Salt Lake City, UT – Utah recorded a preliminary count of 39 work-related fatalities in 2012, the same amount as in 2011. Nationally, the preliminary count of 4,383 fatal injuries was lower than the revised count of 4,693 in 2011.
Transportation incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal work-related events and accounted for 16 (41%) of the 39 fatal occupation injuries in Utah workers in 2012.
Following is a list of other causes of workplace fatalities:
- Seven fatalities occurred from assaults and violent acts (18%)
- Four fatalities occurred from falls, slips or trips (10%)
- Contact with objects and equipment also accounted for seven fatalities (18%)
Out of the 39 workers fatally injured in 2012:
- 34 were men
- 30 were white (non-Hispanic)
- 9 were self employed
The age categories with the highest number of workplace fatalities included:
- 45-54 years old, with 13 deaths (33%)
- 25-34 years old, with 11 deaths (28%)
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) study includes data for all fatal work injuries. It includes injuries within the jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and other federal or state agency regulations, as well as injuries that occur outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Data for 2012 are preliminary.
The CFOI, conducted throughout the nation, is part of a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) program that provides a complete count of fatal work injuries in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Utah Labor Commission BLS unit works in close proximity with the Federal BLS Program and compiles detailed information on all work-related fatalities taking place within the state of Utah. Fatality statistics are used to fulfill a commitment to increasing safety in the workplace.
BLS annually releases total fatality counts and descriptive data in an effort to provide the most accurate information to assist employers, safety departments, and employees in identifying occupational safety and health issues in the state.
Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data are available at the Utah Labor Commission.
Source: UT Labor Commission