Internet: www.bls.gov/ro3/ | PLS - 4364 FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2007 |
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INFORMATION: | Gerald Perrins (215) 597-3282 |
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MEDIA CONTACT: | Sheila Watkins (215) 861-5600 |
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Philadelphia Area Workplace Fatalities, 2006 (PDF)Fatal work injuries in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) totaled 89 in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Regional Commissioner Sheila Watkins noted that the 2006 fatality count was 17 percent higher than the 76 deaths recorded in 2005. Most work-related fatalities1 in the Philadelphia area in 2006 were the result of homicides (22), falls to a lower level (17), and highway crashes (11), which together accounted for 56 percent of the total. The Philadelphia area had the 4th-largest population nationally, and in terms of work-related fatalities, the area ranked 5th along with Dallas and Houston, which also had 89 fatalities each, among the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Not unexpectedly, the most populated area in the country, New York, also had the highest number of workplace fatalities in 2006 with 198. The three smallest metropolitan areas in this group--San Francisco, Boston, and Detroit--had the three lowest fatality counts (ranging from 38 to 56). (See table A.)
All of the 12 largest areas had a higher percentage of occupational fatalities resulting from homicides than the national share of 9.0 percent. In the Philadelphia metropolitan area, homicides were the most frequent fatal occupational injury; this was also true in Houston and San Francisco. In Philadelphia, workplace deaths attributable to homicides accounted for 24.7 percent of the city’s fatality count, the highest percentage among the 12 largest metropolitan areas. In Houston and San Francisco, this event accounted for 21.3 and 23.7 percent, respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, Boston recorded a share of 9.3 percent, close to that for the nation. (See chart A.) Chart A. Homicides as a percent of fatal occupational injuries for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in 2006In the Philadelphia metropolitan area, falls to a lower level accounted for 19.1 percent of fatal occupational injuries. The Boston metropolitan area had the largest share attributable to falls to a lower level, 23.3 percent. (See chart B.) Falls to a lower level were the most frequent fatal workplace event in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, and Boston in 2006. In Detroit, both falls to a lower level and highway crashes (referred to here as highway crashes but includes non-collision incidents as well) tied as the most frequent fatal event among workers in 2006. Eleven of the 12 metropolitan areas had an above-average share of work-related deaths attributed to falls to a lower level, Dallas being the only exception. In Dallas, falls to a lower level accounted for 10.1 percent of workplace fatalities, compared to the 12.8-percent registered nationally in 2006. Almost all of the 12 largest metropolitan areas had a lower-than-average percentage of occupational fatalities resulting from highway crashes. In fact, only Atlanta, with a 24.1-percent share, was above the 23.3 percent registered nationally in 2006. In Philadelphia, 12.4 percent of on-the-job fatalities were attributed to highway crashes and in two areas, Los Angeles and Boston, percentages were under 10.0 percent. (See chart C.) Nationwide, highway crashes were the most frequent fatal workplace event; this was also true in Dallas and Atlanta. Chart B. Falls to a lower level as a percent of fatal occupational injuries for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in 2006Chart C. Highway crashes as a percent of fatal occupational injuries for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in 2006Key characteristics of workplace fatalities in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. metropolitan area in 2006:
Additional Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data are available on the BLS Internet site at http://www.bls.gov/iif/. Data can be accessed in two ways, through Create Customized Tables, which allows quick access to particular items, or via the special request FTP service, which allows access to an extensive collection of flat text files. For personal assistance or further information on the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program, as well as other Bureau programs, contact the Mid-Atlantic Information Office at 215-597-3282 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. Information on the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and other programs and surveys are available on our Web site at http://www.bls.gov/ro3/. TECHNICAL NOTESBackground of the programThe Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. in each calendar year. The program uses diverse State and Federal data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. Information about each workplace fatality (industry, occupation, and other worker characteristics; equipment being used; and circumstances of the event) is obtained by cross-referencing source documents, such as death certificates, workers’ compensation records, news accounts, and reports to Federal and State agencies. This method assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible.
DefinitionsFor a fatality to be included in the census, the decedent must have been employed (that is working for pay, compensation, or profit) at the time of the event, engaged in a legal work activity, or present at the site of the incident as a requirement of his or her job. Fatalities to volunteer and unpaid family workers who perform the same duties and functions as paid workers are also included in the counts. These criteria are generally broader than those used by Federal and State agencies administering specific laws and regulations. (Fatalities that occur during a person's normal commute to or from work are excluded from the census counts.) Data presented in this release include deaths occurring in 2006 that resulted from traumatic occupational injuries. An injury is defined as any wound or damage to the body resulting from acute exposure to energy, such as heat, electricity, or impact from a crash or fall, or from the absence of such essentials as heat or oxygen caused by a specific event or incident within a single workday or shift. Included are open wounds, intracranial and internal injuries, heatstroke, hypothermia, asphyxiation, acute poisonings resulting from short-term exposures limited to the worker's shift, suicides and homicides, and work injuries listed as underlying or contributory causes of death. Information on work-related fatal illnesses is not reported in the BLS census and is excluded from the attached tables because the latency period of many occupational illnesses and the difficulty of linking illnesses to work exposures make identification of a universe problematic. Measurement techniques and limitationsData for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries are compiled from various Federal, State, and local administrative sources--including death certificates, workers' compensation reports and claims, reports to various regulatory agencies, medical examiner reports, and police reports--as well as news and other non-governmental reports. Diverse sources are used because studies have shown that no single source captures all job-related fatalities. Source documents are matched so that each fatality is counted only once. To ensure that a fatality occurred while the decedent was at work, information is verified from two or more independent source documents or from a source document and a follow-up questionnaire. Approximately 30 data elements are collected, coded, and tabulated, including information about the worker, the fatal incident, and the machinery or equipment involved. Federal/State agency coverageThe Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all fatal work injuries, whether the decedent was working in a job covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other Federal or State agencies or was outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison between the BLS fatality census counts and those released by other agencies should take into account the different coverage requirements and definitions being used by each agency. Several Federal and State agencies have jurisdiction over workplace safety and health. OSHA and affiliated agencies in States with approved safety programs cover the largest portion of the nation's workers. However, injuries and illnesses occurring in certain industries or activities, such as coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and highway, water, rail, and air transportation, are excluded from OSHA coverage because they are covered by other Federal agencies, such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration and various agencies within the Department of Transportation. Fatalities occurring among several other groups of workers are generally not covered by any Federal or State agencies. These groups include self-employed and unpaid family workers, which accounted for about 18 percent of the fatalities; laborers on small farms, accounting for about 1 percent of the fatalities; and State and local government employees in States without OSHA-approved safety programs, which accounted for about 4 percent. (Approximately one-half of the States have approved OSHA safety programs, which cover State and local government employees.) AcknowledgmentsBLS thanks the Pennsylvania Department of Health, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Delaware Department of Labor and Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all Federal, State, local, and private sector agencies that submitted source documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Employment Standards Administration (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' divisions); the Department of Energy; State vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; State departments of health, labor and industries, and workers' compensation agencies; State and local police departments; and State farm bureaus. The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of the Camden, N.J. Metropolitan Division (MD); the Philadelphia, Pa. Metropolitan Division (MD); and the Wilmington, Del.-Md.-N.J. Metropolitan Division (MD). The Camden, N.J. MD is composed of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey. The Philadelphia, Pa. MD consists of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania. The Wilmington, Del.-Md.-N.J. MD consists of New Castle County in Delaware, Cecil County in Maryland, and Salem County in New Jersey. 1. Fatal events are categorized into several major groupings including transportation incidents, assaults and violent acts, and falls. These major groups are further broken down into more detailed groups. For example, transportation incidents includes highway incidents, commonly referred to as highway crashes, and aircraft incidents; assaults and violent acts includes homicides and suicides; and falls includes falls to a lower level (as from a roof or a ladder) and falls on the same level (as due to grease on a floor or ice on a sidewalk). |
Chart 1. Total workplace fatalities in the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, 2006
Event or exposure(2) | Total fatalities (number) | Goods producing | Service providing | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total goods producing | Natural resources and mining(3) | Construc-tion | Manufac-turing | Total service providing | Trade, transpor-tation, and utilities | Informa-tion | Financial activities | Profes-sional and business services | Education and health services | Leisure and hospitality | Other services | ||
Total |
89 | 33 | 3 | 22 | 8 | 50 | 21 | — | — | 4 | 9 | 14 | — |
Contact with objects and equipment |
13 | 7 | — | — | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — |
Struck by object |
8 | 3 | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Struck by falling object |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects |
5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects, n.e.c. |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Falls |
20 | 15 | — | 14 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Fall to lower level |
17 | 13 | — | 13 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Fall from ladder |
5 | 4 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Fall from roof |
7 | 6 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments |
9 | 4 | — | — | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Contact with electric current |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances |
4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Transportation accidents |
20 | 4 | — | — | — | 13 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — |
Highway accident |
11 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment |
6 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Noncollision accident |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Pedestrian, nonpassenger struck by vehicle, mobile equipment |
4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Fires and explosions |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Assaults and violent acts |
24 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 7 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 8 | — |
Assaults and violent acts by person(s) |
22 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 7 | — | — | 3 | — | 8 | — |
Shooting |
17 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 7 | — |
Footnotes: |
Worker characteristics | Total fatalities (number) | Event or exposure(1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transportation incidents(2) | Assaults and violent acts(3) | Contact with objects and equipment | Falls | Exposure to harmful sub- stances or environ- ments | Fires and explosions | ||
Total |
89 | 20 | 24 | 13 | 20 | 9 | 3 |
Employee Status | |||||||
Wage and Salary Workers(4) |
70 | 20 | 17 | 11 | 13 | 7 | — |
Self-employed(5) |
19 | — | 7 | — | 7 | — | — |
Age | |||||||
Under 16 years |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — |
16 to 17 years |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — |
18 to 19 years |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — |
20 to 24 years |
7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
25 to 34 years |
14 | — | 6 | 3 | — | 3 | — |
35 to 44 years |
29 | 7 | 9 | — | 6 | 4 | — |
45 to 54 years |
22 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | — | — |
55 to 64 years |
8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
65 years and over |
7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Race or Ethnic Origin (6) | |||||||
White, non-Hispanic |
56 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 7 | — |
Black, non-Hispanic |
15 | — | 6 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
Hispanic or Latino |
8 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — |
American Indian or Alaska Native |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Asian |
8 | — | 7 | — | — | — | — |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Footnotes: |
Industry(1) | NAICS code(1) | Total fatalities (number) | Event or exposure(2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transpor- tation incidents(3) | Assaults and violent acts(4) | Contact with objects and equipment | Falls | Exposure to harmful sub- stances or environments | Fires and explosions | |||
Total |
89 | 20 | 24 | 13 | 20 | 9 | 3 | |
Private Industry |
83 | 17 | 22 | 13 | 20 | 9 | — | |
Goods Producing |
33 | 4 | — | 7 | 15 | 4 | — | |
Natural Resources and Mining |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Construction |
22 | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | |
Construction |
23 | 22 | — | — | — | 14 | — | — |
Construction of buildings |
236 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Specialty Trade Contractors |
238 | 17 | — | — | — | 11 | — | — |
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors |
2381 | 6 | — | — | — | 6 | — | — |
Roofing Contractors |
23816 | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — |
Building Equipment Contractors |
2382 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors |
23822 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Building Finishing Contractors |
2383 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
23832 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
2389 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Site Preparation Contractors |
23891 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Manufacturing |
8 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | |
Manufacturing |
31-33 | 8 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing |
327 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Service providing |
50 | 13 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 5 | — | |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities |
21 | 8 | 7 | — | — | 3 | — | |
Retail Trade |
44-45 | 8 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — |
Food and Beverage Stores |
445 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Grocery Stores |
4451 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Transportation and Warehousing |
48-49 | 10 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
Truck Transportation |
484 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
Specialized Freight Trucking |
4842 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance |
48423 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
Professional and Business Services |
4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | |
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services |
56 | 4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Administrative and Support Services |
561 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Education and Health Services |
9 | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | |
Health Care and Social Assistance |
62 | 7 | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — |
Leisure and Hospitality |
14 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | |
Accommodation and Food Services |
72 | 14 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
Food Services and Drinking Places |
722 | 12 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — |
Full-Service Restaurants |
7221 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Full-Service Restaurants |
72211 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Limited-Service Eating Places |
7222 | 5 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Limited-Service Eating Places |
72221 | 5 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Limited-Service Restaurants |
722211 | 4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
7224 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
72241 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Government(6) |
6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
State Government |
3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Local Government |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Service providing |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Public Administration |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Public Administration |
92 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities |
922 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities |
9221 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Footnotes: |
Occupation(1) | Total fatalities (number) | Event or exposure(2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transportation incidents(3) | Assaults and violent acts(4) | Contact with objects and equipment | Falls | Exposure to harmful sub- stances or environments | Fires and explosions | ||
Total |
89 | 20 | 24 | 13 | 20 | 9 | 3 |
Management occupations |
5 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Other management occupations |
4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Protective service occupations |
8 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — |
Law enforcement workers |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Other protective service workers |
4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers |
4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Security guards |
4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Food preparation and serving related occupations |
4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Sales and related occupations |
4 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — |
Supervisors, sales workers |
3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
First-line supervisors/managers, sales workers |
3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Construction and extraction occupations |
22 | 4 | — | — | 13 | — | — |
Supervisors, construction and extraction workers |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Construction trades workers |
17 | 3 | — | — | 13 | — | — |
Construction laborers |
5 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — |
Construction laborers |
5 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — |
Painters and paperhangers |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Painters, construction and maintenance |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Roofers |
3 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — |
Roofers |
3 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
8 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Industrial machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers |
4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Maintenance and repair workers, general |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Production occupations |
6 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
Metal workers and plastic workers |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Transportation and material moving occupations |
21 | 10 | 4 | — | — | 4 | — |
Motor vehicle operators |
16 | 9 | 3 | — | — | 3 | — |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers |
15 | 9 | — | — | — | 3 | — |
Driver/sales workers |
7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
6 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
Material moving workers |
3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Footnotes: |
Last Modified Date: July 3, 20008