Fatal work injuries totaled 77 in 2018 for Iowa, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Iowa increased by five from the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 110 in 1992 to a low of 54 in 1995. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a total of 5,250 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2018, up from the 5,147 fatal injuries in 2017, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

Type of incident

In Iowa, transportation incidents resulted in 30 fatal work injuries, and contact with objects or equipment accounted for 17 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 61 percent of all workplace fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were down from 40 over the year, and worker fatalities due to contact with objects or equipment were little changed.

Falls, slips, or trips was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 12 fatalities, up from 8 in the prior year. Exposure to harmful substances or environments resulted in 11 work-related deaths in 2018.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2018, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most common fatal event (16 percent), followed by falls, slips, and trips (15 percent) and contact with objects and equipment (15 percent).

Industry

The private agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry had the highest number of fatalities in Iowa with 20, compared to 21 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents resulted in 8 of the 20 fatalities in the industry. The oilseed and grain farming sector accounted for 16 of the 20 workplace fatalities in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry.

The private construction industry had 19 workplace fatalities, up from 10 in the previous year. The specialty trade contractors sector accounted for 11, or 58 percent, of the fatal injuries in this industry.

Occupation

The construction and extraction and transportation and material moving occupational groups had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 18 each, followed by management occupations with 17. (See table 3.) Construction trades workers accounted for 15 of the 18 fatalities among construction and extraction workers, while heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 12 of the 18 fatalities among the transportation and material moving occupational group. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers accounted for 13 of the 15 management occupational fatalities.

Additional highlights

• Men accounted for 96 percent of the work-related fatalities in Iowa, compared to the 92-percent national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 39 percent of the fatalities for men in Iowa.

• White non-Hispanics accounted for 74 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 65 percent of work-related deaths.

• Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 44 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2018, compared to 58 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.

• Of the 77 fatal work injuries in Iowa, 66 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers and self-employed workers was transportation incidents.

Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, is a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI uses a variety of state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This ensures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2018 national data, over 24,800 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm.

Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, some of which may be outside the scope of other agencies or regulatory coverage. Comparisons between CFOI counts and those released by other agencies should account for the different coverage requirements and definitions used by each agency. For more information on the scope of CFOI, see www.bls.gov/iif/cfoiscope.htm and www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/concepts.htm.

Acknowledgments. BLS thanks the Iowa Workforce Development for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that provided source documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation divisions); the Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; state vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of health, labor, and industrial relations and workers' compensation agencies; state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Iowa, 2017–18

Event or exposure (1)	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	72	77	100
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	6	6	8
Intentional injury by person	5	4	5
Intentional injury by other person	4	2	3
Shooting by other person--intentional	4	1	1
Hitting, kicking, beating, shoving	--	1	1
Transportation incidents	40	30	39
Rail vehicle incidents	--	4	5
Collision between rail vehicle and another vehicle	--	4	5
Collision between two rail vehicles	--	1	1
Collision between rail and roadway vehicles	--	3	4
Pedestrian vehicular incident	5	4	5
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area	3	4	5
Pedestrian struck by vehicle backing up in nonroadway area	1	4	5
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle	25	16	21
Roadway collision with other vehicle	12	14	18
Roadway collision--moving in same direction	3	4	5
Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming	1	4	5
Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly	5	4	5
Roadway noncollision incident	11	2	3
Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway	9	2	3
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles	9	6	8
Nonroadway noncollision incident	8	5	6
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway	7	3	4
Ran off driving surface, nonroadway	--	1	1
Fall or jump from and struck by same vehicle in normal operation, nonroadway	--	1	1
Fires and explosions	1	1	1
Explosions	--	1	1
Explosion of pressure vessel, piping, or tire	--	1	1
Falls, slips, trips	8	12	16
Falls to lower level	8	10	13
Other fall to lower level	8	8	10
Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet	2	1	1
Other fall to lower level 11 to 15 feet	1	1	1
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	--	11	14
Exposure to electricity	--	3	4
Exposure to temperature extremes	--	1	1
Contact with hot objects or substances	--	1	1
Exposure to other harmful substances	--	7	9
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose	--	7	9
Contact with objects and equipment	16	17	22
Struck by object or equipment	9	11	14
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport	5	4	5
Struck or run over by rolling powered vehicle	--	1	1
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle	--	6	8
Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part	1	5	6
Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material	4	4	5
Excavation or trenching cave-in	--	1	1
Engulfment in other collapsing material	3	2	3
Overexertion and bodily reaction	--	--	--
Footnotes: (1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Iowa, 2017–18

Industry (1)	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	72	77	100
Private industry	67	75	97
Goods producing	37	47	61
Natural resources and mining	22	21	27
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	21	20	26
Crop production	19	17	22
Oilseed and grain farming	14	16	21
Corn farming	11	15	19
Support activities for agriculture and forestry	--	--	--
Support activities for crop production	--	1	1
Support activities for crop production	--	1	1
Soil preparation, planting, and cultivating	--	1	1
Mining (2)	--	1	1
Mining (except oil and gas)	--	1	1
Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying	--	1	1
Sand, gravel, clay, and ceramic and refractory minerals mining and quarrying	--	1	1
Construction sand and gravel mining	--	1	1
Construction	10	19	25
Construction	10	19	25
Construction of buildings	1	6	8
Residential building construction	--	2	3
Residential building construction	--	2	3
New single-family housing construction (except for-sale builders)	--	1	1
Nonresidential building construction	1	4	5
Commercial and institutional building construction	1	4	5
Heavy and civil engineering construction	6	2	3
Utility system construction	--	1	1
Power and communication line and related structures construction	--	1	1
Other heavy and civil engineering construction	2	1	1
Specialty trade contractors	3	11	14
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors	1	4	5
Poured concrete foundation and structure contractors	--	2	3
Roofing contractors	--	2	3
Residential roofing contractors	--	1	1
Building equipment contractors	--	5	6
Electrical contractors	--	2	3
Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors	--	3	4
Building finishing contractors	1	1	1
Other building finishing contractors	--	1	1
Other specialty trade contractors	--	1	1
Site preparation contractors	--	1	1
Manufacturing	5	7	9
Manufacturing	5	7	9
Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing	1	1	1
Cement and concrete product manufacturing	1	1	1
Ready-mix concrete manufacturing	1	1	1
Machinery manufacturing	--	3	4
Commercial and service industry machinery manufacturing	--	1	1
Commercial and service industry machinery manufacturing	--	1	1
Other general purpose machinery manufacturing	--	2	3
Material handling equipment manufacturing	--	1	1
Conveyor and conveying equipment manufacturing	--	1	1
All other general purpose machinery manufacturing	--	1	1
Fluid power pump and motor manufacturing	--	1	1
Service providing	30	28	36
Trade, transportation, and utilities	21	16	21
Wholesale trade	9	1	1
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods	1	1	1
Retail trade	--	2	3
Motor vehicle and parts dealers	--	2	3
Other motor vehicle dealers	--	1	1
Motorcycle, boat, and other motor vehicle dealers	--	1	1
Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores	--	1	1
Tire dealers	--	1	1
Transportation and warehousing	12	13	17
Truck transportation	9	9	12
General freight trucking	8	4	5
General freight trucking, long-distance	3	3	4
General freight trucking, long-distance, truckload	2	2	3
Specialized freight trucking	--	3	4
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, long-distance	--	1	1
Warehousing and storage	--	2	3
Warehousing and storage	--	2	3
Farm product warehousing and storage	--	2	3
Information	--	1	1
Information	--	1	1
Publishing industries (except internet)	--	1	1
Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers	--	1	1
Newspaper publishers	--	1	1
Financial activities	--	2	3
Real estate and rental and leasing	--	2	3
Real estate	--	1	1
Lessors of real estate	--	1	1
Lessors of residential buildings and dwellings	--	1	1
Rental and leasing services	--	1	1
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment rental and leasing	--	1	1
Professional and business services	5	3	4
Administrative and waste services	5	3	4
Waste management and remediation services	3	1	1
Waste collection	3	1	1
Waste collection	3	1	1
Solid waste collection	3	1	1
Educational and health services	--	2	3
Health care and social assistance	--	2	3
Hospitals	--	1	1
General medical and surgical hospitals	--	1	1
General medical and surgical hospitals	--	1	1
Social assistance	--	1	1
Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services	--	1	1
Leisure and hospitality	2	2	3
Accommodation and food services	--	2	3
Food services and drinking places	--	2	3
Restaurants and other eating places	--	2	3
Restaurants and other eating places	--	2	3
Full-service restaurants	--	1	1
Other services, except public administration	2	2	3
Other services, except public administration	2	2	3
Repair and maintenance	--	2	3
Automotive repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance	--	1	1
General automotive repair	--	1	1
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance	--	1	1
Government (3)	5	2	3
Federal government	2	--	--
State government	1	1	1
Local government	--	1	1
Footnotes: (1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012. (2) Includes fatal injuries at all establishments categorized as Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, 2012, including establishments not governed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction. (3) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Iowa, 2017–18

Occupation (1)	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	72	77	100
Management occupations	15	17	22
Operations specialties managers	--	1	1
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers	--	1	1
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers	--	1	1
Other management occupations	15	15	19
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	15	13	17
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	15	13	17
Social and community service managers	--	1	1
Social and community service managers	--	1	1
Business and financial operations occupations	1	--	--
Computer and mathematical occupations	--	--	--
Architecture and engineering occupations	--	--	--
Life, physical, and social science occupations	--	--	--
Community and social services occupations	--	--	--
Legal occupations	--	--	--
Education, training, and library occupations	--	--	--
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations	--	1	1
Media and communication workers	--	1	1
Miscellaneous media and communication workers	--	1	1
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	--	--	--
Healthcare support occupations	--	--	--
Protective service occupations	--	--	--
Food preparation and serving related occupations	--	1	1
Cooks and food preparation workers	--	1	1
Cooks	--	1	1
Cooks, restaurant	--	1	1
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations	4	3	4
Grounds maintenance workers	4	3	4
Grounds maintenance workers	4	3	4
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation	--	1	1
Personal care and service occupations	--	--	--
Sales and related occupations	--	1	1
Supervisors of sales workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of sales workers	--	1	1
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers	--	1	1
Office and administrative support occupations	--	--	--
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	6	6	8
Agricultural workers	6	6	8
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	6	6	8
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse	4	4	5
Construction and extraction occupations	9	18	23
Supervisors of construction and extraction workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	3	4
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	--	3	4
Construction trades workers	4	15	19
Boilermakers	--	1	1
Boilermakers	--	1	1
Cement masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers	--	1	1
Cement masons and concrete finishers	--	1	1
Construction laborers	2	6	8
Construction laborers	2	6	8
Construction equipment operators	1	1	1
Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators	--	1	1
Electricians	--	1	1
Electricians	--	1	1
Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	--	1	1
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	--	1	1
Roofers	--	3	4
Roofers	--	3	4
Sheet metal workers	--	1	1
Sheet metal workers	--	1	1
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	--	6	8
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	1	1	1
Miscellaneous vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	--	1	1
Tire repairers and changers	--	1	1
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	--	3	4
Maintenance and repair workers, general	--	2	3
Maintenance and repair workers, general	--	2	3
Production occupations	3	5	6
Other production occupations	--	3	4
Painting workers	--	1	1
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders	--	1	1
Transportation and material moving occupations	27	18	23
Motor vehicle operators	21	15	19
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	19	13	17
Driver/sales workers	--	1	1
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	19	12	16
Material moving workers	4	3	4
Conveyor operators and tenders	3	1	1
Conveyor operators and tenders	3	1	1
Crane and tower operators	--	1	1
Crane and tower operators	--	1	1
Industrial truck and tractor operators	--	1	1
Industrial truck and tractor operators	--	1	1
Military specific occupations (2)	--	--	--
Footnotes: (1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010. (2) Includes fatal injuries to persons identified as resident armed forces regardless of individual occupation listed.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, Iowa, 2017–18

Worker characteristics	2017	2018
	Number	Number	Percent
Total	72	77	100
Employee status
Wage and salary workers (1)	54	51	66
Self-employed (2)	18	26	34
Gender
Men	67	74	96
Women	5	3	4
Age (3)
Under 16 years	--	1	1
25 to 34 years	6	8	10
35 to 44 years	4	10	13
45 to 54 years	16	16	21
55 to 64 years	22	27	35
65 years and over	20	13	17
Race or ethnic origin (4)
White, non-Hispanic	53	57	74
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic	--	--	--
Hispanic or Latino	--	5	6
Footnotes: (1) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation. (2) Includes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses and farms, paid and unpaid family workers, and may include some owners of incorporated businesses or members of partnerships. (3) Information may not be available for all age groups. (4) Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude data for Hispanics and Latinos.
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.