On August 10, 2006, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published a 16-page report on fatal work injuries in 2005. Here's a quick and dirty overview.

Types of Fatal Incidents

There were 5,702 fatal work injuries in 2005. The leading types of fatal incidents:

• Highway incidents: 1,428 worker deaths;
• Non-highway incidents involving vehicles: 390 worker deaths;
• Aircraft incidents: 147 worker deaths;
• Railroad incidents: 84 worker deaths;
• Fatal falls: 463 worker deaths;
• Struck by objects: 604 worker deaths;
• Homicides: 564 worker deaths; and
• Suicides: 177 worker deaths.

Fatalities by Industry

48 percent of the fatal work injuries recorded in 2005 occurred in the service-providing industries, while 43 percent occurred in the goods-producing industries. Another 9 percent involved government workers. If you want to see the breakdown in more detail, go to the table in the Tools section of SafetyXChange.

Victims

The number of fatalities among male workers was down 1 percent to 5,300. The 402 fatalities among female workers was the lowest annual total ever recorded for women since the BLS started keeping a census. The bad news is that the number of fatalities among Hispanic workers (917) was a series high. But due to increased employment, the overall fatality rate for this group went down. Fatalities among black workers rose to 577, while those among Asian and Native Hawaiian workers dropped to 162.

Fatalities increased for both younger and older workers. Workers age 19 and younger accounted for 166 fatal work injuries, an increase of 18 percent. Fatal work injuries for workers age 55 and older rose to 1,499 - a series high - although the overall fatality rate for older workers was lower.

Profile by State

26 states reported decreased fatal work injuries in 2005. 22 states and Washington, D.C., reported increased fatal work numbers, and two states (Delaware and Vermont) were unchanged. The biggest changes were in Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, which saw increases of at least 20 percent, and in Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, New Mexico and West Virginia, which saw decreases of at least 20 percent.

Conclusion

To put these findings into perspective, fatalities in 2005 fell 1 percent from 2004 totals - 5,764 versus 5,702. The fatality rate also dipped slightly from 4.1 to 4.0 per 100,000 workers. In 2004, fatal falls hit a record high. Thankfully, that number came down seven percent in 2005. Fatal falls among roofers, one of the most vulnerable groups, declined sharply by 44 percent.

OSHA Secretary Foulke hailed the BLS report as "positive news for our nation and all our workers." And so it is. Whether the downward trend will continue and OSHA can claim credit for it remain open questions, of course.

THE CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE

2006: The Year in OHS Compliance

By Glenn Demby

O, Canada! The statistics that Robin analyzes in the above article come from the U.S. We hope you find them useful. But just in case you don’t, here’s something of more direct concern.

THE 4 BIGGEST STORIES OF 2006

Here’s what we considered the top stories in Canadian OHS compliance from last year.

1. The Crackdown Continues

The continued intensification of OHS enforcement activity was the most significant development of 2006. Inspections, prosecutions and convictions were up all across Canada - most notably in Alberta, BC, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Fines are also up. The situation in Alberta is a perfect example. In October, a construction company was fined $345,000 for a worker’s fatal fall, the highest fine the province has ever dished out for an OHS violation. In March, an Edmonton paint factory was hit with a record fine for a non-fatal injury, $75,750; the record was tied a month later by an oilfield operator; and it was smashed in July when a masonry contractor was fined $125,750 for a non-fatal scaffolding incident.

2. New Laws Change the Hazard Landscape

A number of important new health and safety laws were enacted or took effect in 2006. Many of these laws addressed traditional hazards such as machine safety, scaffolding, hoists and such. The most notable example: the Ontario Confined Spaces regulations, which took effect on September 30. But the crop of new 2006 laws included regulations covering workplace hazards not addressed in traditional OHS laws. Secondhand smoke is the most notable example.

The other significant “new” workplace hazard making headlines in 2006 was avian influenza. Although it spawned no regulations, the risk of pandemic prompted three provinces - BC, MB and ON - to publish guidelines clarifying what employers should do to safeguard their workers (and their businesses).

3. Canadians Get their Own Home-Grown Safety Standard

CSA Z-1000 isn’t just another voluntary safety standard. It’s the first standard tailored specifically for Canadians. The new CSA standard for safety management systems incorporates the principles of the Internal Responsibility System. And, although it’s a voluntary standard, CSA Z-1000 is likely to be seen as a best practice benchmark that’s referenced in determining if a company has met its due diligence obligations.

4. The Resurrection of C-45

A company has finally been prosecuted for criminal negligence under Bill C-45. The case comes from Québec and it involves a machine fatality. It is the first “real” C-45 prosecution since the law took effect on March 31, 2004 (the 2005 prosecution of Ontario supervisor Domenico Fantini was an aberration) and thus will bear close watching.

Conclusion

This article is an excerpt from the 2006 annual OHS Compliance Retrospective printed in the current issue of Safety Compliance Insider, the monthly newsletter published by SafetyXChange’s parent company, Bongarde Media. If you want to find out more about the newsletter, click here.

MEMBER REPLY

Rescue workers need protection too

Why Emergency Workers Must Obey Safety Rules

Dear SafetyXChange:

I feel compelled to respond to Richard Hawk's article of December 4th about OSHA citations against the California rescue workers for trenching violations. If the victim in this case had been trapped in a confined space with possible hazardous atmosphere, would anyone expect the rescue crew to enter the area without PPE? Would we be surprised if OSHA cited them if they did? The trench had already failed once. Why would we then increase the number of potential victims by adding the rescue crew to the mix?

The desire to rescue a victim is understandable. Unfortunately, the potential to create additional victims of the rescue team was too great. OSHA was correct in issuing their citation. Fire and rescue work is inherently dangerous, but there has to be a limit on the risks we expose these dedicated people to.

Cliff Warrick

SPOT THE SAFETY HAZARD

What if Ebeneezer Scrooge had been a safety director?

The Ebeneezer Scrooge Edition

"Walkin' in a winter wonderland. . ."

Can you spot the safety hazard?

Answer

Walking in winter wonderlands and other cold environments can lead to frostbite and hypothermia. When such circumstances are unavoidable, dressing in layers and remaining physically active are highly advisable.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR SPOT THE SAFETY HAZARD POSTER

NOTE: You can buy a decorative poster containing 10 Ebeneezer Scrooge "Spot the Safety Hazards" and some other pretty cool holiday posters from the website of our parent company, Bongarde Media, at http://www.safetyposter.com/2720.html.

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