Fatal Work Injuries in Georgia – 2011

Fatal work injuries totaled 107 in 2011 for Georgia the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that while the 2011 count was preliminary, this year’s fatality count was the lowest annual total for the state since the Bureau began tracking workplace fatalities in 1992. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 249 in 1994 to this year’s low of 107. Over the last five years, the number of fatalities has trended downward, declining by 94 since 2006. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,609 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2011, down from a final count of 4,690 fatal work injuries recorded in 2010, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2011 CFOI data will be released in spring 2013.

Of the 107 fatal work injuries reported in Georgia in 2011, 45 resulted from transportation incidents, 17 from violence and other injuries by persons or animals, and 16 from falls, slips, and trips; together these three major categories accounted for 73 percent of all fatal work injuries. Other major event categories reported 15 or fewer deaths each. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents were the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 31 deaths, accounting for 29 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. The second largest events in transportation incidents were pedestrian vehicular incidents and non-roadway incidents, accounting for 5 fatalities each. In the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category, 15 deaths occurred from intentional injury by other person.

In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2011, accounting for 41 percent of fatal work injuries. Georgia’s 42-percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was similar to the nationwide share. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries was the second most frequent type of event both nationally (17 percent) and in Georgia (16 percent). Contact with objects or equipment (15 percent) and falls, slips, and trips (14 percent) were the third and fourth most frequent events, respectively, in the nation.

Additional key characteristics:

• The transportation and warehousing industry sector had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 25, up 7 from the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents accounted for 20 worker deaths in this sector.
• The construction industry had the second highest number of workplace fatalities with 23, down 3 from the previous year. Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 10 of the worker deaths in this sector.
• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 34. (See table 3.) The majority of these fatalities were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (24). Workers in construction and extraction occupations had the next highest fatality count at 21.
• Men accounted for 103, or 96 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 41 percent of these fatalities.
• In Georgia, 53 percent of those who died from a workplace injury were white non-Hispanics. Nationwide, this group accounted for 71 percent of work-related deaths.
• Workers 25-54 years old—the prime working age group—accounted for 59, or 55 percent, of the State’s work-related fatalities in 2011. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
• Of the 107 workers that suffered fatal work injuries in Georgia, 85 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remaining were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both groups was transportation incidents.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Technical Note

Background of the program. The 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 United States during the 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 here: http://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/homch9_a1.htm. The technical information and definitions for the CFOI Program are in Chapter 9, Part III of the BLS Handbook of Methods.

Federal/State agency coverage. The 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.

Acknowledgments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that submitted source documents used to identify fatal work injuries, in particular the Georgia Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.

Last Modified Date: December 6, 2012

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Southeast Information Office, Suite 7T50, 61 Forsyth St., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303

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