers	--	1	6
Forest and conservation workers	--	1	6
Construction and extraction occupations	7	6	33
Construction trades workers	7	5	28
Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons	--	1	6
Stonemasons	--	1	6
Construction equipment operators	1	1	6
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	1	1	6
Solar photovoltaic installers	--	1	6
Solar photovoltaic installers	--	1	6
Production occupations	--	1	6
Other production occupations	--	1	6
Miscellaneous production workers	--	1	6
Transportation and material moving occupations	6	1	6
Material moving workers	4	1	6
Laborers and material movers, hand	--	1	6
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	--	1	6
Military specific occupations (2)	--	2	11
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. (2) Includes fatal injuries to persons identified as resident armed forces regardless of individual occupation listed.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. 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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by worker characteristics, Hawaii, 2014–15

Worker characteristics	2014	2015
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	31	18	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	25	18	100
Gender
Men	26	18	100
Age (3)
25 to 34 years	7	8	44
35 to 44 years	5	1	6
55 to 64 years	6	5	28
65 years and over	2	1	6
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	7	5	28
Hispanic or Latino	4	3	17
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic	--	3	17
Footnotes: (1) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. (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 Hispanic and Latino workers.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. 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. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.