Topeka, KS – Kansas had 76 workplace fatalities in 2012 compared to 78 recorded in 2011, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, conducted by the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL), Workers Compensation Division in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some of the statistics include:
- Transportation incidents in Kansas accounted for 65.8 percent of the fatal work-related injuries in 2012 with 50 fatalities. Of the 50 transportation-related fatal injuries, 33 fatalities or 66 percent were roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles. Non-roadway incidents, such as a tractor overturned in a farm field, accounted for another six fatalities or 12 percent of the transportation-related fatal injuries. Transportation incidents that involved pedestrians accounted for three fatalities or 6 percent of the total.
- Within the goods producing industry group, the natural resources and mining industry had the most work-related fatalities for 2012 with 20 or 26.3 percent of the total. This industry includes the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector.
- May had the highest number of fatal work-related injuries with a total of 12 or 15.8 percent of the 76 fatalities.
- Fatal workplace injuries in 2012 occurred most frequently on Monday with 18 or 23.7 percent of the 76 fatalities occurring on that day of the week. Friday was the second highest with 16 fatalities.
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program collects data from multiple sources for every workplace fatality recorded. Each case must have two or more substantiating documents. These source documents include death certificates, workers compensation reports, motor vehicle accident reports, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports, news accounts, coroner’s reports, obituaries, employer questionnaires, and other federal and state records. Each fatality is counted in the state where the incident occurs regardless of the state of employment. This ensures there is no duplication of reporting by the states. It should also be noted that although states are required to keep records of heart attack and illness victims, they are excluded from the count.
For more information regarding this survey, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Additionally, charts and tables for Kansas may be viewed on the KDOL website.
Source: Kansas DOL