October 02, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Fatal occupational injuries by industry, 2002

In 2002, there were 4.0 fatal occupational injuries per every 100,000 people employed.

[Chart data—TXT]

The mining industry recorded a rate of 23.5 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers in 2002, the highest of any major industry. Fatal injury rates were also above 10 per 100,000 workers in agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction; and transportation and public utilities. 

The 2002 rate of fatal work injuries in the mining industry was down from the rate recorded in that industry in 2001. Fatal work injury rates for all other major industries also were down in 2002, except in finance, insurance, and real estate (unchanged) and in transportation and public utilities (up slightly). The figures for 2001 exclude the work-related fatalities that resulted from the terrorist attacks on September 11; these have been tabulated separately.

These data come from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. Additional information is available from "National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2002" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-488. Note: The mining industry includes oil and gas extraction. 

 

Related TED Articles:

• Most frequent types of work-related fatalities in 2002 
• Fatal work injuries count lower in 2002