Bureau of Labor Statistics
| Internet: www.bls.gov/ro3/ | PLS - 4454 FOR RELEASE: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 |
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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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Workplace Fatalities in Maryland for 2007 (PDF)Fatal work injuries in Maryland totaled 82 in 2007 1, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau's regional commissioner, noted that the number of work-related fatalities in 2007 decreased 23 percent from the series-high revised total of 106 that was recorded in 2006. (See chart A.) The most frequent types of workplace fatalities in 2007 were homicides (17), highway crashes (15), pedestrian incidents (15), and falls to a lower level (12); these four types of events 2 accounted for 72 percent of the deaths in the State. Chart A. Total workplace fatalities in Maryland, 1992-2007
Note: Totals for 2007 are preliminary. Homicides led all events as the most frequent type of on-the-job fatalities for the State in 2007. The number of workplace homicides in Maryland decreased from 21 in 2006 to 17 in 2007. (See table A.) Homicides accounted for 21 percent of fatal work injuries in Maryland and 11 percent of the work-related fatalities in the nation in 2007. The 15 fatalities resulting from highway crashes in Maryland in 2007 was the lowest level recorded since 2001 when 14 fatalities were reported. Highway crashes (officially titled highway incidents) accounted for 18 percent of Maryland's and 24 percent of the nation's occupational fatalities in 2007. On the other hand, the 15 fatalities resulting from pedestrian incidents in Maryland in 2007 was the highest level recorded since the series began in 1992. In 2006, just eight on-the-job fatalities were reported. Fatal work injuries from pedestrian incidents in 2007 accounted for 18 percent of work-related deaths in Maryland; in the U.S., this event accounted for 6 percent of the total. Fatalities resulting from falls to a lower level in Maryland decreased from the series high of 19 in 2006 to 12 in 2007. Work-related fatalities from falls to a lower level in 2007 accounted for 15 percent of workplace deaths in Maryland; in the United States, this event accounted for 13 percent of the total. Other types of fatal work-related events in the State in 2007 included being struck by objects or equipment (4), contact with electric current (3), and nonhighway incidents (3). (See table 1.) All together, these three events were responsible for 12 percent of the fatal work injuries in Maryland in 2007.
Nationwide, a total of 5,488 fatal work injuries were reported in 2007, a decrease of 6 percent from the revised total of 5,840 fatal work injuries reported in 2006. While these results are considered preliminary, the 2007 level represents the smallest annual total since the series began in 1992. (See table B.) Highway crashes in 2007 accounted for nearly one out of every four fatal work injuries and continued to lead all other events in the frequency of on-the-job fatalities. Still, the 2007 count of 1,311 fatal injuries in highway crashes was the lowest annual total since 1993. The 2007 total of 733 fatal falls to a lower level was the third highest since the fatality census began, but was slightly lower than the 738 recorded in 2006. The number of workers (504) who were fatally injured from being struck by objects or equipment in 2007 was at the lowest level since the fatality census began and represented a 14-percent decline from the 2006 total. Workplace homicides increased by 13 percent to 610 in 2007 from the series low of 540 that was reported in 2006. Even after the increase, workplace homicides have declined 44 percent from the high of 1,080 reported in 1994.
Key characteristics of workplace fatalities in Maryland in 2007:
Additional Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data are available on the BLS Internet site at 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 www.bls.gov/ro3/. Technical NoteBackground 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, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For technical information about the CFOI program, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS Web site. To get to that document, click on Workplace Injuries on the BLS home page, scroll down to IIF Documentation, and then click on “BLS Handbook of Methods.” The technical information and definitions for the CFOI Program are in Chapter 9, Part 2 of the BLS Handbook of Methods. 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. AcknowledgmentsBLS thanks the 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 entities 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 Federal Railroad Administration; 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. 1 The 2007 figures are considered preliminary. Final figures will be released in April 2009. 2 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. See the Occupational Injury & Illness Classification System (OIICS) Manual on our Web site at www.bls.gov/iif/oshoiics.htm for detailed information on the categories of fatalities used in this survey. |
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| Event or exposure(2) | Total fatalities (number) | Goods producing | Service providing | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total goods producing | Natural resources and mining(3) | Construction | Manufacturing | Total service providing | Trade, transportation, and utilities | Information | Financial activities | Professional and business services | Education and health services | Leisure and hospitality | Other services | ||
Total |
82 | 23 | 5 | 18 | -- | 47 | 30 | -- | -- | 6 | -- | 4 | -- |
Contact with objects and equipment |
7 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Struck by object or equipment |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Struck by falling object or equipment |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Falls |
14 | 8 | -- | 8 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall to lower level |
12 | 7 | -- | 7 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall from roof |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments |
7 | 5 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Contact with electric current |
3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation accidents |
33 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | 23 | 14 | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Highway accident |
15 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 13 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment |
7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Moving in opposite directions, oncoming |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Vehicle struck object on side of road |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Nonhighway accident, except rail, air, water |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Noncollision accident |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Pedestrian, nonpassenger struck by vehicle, mobile equipment |
15 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Pedestrian struck by vehicle, mobile equipment in roadway |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Pedestrian struck by vehicle, mobile equipment on side of road |
7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Pedestrian struck by vehicle, mobile equipment in parking lot or non-roadway area |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Assaults and violent acts |
18 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 15 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Assaults and violent acts by person(s) |
17 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 14 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Shooting |
15 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 13 | 9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. n.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." Data for 2007 are preliminary. |
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| 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 substances or environments | Fires and explosions | ||
Total |
82 | 33 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 7 | -- |
| Employee Status | |||||||
Wage and Salary Workers(4) |
70 | 29 | 14 | 5 | 12 | 7 | -- |
Self-employed(5) |
12 | 4 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Gender | |||||||
Men |
73 | 29 | 17 | 6 | 13 | 6 | -- |
Women |
9 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Age | |||||||
Under 16 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
16 to 17 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
18 to 19 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
20 to 24 years |
7 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
25 to 34 years |
21 | 7 | 8 | -- | -- | 3 | -- |
35 to 44 years |
11 | 4 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
45 to 54 years |
16 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
55 to 64 years |
15 | 4 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- |
65 years and over |
11 | 4 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- |
| Race or Ethnic Origin(6) | |||||||
White, non-Hispanic |
43 | 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 4 | -- |
Black, non-Hispanic |
26 | 11 | 9 | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Hispanic or Latino |
7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
American Indian or Alaska Native |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Asian |
6 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories notshown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do notmeet publication criteria. Data for 2007 are preliminary. |
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| Industry(1) | NAICS code(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 substances or environments | Fires and explosions | |||
Total |
82 | 33 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 7 | -- | |
Private Industry |
70 | 28 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 6 | -- | |
Goods Producing |
23 | 5 | -- | 4 | 8 | 5 | -- | |
Natural Resources and Mining |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Construction |
18 | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 4 | -- | |
Construction |
23 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 4 | -- |
Construction of buildings |
236 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Residential Building Construction |
2361 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Residential Building Construction |
23611 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Specialty Trade Contractors |
238 | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Building Finishing Contractors |
2383 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
23831 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Service providing |
47 | 23 | 15 | 3 | 3 | -- | -- | |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities |
30 | 14 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Retail Trade |
44-45 | 11 | -- | 9 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Food and Beverage Stores |
445 | 5 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation and Warehousing |
48-49 | 15 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Truck Transportation |
484 | 7 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
General Freight Trucking |
4841 | 5 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance |
48412 | 4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload |
484121 | 3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation |
485 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Couriers and Messengers |
492 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Professional and Business Services |
6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Administrative and Support and Waste Management andRemediation Services |
56 | 5 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Administrative and Support Services |
561 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Services to Buildings and Dwellings |
5617 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Leisure and Hospitality |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Government (6) |
12 | 5 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | |
State Government |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Local Government |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Service providing |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Public Administration |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Public Administration |
92 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities |
922 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities |
9221 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Police Protection |
92212 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately.Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. Data for2007 are preliminary. |
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| 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 |
82 | 33 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 7 | -- |
Management occupations |
4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Other management occupations |
3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Protective service occupations |
6 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Law enforcement workers |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Police officers |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
5 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Grounds maintenance workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Grounds maintenance workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Sales and related occupations |
8 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Supervisors, sales workers |
4 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers, sales workers |
4 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
4 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Office and administrative support occupations |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction and extraction occupations |
18 | -- | -- | 4 | 8 | 3 | -- |
Supervisors, construction and extraction workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades andextraction workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction trades workers |
14 | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 3 | -- |
Carpenters |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Carpenters |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction laborers |
5 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Construction laborers |
5 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation and material moving occupations |
25 | 17 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Motor vehicle operators |
20 | 15 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers |
17 | 13 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Driver/sales workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
11 | 9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Material moving workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. Data for 2007 are preliminary. |
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Chart 1. Total workplace fatalities for metropolitan areas in Maryland, 2007
1 Includes workplace fatalities in the entire metropolitan area, not just the State of Maryland portion.
Note: CFOI data for a particular metropolitan area may be published if the area records five or more fatalities or three or more distinct incidents. Metropolitan areas containing four or fewer fatalities based on one or two incidents are confidential and cannot be published.
Last Modified Date: October 1, 2008
