Death on the Job

How many workers die on the job? The federal government knows not only how many but also how they died in gory detail. The most recent statistics show that 4,693 workers died on the job in 2011. These were the top four causes of death...

1. Transportation incidents: 1,937 workers died in a transportation incident, such as a car or truck wreck (1,103), a rail incident (50), a boating incident (70), or an airplane crash (146).
2. Violence: 791 workers died by violence, including 468 homicides (three out of four involving guns), more than 200 suicides, and 37 deaths due to animals or insects.
3. Contact with objects or equipment: 710 workers died after being struck by objects or equipment, including more than 200 who were struck by falling objects.
4. Fatal falls or slips: 681 workers died after falling, including 553 who died from a fall to a lower level. Among those who died from a fall to a lower level, the 57 percent majority fell from a height of 20 feet or less.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries