Number of fatal work injuries by employee status, 2003–15

7,000

6,000 5,764 5,734 5,840

5,575 5,657
5,214
1,177 1,142 1,032
5,000 1,170 1,044 4,690 4,693 4,821 4,836
4,551 4,628 4,585
1,031
1,039 1,051 1,093 1,085
4,000 1,063 1,057 950

3,000

4,587 4,592 4,808 4,613

4,405 4,183
2,000 3,728 3,751
3,488 3,651 3,642 3,571 3,635

1,000

0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Wage and salary Self-employed

A total of 4,836 workers died from an occupational injury in 2015. This number increased slightly from 2014
and is the highest count since 2008. Self-employed workers have consistently accounted for around one-
fifth of fatal work injuries.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
1
 Rate of fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent
workers by employee status, 2006–15
15
14 Self-employed
13 13.6
12 13.1 12.8 13.1
12.7 12.6
11 11.6 11.8
10 11.0
10.6
9
8
7
6
5 4.2 4.0 All Workers
3.7 3.5 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4
4 3.3
3 3.7 3.5 3.2 3.0 2.9
2 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8
1 Wage and salary
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
The 2015 rate of fatal work injuries for all workers was 3.4 fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent
workers (FTEs). The rate for self-employed workers has consistently been higher than that of all workers since
the adoption of hours-based rates.
Note: Rate = (Fatal work injuries/Total hours worked by all workers) x 200,000,000 where 200,000,000 = base for 100,000 full-time equivalent workers (FTEs) working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks
per year. The total hours worked figures are annual average estimates of total at work multiplied by average hours for civilians, 16 years of age and over, from the Current Population Survey (CPS).
In 2008, CFOI implemented a new methodology, using hours worked for fatal work injury rate calculations rather than employment. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate
methodology, please see www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm. 2
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2016.
 Fatal occupational injuries by major event, 2015
Roadway incidents
Transportation incidents 790 2,054
1,264

Falls, slips, trips Falls to lower level

152 800
648

Contact with objects and 722

equipment

Violence and other injuries by Homicides

417 286 703
persons or animals

Exposure to harmful substances 424 Total = 4,836

or environments

Fires and explosions 121

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Number of fatal work injuries

More fatal work injuries resulted from transportation incidents than from any other event in 2015. Roadway
incidents alone accounted for about one out of every four fatal work injuries.

3
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Change in fatal work injury counts from 2014 to 2015 level by event

ALL EVENTS 15

Transportation incidents
70
Exposure to harmful substances or
environments 34

Contact with objects and

equipment 7

Fires and explosions -16

Falls, slips, trips -18 2015 Total = 4,836

Violence and other injuries 2014 Total = 4,821
by persons or animals -62

-80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

Overall, the total for 2015 was higher by 15 cases over the 2014 total. Violence and other injuries by persons
or animals saw the greatest decrease from the previous year while transportation incidents increased the
most from 2014.

4
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Percent of fatal falls to lower level by height of fall, 2015
20%

18%
18%
16% Total = 648 17%

14%
13%
12% 13%
10% 11%
10% 10%
8%
8%
6%

4%

2%

0%
Less than 6 6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20 21 to 25 26 to 30 More than 30 Unspecified
Height of fall (feet)

In 2015, the total for falls to lower level was 648 fatal work injuries, down 2 percent from the count for 2014.
Of the cases where height of fall was known (538 cases), more than 2 out of every 5 fatal falls were falls of 15
feet or less. About one in five cases with a known height involved falls from more than 30 feet.

Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. 5

.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Fatal occupational injuries due to transportation incidents, 2015

Roadway collision with another vehicle 660

Other roadway incidents 604

Pedestrian vehicular incidents 289

Nonroadway incidents 253

Aircraft incidents 139

Rail vehicle incidents 50

Water vehicle incidents 44 Total = 2,054

Other transportation 15

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Transportation incidents increased from 1,984 in 2014 to 2,054 in 2015. Roadway incidents consistently account
for the greatest share of fatal work-related transportation injuries. Of these, 660 fatal injuries, or 32 percent of
the total transportation incidents, resulted from a roadway collision with another vehicle.

6
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 How workers died in multiple-fatality incidents
by selected events, 2011-15
160

137 135
140
122 Roadway incidents
120 110

100 93
79 78 Aircraft incidents
80 73 71
66 64
60 56 53
49 62
36 Homicides
40
36 Fires and explosions
20
24 21
18
0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
N=357 N=353 N=387 N=379 N=343

A total of 134 multiple-fatality incidents were recorded in 2015 (incidents in which more than one worker was killed).
These incidents were responsible for 343 worker deaths in 2015. Roadway incidents and aircraft incidents were the
two most common causes of multiple-fatality incidents.

Note: Not all event categories shown. 7

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Fatal work injuries and hours worked by gender of worker, 2015

Women Women
7% 43%

Men Men
93% 57%

Fatal work injuries = 4,836 Hours worked = 277,470,310,000

A disproportionate share of fatal work injuries involved men relative to their hours worked in 2015.

8
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2016.
 Distribution of fatal injury events by gender of worker, 2015

Roadway incidents 31%

26%

Homicides 18%
8%

Falls, slips, trips 12%

17%

Exposure to harmful 10%

substances or environments 9%
Contact with 6%
objects and equipment 16% Women = 344

2% Men = 4,492
Fires and explosions 3%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Women experienced a higher proportion of fatal injuries due to roadway incidents and homicides relative to men.
Men incurred a higher proportion of injuries from falls, slips, and trips and contact with objects and equipment. Men
and women experienced similar proportions of fatal injuries from exposure to harmful substances or environments
and from fires and explosions.

Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. 9

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Percent of work-related homicides by gender of
decedent and assailant type, 2015
45%

40% 43%
Women = 61 Men = 356
35% 33%
31%
30%

25%
20%
20% 18%
15%
15%
10% 11%
10% 8% 8%

5% 2% 2%
0%
Relative or Student, patient, or Inmate, detainee, Coworker or work Other or Robber
domestic partner customer/client or suspect not yet associate unspecified
apprehended assailant

Robbers were the most common type of work-related homicide assailant for men and the second-most
common for women. The most frequent type of assailant in work-related homicides involving women was a
relative or domestic partner.

Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. 10

.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Fatal work injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers, 2003-15

1,200
Foreign-born Native-born

1,000 990
923 937
902 903
794 804 817 804
800 323 749 748
285 303 713 707
306 298
274 301 275 291
600 237 264
284 266

400
638 667 634
596 605
520 503 512 542 513
429 441 484
200

0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Fatal work injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers increased in 2015 to its highest level since 2007.
Around two-thirds of fatally-injured Hispanic or Latino workers in 2015 were born outside of the United States.

11
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Fatal injuries involving foreign-born workers
by country or region of birth, 2011-15
450

400 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

N=843 N=824 N=879 N=846 N=943
350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
Mexico Central
Asia Europe Caribbean Africa South
America America
(exc. Mexico)
Workers born in Mexico have consistently accounted for the largest portion of foreign-born workers who died
from work-related injuries in the United States from 2011 to 2015. Fatalities involving workers born in Asia
have trended down since 2012, while fatal injuries involving workers born in Africa have trended up since 2011.

Note: Not all countries or regions of birth are shown. 12

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Rate of fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time
equivalent workers by age group, 2015
12

10 9.4

6 All-worker fatal work

injury rate = 3.4 4.3
4 3.5

2.1 2.7 2.3 2.7

2

0
18 to 19 20 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 and over
Age group

The greatest number of fatal work injuries involved workers in the 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 age groups.
Workers age 65 and over had the highest fatal injury rate of all workers (9.4 per 100,000 full-time
equivalent workers compared to the all-worker rate of 3.4).

Note: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology, please see
www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm. 13
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2016.
 Number and rate of fatal work injuries by industry sector, 2015
Construction 937 10.1
Transportation and warehousing 765 13.8
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 570 22.8
Professional and business services 477 3.0
Government 457 1.9
Manufacturing 353 2.3
Retail trade 269 1.8

Leisure and hospitality 225 2.0

Other services (exc. public admin.) 202 3.0

Wholesale trade 175 4.7

Educational and health services 139 0.7
Mining, quarrying, and oil
120 11.4
and gas extraction
Financial activities 83 0.9
Total fatal work injuries = 4,836
Information 42 1.5
All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.4
Utilities 22 2.2

1,000 750 500 250 0 6.25 12.5 18.75 25.0

Number of fatal work injuries Fatal work injury rate

(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)
Private construction had the highest count of fatal injuries in 2015, but the private agriculture, forestry,
fishing and hunting sector had the highest fatal work injury rate.
Note: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries before the
exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology, please see www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
14
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2016.
 Fatal work injuries involving contracted workers by
industry of direct employer, 2015
Construction 497 of 937

Professional and business services 139 of 477

Trade, transportation, and utilities 69 of 1,231

Mining, quarrying, and oil 36 of 120

and gas extraction
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 33 of 570

Leisure and hospitality 21 of 225

Manufacturing 14 of 353
All workers = 4,836
Educational and health services 3 of 139 Total contracted workers = 829
Contracted worker Not contracted
Financial activities 3 of 83

Government * of 457

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400

Number of fatal work injuries

In 2015, the private construction industry had the highest number of fatal injuries involving contracted workers. Fifty-
three percent (or 497 out of 937 fatal injuries) were contracted workers. Professional and business services saw the
second largest number with 139 of 477 (or 29 percent) of fatal injuries involving contracted workers.
*Data not presented did not meet publication requirements.
Note: In 2011, the CFOI program began collecting data on contracted workers to capture decedents who were contracted workers at the time of the fatal incident. Industry shown here refers to
the firm directly employing the decedent. All industries shown are private with the exception of government, which includes fatal injuries to workers within governmental organizations regardless
of industry. See www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm for more information on contracted workers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
15
 Fatal work injuries by adjusted industry1, 2015
Trade, transportation, and utilities -49 1,182 75 1,257

Construction -308 629 21, 650

Government * 457 145 602

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting -5 565 27, 592

Manufacturing -11 342 69 411

Professional and business services -132 345 5, 350

Leisure and hospitality -9 216 34, 250

Total = 4,836
Educational and health services * 137 25, 162 Contracted out of employer
industry
Financial activities -2 81 74 155 Stayed in industry (contracted and
non-contracted)
Mining, quarrying, and oil Contracted into industry
and gas extraction -7 113 16, 129

-400 -200 0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400

Components of the adjusted industry calculation

In 2015, 937 fatally injured workers were directly employed in private construction. Of these, 308 were injured at sites
overseen by non-construction entities. Another 629 workers stayed in their industry and were not contracted or were
contracted in the same industry as their direct employer, private construction. An additional 21 workers were contracted
into private construction, but were not directly employed by a private construction firm. Thus, an adjusted total of 650
workers were fatally injured while working at a site overseen in the private construction industry.
1 Adjusted industry is the industry of the entity that had overall responsibility for the operations at the site at which the worker was fatally injured. The formula for calculating it is:
(Decedents directly employed in the industry and not a contracted worker + decedents directly employed in the industry and contracted by an entity in the same industry + decedents directly
employed in another industry but contracted by an entity in the industry – decedents directly employed in the industry but contracted by an entity in another industry). All industries shown are
private with the exception of government, which includes fatal injuries to workers within governmental organizations regardless of industry. See www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm for more
information on contracted workers. *Data not presented did not meet publication requirements. 16
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Fatal occupational injuries in the private sector mining, quarrying, and
oil and gas extraction industry, 2003–15
250

200 192
183 181 183
176 172
159 155 155 39
152 67 39
150 141 61 56
65 43 43
61 120
54
56 99
100 31
31
142 144
125 122 120
50 107 112 112
98 98 89
85
68

0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Oil and gas extraction industries All other mining
Fatal work injuries in the private mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry decreased by 34 percent in
2015 to the lowest level since 2009. The fatal injury rate also decreased to 11.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent
workers (FTE) in 2015 from 14.2 per 100,000 FTE workers in 2014. Oil and gas extraction industries accounted for 74
percent of the fatal work injuries in this sector in 2015.
Note: Oil and gas extraction industries include oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21111), drilling oil and gas wells (NAICS 213111), and support activities for oil and gas operations (NAICS 213112). 17
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries to civilian workers
by major occupation group, 2015
Transportation and material moving 1,301 14.7

Construction and extraction 924 12.5

Service 632 2.8

Management, business, and financial
operations
410 1.6

Installation, maintenance, and repair 392 7.6

Farming, fishing, and forestry 284 25.3

Professional and related 254 0.8

Production 250 3.0 Total fatal work injuries = 4,836

All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.4
Sales and related 228 1.6
Office and administrative support 86 0.5

1,500 1,000 500 0 10 20 30

Fatal work injury rate
Number of fatal work injuries
(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)

Although transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries in
2015, the major occupational group with the highest fatal work injury rate was farming, fishing, and forestry.

Note: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries before the
exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology, please see www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
18
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2016.
 Civilian occupations with high fatal work injury rates, 2015
Logging workers
Total fatal work injuries = 4,836 67 132.7

Fishers and related fishing workers All-worker fatal injury rate = 3.4 23 54.8

Aircraft pilots and flight engineers 57 40.4

Roofers 75 39.7

Refuse and recyclable material collectors 33 38.8

Structural iron and steel workers 17 29.8

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers 885 24.3

Farmers, ranchers, and other
agricultural managers 252 22.0

Electrical power-line installers and repairers 26 20.5

First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn
service, and groundskeeping workers 38 18.1
900 600 300 0 50 100 150

Number of fatal work injuries Fatal work injury rate

(per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)

In 2015, fatal work injury rates were high for logging workers and fishers and related fishing workers.
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers incurred the greatest number of fatal injuries.

Note: Fatal injury rates exclude workers under the age of 16 years, volunteers, and resident military. The number of fatal work injuries represents total published fatal injuries before the
exclusions. For additional information on the fatal work injury rate methodology, please see www.bls.gov/iif/oshnotice10.htm.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2016. 19
 Civilian occupations with high fatal injury counts by leading event, 2015

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers 613 745

Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers 121 252

Construction laborers 90 235

First-line supervisors of construction Transportation incidents
trades and extraction workers 36 123

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers 47 111 Violence and other injuries by

Farmworkers and laborers, crop, persons or animals
nursery, and greenhouse 64 106
Falls, slips, trips
Police and sheriff's patrol officers 41 85
Exposure to harmful sub-
Electricians 30 83 stances or environments

Carpenters 52 83 Other events

First-line supervisors of retail sales workers 56 80

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Number of fatal work injuries

Transportation incidents caused the highest share of fatal injuries in five of the occupations with high fatal
injury counts shown. Falls, slips, and trips were the leading cause of death in three of the ten, all of which
were construction and extraction occupations.

20
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Number of fatal work injuries by state, 2015
WA
(70)
ME
MT ND (15)
(36) (47)
OR MN VT(9)
(44) (74)
ID SD WI NY NH(18)
(36) (21) (104) MI (236) MA(69)
WY (134) RI(6)
(34) PA CT(44)
IA (173)
NV NE (60) NJ(97)
(50) OH
(44) UT IL IN (202) DE(8)
CA (42) CO (172) (115) WV VA MD(69)
(388) (75) KS MO (35) (106) DC(8)
KY
(60) (117) (99)
TN NC
(150)
AZ OK (112)
(69) NM (91) AR SC
(35) (74) (117)
AL GA
MS (70) (180)
(77)
TX
(527) LA No Change
AK (112)
(14) FL
(272)

HI Fewer than in 2014

(18) More than in 2014

Twenty-one states had more fatal injuries in 2015 than in 2014. Twenty-nine states and the District of
Columbia had fewer fatal workplace injuries in 2015 compared to 2014.

21
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
 Sources of data on fatal work injuries, 2015
Death certificate 4,680

All other 3,796

News media report 3,752

Coroner/Medical examiner/Autopsy 3,049

OSHA 1,705

State workers' compensation 1,276

Toxicology 1,221

Police report 993

Other government 617

State follow-up 347

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000
Number of Documents
In 2015, over 21,400 source documents helped identify and verify information on 4,836 fatal work injuries, an
average of 4.4 source documents per in-scope fatal injury case.

22
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.