Fatal Injuries to Workers in the United States, 1980-1989: A Decade of Surveillance - National and State Profiles

This compendium included information related to fatal injuries occurring among United States workers, 16 years of age or older, during the period from 1980 through 1989. Data were derived from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities surveillance system. Analysis of occupational injury deaths was made by demographic, employment, and injury characteristics. Data were also broken down by state. Of the 63,589 workers who died in this period from injuries sustained while working, 62,289 were civilian laborers, for a rate of 7.0 per 100,000 workers. Motor vehicle crashes (23%), machine related incidents (14%), homicides (12%), falls (10%), electrocutions (7%), and being struck by falling objects (7%) accounted for the deaths reported. The highest fatality rate per 100,000 workers was found among Black workers, followed by Whites and others of other races. The age group with the largest number of occupational injury fatalities was the 25 to 29 year group. The fatality rate for males was 12 times higher than that for females. The largest number of fatalities occurred in the construction industry (18%) with transportation/communication/public utilities second (18%), followed by manufacturing (14%), and agriculture/forestry/fishing (12%). The average annual fatality rate decreased from 8.9 in 1980 to 5.6 in 1989.

Fatal Injuries to Workers in the United States, 1980-1989: A Decade of Surveillance – National and State Profiles [PDF – 8.58 MB]