September 06, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Fatal on-the-job highway incidents in 2006

While fatal highway incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal work-related event, accounting for nearly one out of four fatal work injuries, the number of highway fatalities fell 8 percent between 2005 and 2006.

[Chart data—TXT]

The 1,329 fatal highway incidents in 2006 was the lowest annual total since 1993.

Nonhighway incidents (such as those that might occur on a farm or industrial premises) remained at about the same level in 2006. Work-related pedestrian fatalities were lower in 2006 than in 2005. Aircraft related fatalities increased sharply in 2006 after declining in 2005; the 215 fatalities involving aircraft in 2006 represented a 44-percent increase over the 149 in 2005.

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program, provides the most complete count of fatal work injuries available. For more information on fatal work injuries, see "National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2006," (PDF) (TXT) news release USDL 07-1202.  

 

Related TED articles:

• Age and fatal work injuries in 2006
• Workplace homicides declined in 2006
• Fatal work injuries in 2006