Work-Related Fatalities Decreased in Texas in 2008

Submitted by admin on Mon, 2009-08-31 00:00

AUSTIN, TX - Texas recorded 457 work-related fatalities in 2008, a 13 percent decrease compared to 2007 when 528 fatalities occurred. Nationally, there were 5,071 fatal work injuries in 2008, a decrease of 20 percent from the revised total of 5,657 in 2007, according to the most recently available data released August 20, 2009, by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).

**Table 1**. Annual Number of Fatal Occupational Injuries in Texas, 1990-2008
Year	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Number	523	468	572	536	417	491	440	495	489	528	457

Note: Data for 2008 are preliminary; data for previous years are final.
Source: Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC), Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC) compiles detailed information on all work-related fatalities occurring in Texas for the CFOI, a program jointly administered with the BLS. The TDI-DWC annually releases total fatality counts and descriptive data in an effort to provide information to assist employers, safety professionals, and policymakers in identifying occupational safety and health issues in the state.

Causes of Fatalities

Transportation incidents continued to be the leading cause of fatalities (44 percent), with a 4 percent increase from 2007. After a consistent decline in fatalities from 2004 to 2007, aircraft incidents rose from 5 in 2007 to 16 in 2008. White, non-Hispanic workers accounted for 88 percent of the total aircraft incidents—an increase of 180 percent from 2007.

Following transportation incidents, assaults and violent acts accounted for the second highest cause of fatalities (17 percent). Unlike transportation incidents, assaults and violent acts experienced a decrease of 12 percent from 2007. Specifically, homicides declined 21 percent.

Despite the decrease in total fatalities in 2008, fatalities resulting from fires and explosions increased from 17 fatalities reported in 2007. The total of 23 fatalities in this category was the second highest total since 2003 (27 incidents). Almost one third (30 percent) of those fatalities occurred in the construction industry and involved production workers such as welders.

The number of fatalities resulting from exposure to harmful substances or environments decreased by 52 percent from 2007 and recorded the lowest number of fatalities (32 incidents) for this cause of fatalities since 2003. Electrocutions decreased by 64 percent and exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances decreased by 63 percent.

Occupations

Motor vehicle operators experienced the largest number of fatalities in Texas in 2008 (104 incidents) which was a 30 percent increase from 2007. Eighty-one percent of those fatalities were due to transportation incidents, and 72 percent involved White, non-Hispanic employees.

The second leading occupational group was construction trades workers (83 incidents). Unlike motor vehicle operators, this group experienced a 19 percent decrease in fatalities from 2007 (103 incidents); 37 percent of those fatalities were due to falls. Sixty percent of these fatalities were Hispanic or Latino employees.

Worker Demographics

Women accounted for 6 percent of the total fatalities (26 incidents) in Texas in 2008. They were involved in fatal transportation incidents in 42 percent of the cases and were victims of assault and violent acts in 35 percent of the cases.

The leading cause of fatalities among men was transportation incidents, accounting for 44 percent, followed by contact with objects and equipment.

Twenty-eight percent of all fatalities involved employees between 35 to 44 years of age, regardless of gender. Forty-three percent of those fatalities were caused by transportation incidents. Employees between 35 to 44 years of age were the only age group that experienced an increase (18 percent) in 2008. Employees between 18 to 19 years of age experienced the highest decrease (79 percent) from 2007.

White, non-Hispanic employees accounted for 56 percent of the total fatalities, Hispanic or Latinos accounted for 32 percent, and Black non-Hispanics accounted for 8 percent. Of these three race groups, only White, non-Hispanic employees experienced a 6 percent increase in 2008.

For more information about fatal work-related incidents, contact the TDI-DWC at 512-804-4658 or cfoi@tdi.state.tx.us . The TDI-DWC also provides various safety and health services to assist employers in providing safe and healthy workplaces, including free safety and health consultations on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations; regional and onsite safety training; free safety training DVD/video loans; the Safety Violations Hotline; and free safety and health publications. For more information on these services, visit the TDI website at http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/safety/index.html or call 800-687-7080.

Table 2. Annual Number of Fatal Occupational Injuries in Texas by Event, 1998-2008
Event or exposure	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Contact with objects and equipment	77	68	91	85	65	70	77	80	88	86	69
Struck by object	41	35	53	53	38	44	49	52	52	47	42
Falls	59	55	76	68	69	52	61	54	60	77	57
Fall to lower level	57	51	73	65	64	47	58	50	54	72	53
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	74	54	64	54	42	51	35	63	54	66	32
Contact with electrical current	42	35	34	34	26	36	21	38	35	39	14
Transportation incidents	213	204	216	209	158	201	194	200	202	193	200
Highway incidents	122	130	135	141	104	118	121	132	129	133	137
Aircraft incidents	15	9	25	12	7	29	28	7	6	5	16
Fires and explosions	21	16	21	22	19	27	18	31	23	17	23
Assaults and violent acts	79	71	101	96	63	90	54	67	59	86	76
Homicides	60	59	82	69	54	69	37	46	45	70	55
Other or not reported	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-

Notes:
¹ Data for 2008 are preliminary; data for previous years are final.
² Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately.
³ Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.
Source: Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC), Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.