| Internet: www.bls.gov/ro3/ | PLS - 4468 FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 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 the Philadelphia Area for 2007 (PDF)Fatal work injuries in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) totaled 93 in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Please note that the 2007 figures are preliminary; final numbers will be released in April 2009. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that the 2007 fatality count was similar to the revised total of 90 deaths recorded in 2006. Most work-related fatalities1 in the Philadelphia area in 2007 were the result of homicides (27), falls to a lower level (14), and highway crashes (12), which together accounted for 57 percent of the total. The Philadelphia area had the 5th-largest population nationally, and in terms of work-related fatalities, the area ranked 6th 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 (211) in 2007. The three smallest metropolitan areas in this group—San Francisco, Boston, and Detroit—had the three lowest fatality counts, ranging from 43 to 52. (See table A.)
As mentioned, homicides were the most frequent fatal occupational injury in the Philadelphia metropolitan area; this was also true in Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Miami, and San Francisco. In Philadelphia, workplace homicides accounted for 29 percent of the city’s fatality count, the highest percentage among the 12 largest metropolitan areas. At the other end of the spectrum, Boston and Chicago recorded shares of 9 and 10 percent, respectively. Nationally, homicides accounted for an 11-percent share of workplace fatalities. (See chart A.) Chart A. Homicides as a percent of fatal occupational injuries for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in 2007
Falls to a lower level accounted for 15 percent of fatal occupational injuries in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Almost all of the 12 largest metropolitan areas had a higher-than-average percentage of occupational fatalities resulting from falls to a lower level. In fact, only Detroit, with a 7-percent share, was below the 13 percent registered nationally in 2007, while San Francisco matched the national share. The Boston metropolitan area had the largest share attributable to falls to a lower level, 22 percent. (See chart B.) Falls to a lower level was the most frequent fatal workplace event in Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York in 2007. In Washington, falls to a lower level and highway crashes tied as the most frequent fatal event among workers. All of the 12 largest areas had a lower percentage of occupational fatalities resulting from highway crashes (officially titled highway incidents) than the national share of 24 percent; only Detroit had a share (23 percent) close to that for the nation. In Philadelphia, 13 percent of on-the-job fatalities were attributed to highway crashes, matching that of Houston. Boston had the lowest percentage share of highway crashes with 7 percent. (See chart C.) Nationwide, highway crashes was the most frequent fatal workplace event; this was also true in Chicago. Chart B. Falls to a lower level as a percent of fatal occupational injuries for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in 2007
Chart C. Highway crashes as a percent of fatal occupational injuries for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in 2007
Key characteristics of workplace fatalities in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. metropolitan area 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 Note
Background 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 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 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. 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).
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. 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 |
93 | 28 | -- | 22 | 4 | 56 | 23 | -- | -- | 14 | 4 | -- | 9 |
Contact with objects and equipment |
11 | 4 | -- | 3 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Struck by object or equipment |
7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
Struck by falling object or equipment |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Caught in running equipment or machinery |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Falls |
17 | 14 | -- | 14 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall to lower level |
14 | 12 | -- | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall from ladder |
5 | 5 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall from roof |
3 | 3 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall from roof edge |
3 | 3 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall on same level |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fall to floor, walkway, or other surface |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments |
9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 7 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
Exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation accidents |
25 | 6 | -- | 3 | 3 | 16 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Highway accident |
12 | 4 | -- | -- | 3 | 7 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Collision between vehicles, mobile equipment |
8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Moving in opposite directions, oncoming |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Vehicle struck object on side of road |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Nonhighway accident, except rail, air, water |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Noncollision accident |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Pedestrian, nonpassenger struck by vehicle, mobile equipment |
7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Pedestrian struck by vehicle, mobile equipment in roadway |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Fires and explosions |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Assaults and violent acts |
27 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 23 | 9 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 5 |
Assaults and violent acts by person(s) |
27 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 23 | 9 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 5 |
Shooting |
24 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 21 | 8 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 4 |
Footnotes: 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 |
93 | 25 | 27 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 3 |
| Employee Status | |||||||
Wage and Salary Workers(4) |
79 | 23 | 21 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 3 |
Self-employed(5) |
14 | -- | 6 | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
| Gender | |||||||
Men |
86 | 22 | 24 | 11 | 17 | 8 | 3 |
Women |
7 | 3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Age | |||||||
Under 16 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
16 to 17 years |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
18 to 19 years |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
20 to 24 years |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
25 to 34 years |
20 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | -- |
35 to 44 years |
20 | 3 | 9 | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
45 to 54 years |
25 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 3 | -- | -- |
55 to 64 years |
11 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
65 years and over |
9 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Race or Ethnic Origin(6) | |||||||
White, non-Hispanic |
60 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 3 |
Black, non-Hispanic |
16 | 4 | 8 | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
Hispanic or Latino |
13 | -- | 4 | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
American Indian or Alaska Native |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Asian |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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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 |
93 | 25 | 27 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 3 | |
Private Industry |
84 | 22 | 24 | 10 | 16 | 9 | -- | |
Goods Producing |
28 | 6 | -- | 4 | 14 | -- | -- | |
Construction |
22 | 3 | -- | 3 | 14 | -- | -- | |
Construction |
23 | 22 | 3 | -- | 3 | 14 | -- | -- |
Construction of buildings |
236 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- |
Residential Building Construction |
2361 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
Residential Building Construction |
23611 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction |
237 | 4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Specialty Trade Contractors |
238 | 12 | -- | -- | -- | 9 | -- | -- |
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors |
2381 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- |
Building Equipment Contractors |
2382 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Building Finishing Contractors |
2383 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Manufacturing |
4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Manufacturing |
31-33 | 4 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Service providing |
56 | 16 | 23 | 6 | -- | 7 | -- | |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities |
23 | 8 | 9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Retail Trade |
44-45 | 8 | -- | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Food and Beverage Stores |
445 | 5 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Grocery Stores |
4451 | 5 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores |
44511 | 4 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation and Warehousing |
48-49 | 11 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Truck Transportation |
484 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
General Freight Trucking |
4841 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation |
485 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Taxi and Limousine Service |
4853 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Taxi Service |
48531 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Professional and Business Services |
14 | -- | 5 | 4 | -- | 3 | -- | |
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services |
56 | 12 | -- | 4 | 4 | -- | 3 | -- |
Administrative and Support Services |
561 | 10 | -- | 4 | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Services to Buildings and Dwellings |
5617 | 7 | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Landscaping Services |
56173 | 6 | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Education and Health Services |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Health Care and Social Assistance |
62 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Other Services |
9 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Other Services, except Public Administration |
81 | 9 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Repair and Maintenance |
811 | 6 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Automotive Repair and Maintenance |
8111 | 5 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance |
81119 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
All Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance |
811198 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Government (6) |
9 | 3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Local Government |
7 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Service providing |
7 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Public Administration |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Public Administration |
92 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities |
922 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities |
9221 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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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 substances or environments | Fires and explosions | ||
Total |
93 | 25 | 27 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 3 |
Management occupations |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Top executives |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Architecture and engineering occupations |
3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Protective service occupations |
5 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
10 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- |
Supervisors, building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers, building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Grounds maintenance workers |
6 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
Grounds maintenance workers |
6 | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Personal care and service occupations |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Sales and related occupations |
7 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Supervisors, sales workers |
4 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers, sales workers |
4 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
4 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Office and administrative support occupations |
5 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Construction and extraction occupations |
17 | -- | -- | -- | 13 | -- | -- |
Construction trades workers |
15 | -- | -- | -- | 13 | -- | -- |
Carpenters |
3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Carpenters |
3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Construction laborers |
5 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
Construction laborers |
5 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
Roofers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Roofers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
7 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Production occupations |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Metal workers and plastic workers |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Transportation and material moving occupations |
21 | 11 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Motor vehicle operators |
15 | 8 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers |
11 | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Material moving workers |
5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Laborers and material movers, hand |
4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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Chart 1. Total workplace fatalities in the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, 2007
Last Modified Date: November 17, 2008
