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Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Fatal work injuries totaled 44 in 2020 for Mississippi, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Mississippi was down from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 128 in 1995 and 1999 to a low of 44 in 2020.
Nationwide, a total of 4,764 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2020, an 11-percent decrease from 5,333 in 2020, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). The 4,764 fatal occupational injuries in 2020 represents the lowest annual number since 2013.
In Mississippi, transportation incidents resulted in 20 fatal work injuries and contact with objects or equipment accounted for 10 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 68 percent of all fatal workplace injuries in the state. (See chart 2 and table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were down from 30 over the year, while worker fatalities due to contact with objects or equipment were up from 8.
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 6 fatalities, down from 10 in the prior year. Exposure to harmful substances or environments resulted in four work-related deaths, compared to three last year.
Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2020, accounting for 37 percent of fatal work injuries. Falls, slips, and trips was the second-most common fatal event (17 percent).
The private construction industry sector and the private transportation and warehousing industry sector had the highest number of fatalities in Mississippi with eight each. (See table 2.) The heavy and civil engineering construction subsector accounted for four of the fatal injuries in the construction industry. Transportation incidents accounted for all eight of the fatal workplace injuries in the transportation and warehousing industry. The truck transportation subsector accounted for 5 of the 8 fatal injuries in the transportation and warehousing industry.
OccupationThe transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 13. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 7 of the 13 fatalities among transportation and material moving workers. The installation, maintenance, and repair occupational group had the second highest number of fatalities with eight, followed by construction and extraction occupations with six.
Additional highlightsMen accounted for 91 percent of the work-related fatalities in Mississippi, similar to the national share. (See table 4.) Contact with objects and equipment made up 25 percent of the fatalities for men in Mississippi.
White non-Hispanics accounted for 59 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 61 percent of work-related deaths.
Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 57 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2020, similar to the national share.
Of the 44 fatal work injuries in Mississippi, 93 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. Contact with objects or equipment accounted for 10, or 24 percent, of the work-related fatalities for wage and salary workers.
CFOI reports fatal workplace injuries only. These may include fatal workplace injuries complicated by an illness such as COVID-19. Fatal workplace illnesses not precipitated by an injury are not in scope for CFOI. CFOI does not report any illness related information, including COVID-19. Additional information is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-on-workplace-injuries-and-illnesses-compensation-and-occupational-requirements.htm.
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 2020 national data, over 21,600 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 at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm and the CFOI definitions at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.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 Mississippi Department of Employment Security 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 individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.
Event or exposure (1) | 2019 | 2020 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
59 | 44 | 100 |
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals |
10 | 6 | 14 |
Intentional injury by person |
9 | 6 | 14 |
Transportation incidents |
30 | 20 | 45 |
Aircraft incidents |
-- | 1 | 2 |
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing |
-- | 1 | 2 |
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing--into structure, object, or ground |
-- | 1 | 2 |
Pedestrian vehicular incident |
3 | 5 | 11 |
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle |
27 | 10 | 23 |
Fires and explosions |
-- | -- | -- |
Falls, slips, trips |
6 | -- | -- |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments |
3 | 4 | 9 |
Contact with objects and equipment |
8 | 10 | 23 |
Struck by object or equipment |
6 | 6 | 14 |
Overexertion and bodily reaction |
-- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
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NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Industry (1) | 2019 | 2020 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
59 | 44 | 100 |
Private industry (2) |
52 | 39 | 89 |
Goods producing |
-- | -- | -- |
Natural resources and mining |
-- | -- | -- |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting |
-- | 5 | 11 |
Construction |
7 | 8 | 18 |
Construction |
7 | 8 | 18 |
Construction of buildings |
-- | 1 | 2 |
Heavy and civil engineering construction |
-- | 4 | 9 |
Specialty trade contractors |
-- | 3 | 7 |
Manufacturing |
-- | 4 | 9 |
Service providing (3) |
-- | -- | -- |
Trade, transportation, and utilities |
20 | -- | -- |
Transportation and warehousing |
12 | 8 | 18 |
Truck transportation |
10 | 5 | 11 |
Support activities for transportation |
-- | 1 | 2 |
Educational and health services |
3 | 1 | 2 |
Health care and social assistance |
3 | 1 | 2 |
Leisure and hospitality |
-- | 3 | 7 |
Accommodation and food services |
-- | 3 | 7 |
Food services and drinking places |
-- | 3 | 7 |
Other services, except public administration |
4 | 5 | 11 |
Other services, except public administration |
4 | 5 | 11 |
Repair and maintenance |
4 | 5 | 11 |
Government (4) |
7 | -- | -- |
Federal government |
-- | -- | -- |
State government |
3 | -- | -- |
Local government |
4 | 3 | 7 |
Footnotes: |
|||
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Occupation (1) | 2019 | 2020 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
59 | 44 | 100 |
Management occupations |
-- | 1 | 2 |
Business and financial operations occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Computer and mathematical occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Architecture and engineering occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Life, physical, and social science occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Community and social service occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Legal occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Educational instruction and library occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Healthcare support occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Protective service occupations |
4 | -- | -- |
Food preparation and serving related occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
9 | -- | -- |
Personal care and service occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Sales and related occupations |
6 | -- | -- |
Office and administrative support occupations |
-- | -- | -- |
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
-- | 5 | 11 |
Construction and extraction occupations |
7 | 6 | 14 |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
11 | 8 | 18 |
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
5 | 5 | 11 |
Production occupations |
3 | -- | -- |
Transportation and material moving occupations |
14 | 13 | 30 |
Motor vehicle operators |
12 | 10 | 23 |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers |
12 | 10 | 23 |
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers |
10 | 7 | 16 |
Footnotes: |
|||
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Worker characteristics | 2019 | 2020 | |
---|---|---|---|
Number | Number | Percent | |
Total |
59 | 44 | 100 |
Employee status |
|||
Wage and salary workers (1) |
53 | 41 | 93 |
Self-employed (2) |
6 | 3 | 7 |
Gender |
|||
Men |
53 | 40 | 91 |
Women |
6 | 4 | 9 |
Age (3) |
|||
25 to 34 years |
13 | 6 | 14 |
35 to 44 years |
11 | 7 | 16 |
45 to 54 years |
12 | 12 | 27 |
55 to 64 years |
14 | 11 | 25 |
65 years and over |
5 | 5 | 11 |
Race or ethnic origin (4) |
|||
White, non-Hispanic |
31 | 26 | 59 |
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic |
17 | 14 | 32 |
Hispanic or Latino |
-- | -- | -- |
Footnotes: |
|||
NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. For complete information on how the data are coded and presented see our definitions page at www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfdef.htm. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Last Modified Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2022