Since Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970, workplace safety and health conditions have improved. But too many workers remain at serious risk of injury, illness or death.
In 2010, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,690 workers were killed on the job—an average of 13 workers every day—and an estimated 50,000 died from occupational diseases. Workers suffer an additional 7.6 million to 11.4 million job injuries and illnesses each year. The cost of job injuries and illnesses is enormous—estimated at $250 billion to $300 billion a year.
The risk of job fatalities and injuries varies widely from state to state—from 13.1 fatalities per 100,000 workers in West Virginia to 0.9 fatalities per 100,000 in New Hampshire. Latino workers continue to be at increased risk of job fatalities, with a fatality rate of 3.9 per 100,000 workers in 2010.
This year’s edition of “Death on the Job” details not only the data about workplace death, injuries and illnesses, but also the reasons behind them and what must be done to save lives.
Download the full 2012 "Death on the Job" report
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Download sections of the 2012 "Death on the Job" report:
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Contents
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Executive Summary
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The State of Workers’ Safety and Health 2012
- National Safety and Health Overview
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Workplace Fatalities (Employment-Based), 1970–2007
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Workplace Fatalities (Hours-Based), 2006–2010
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Rate of Fatal Work Injuries (Employment-Based), 1992–2007
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Rate of Fatal Work Injuries (Hours-Based), 2006–2010
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Workplace Fatality Rates by Industry Sector, 1970–2002
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Workplace Fatality Rates by Industry Sector (Employment-Based), 2003–2007
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Workplace Fatality Rates by Industry Sector (Hours-Based), 2006–2010
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Occupational Fatalities by Industry, 2010
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Selected Occupations with High Fatality Rates, 2010
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Fatal Work Injuries by Race, 1992–2010
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Hispanic-Latino Worker Fatalities, 1992–2010
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Rate of Fatal Occupational Injuries to Hispanic or Latino Workers (Employment-Based), 1995–2007
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Rate of Fatal Occupational Injuries to Hispanic or Latino Workers (Hours-Based), 2006–2010
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Workplace Injury and illness Incidence Rates, 1972–2010
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Workplace Injury and Illness Rates by Sector, 1973–2002
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Workplace Injury and Illness Rates by Sector, 2003–2010
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Injuries and Illnesses in Selected Industries for State and Local Government and Private Industry, 2010
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Days Away from Work Injuries in Selected Industries for State and Local Government and Private Industry, 2010
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Industries with the Highest Total Injury and Illness Rates, 2010
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Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses with Days Away from Work by Event or Exposure, 2010
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Hispanic Worker Injuries/Illnesses with Days Away from Work, 1995–2010
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Estimated and Reported Cases of MSDs, 1992–2010
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Occupations with the Highest Numbers of MSDs, 2010
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Highest Incidence Rates of MSDs by Industry, 2010
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Highest Number of MSDs by Industry, 2010
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True Toll of Workplace Injury and Illness, 2010
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Federal OSHA Inspection/Enforcement Activity, FY 2005–2011
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Federal and State Plan OSHA Enforcement Activity, FY 2011
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Fatality Inspection Average Penalties, FY 2003–2011
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Significant OSHA Enforcement Cases in FY 2011
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Largest-Ever OSHA Enforcement Cases
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Major OSHA Health and Safety Standards Since 1971
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Delays in OSHA Standards Impact on Workers
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Permissible Exposure Limits Comparison
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Federal OSHA Budget and Personnel, FY 1975–2012
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Federal OSHA Compliance Staffing, 1973–2010
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Federal OSHA Compliance Officers Per Million Workers, 1973–2010
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Job Safety and Health Appropriations, FY 2001–2013
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Funding for Worker Training Programs vs. Employer Compliance Assistance Programs, FY 2001–2013
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Number of Establishments and Employees Compared with the Number of OSHA Staff, 1975–2010
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State and Local Employees OSHA Coverage Map
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Profiles of Mine Safety and Health
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Coal and Metal-Nonmetal Fatality Comparisons
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Coal Fatalities by State, 2001–2011
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Metal and Nonmetal Fatalities by State, 2001–2011
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MSHA Impact Inspections, 2011
- State Comparisons
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State Profiles
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Sources and Methodology for State Profiles
