Work fatalities decrease, according to research
The number of work-related fatalities has decreased, according to data released recently by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Cincinnati.
A total of 88,622 U.S. workers died from job-related injuries between 1980 and 1994, but the annual number dropped steadily in that time period. The annual number dropped 27% from 7,405 in 1980 to 5,406 in 1994, according to a report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta (MMWR 1998; 47:297-306).
The No. 1 cause of work-related deaths was motor vehicle accidents, accounting for 23.1%. But homicide surpassed machinery-related deaths in the 1990s to become the second leading cause of work-related death, with 13.5% of work-related deaths due to homicide and 13.3% due to machinery accidents.
In 26 states, mining was the highest-risk industry, while in 19 states, most worker fatalities occurred in construction. Manufacturing had the highest number of job-related fatalities in 12 states. NIOSH reports that the workers at highest risk for injury on the job are males and those under age 20, while those aged 65 to 74 had a low rate of injury. About 30% of the injuries involve the hands and fingers, while 27% of the injuries were sprains and strains, 22% were lacerations, and 20% were contusions or bruising.
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