by jbs082909 a3 — August 31, 2009—A total of 5,071 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2008, down from a total of 5,657 fatal work injuries reported for 2007, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While the 2008 results are preliminary, this figure represents the smallest annual preliminary total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program was first conducted in 1992. Final results for 2008 will be released in April 2010.
Key findings of the 2008 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries include:
- Fatal work injuries in the private construction sector in 2008 declined by 20 percent from the updated 2007 total, twice the all-worker decline of 10 percent;
- Fatal workplace falls, which had risen to a series high in 2007, also declined by 20 percent in 2008;
- Fatal occupational injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers in 2008 were 17 percent lower than in 2007, and those among non-Hispanic Black or African American workers were down 16 percent;
- Transportation incidents, which accounted for approximately two-fifths of all the workplace fatalities in 2008, fell 13 percent from the previous series low of 2,351 cases reported in 2007;
- The number of fatal work injuries involving fires and explosions was up 14 percent in 2008; fatalities involving contact with objects or equipment were also up slightly in 2008.
According to BLS, economic factors likely played a role in the fatality decrease. Average hours worked at the national level fell by one percent in 2008, and some industries that have historically accounted for a significant share of worker fatalities, such as construction, experienced larger declines in employment or hours worked. Another factor that could have affected these preliminary results is budget constraints due to the current economic situation, which may have delayed the receipt and processing of the documents used for CFOI cases.
