Cheyenne, WI – The Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services recently reported that there were 34 occupational fatalities in 2016. This is the same number of fatalities that occurred in 2015. Variations in fatalities from year to year are, to some extent, the result of the random nature of work-related accidents. Furthermore, there is not always a direct relationship between workplace fatalities and workplace safety. For example, suicides and homicides that occur in the workplace are included as occupational fatalities. Occupational fatalities are counted in the state where the injury occurred, not necessarily the state of residence or the state of death.
The fatality counts featured in this release are compiled by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program (a joint effort of R&P and the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS) and may not match those from other programs, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) because of differences in scope and methodology. In addition to regular employees, CFOI includes volunteer workers and self-employed individuals. The CFOI program utilizes a wide variety of data sources, such as OSHA reports, workers’ compensation, vital records, coroner’s reports, media reports, and police and highway patrol reports of vehicle crashes. Additionally, similar data sources from other states are routinely used to identify workplace fatalities. For example, a worker fatally injured in a highway incident in Wyoming may be covered by workers’ compensation in another state. That information is made available to R&P as part of confidential data sharing agreements between the states and federal government (BLS).
In 2016, 10 deaths occurred in natural resources & mining (or 29.4% of all deaths). Within that category, six deaths were in agriculture (17.6%) and four deaths (11.8%) were in mining (including oil & gas). Trade, transportation, & utilities accounted for 10 deaths (29.4%), with six deaths in transportation & warehousing (17.6%). There were three deaths each in construction (8.8%), professional & business services (8.8%), and government (8.8%). Approximately two-fifths (41.2%) of workplace fatalities were the result of transportation incidents.
From 2003-2016, transportation incidents made up 56.4% of all workplace deaths. Transportation incidents include highway crashes as well as incidents involving aircraft and other vehicles.
Source: WI DWS