The Bureau of Labor Statistics this week announced the results of the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
According to the results, fatalities in the trucking industry reached a 6-year high and accounted for nearly 2 of every 3 workplace fatalities.
In 2014, fatal work injuries due to transportation incidents were slightly higher than the year prior– 1,891, up from 1,865 in 2013. Overall, transportation-related incidents accounted for 40 percent of fatal workplace injuries in 2014. Fifty-seven percent of all transportation fatalities occurred on the roadway.
“Transportation and material moving occupations accounted for the largest share (28%) of fatal occupational
injuries of any occupation group. Fatal work injuries in this group rose 3 percent to 1,289 in 2014, the
highest total since 2008. Drivers/sales workers and truck drivers (see chart 2) accounted for nearly 2 out
of every 3 fatal injuries in this group (835 of the 1,289 fatal injuries in 2014). In this group, drivers/sales
workers increased 74 percent to 54 in 2014, and heavy and tractor-trailer drivers had their highest total
since 2008 (725 fatalities in 2014),” the BLS said in a press release.
Additionally, among contract workers, the largest number of fatal occupational injuries was incurred by heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (76 workers).
Each year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) complies a count of all fatal work inures that occur within the U.S. in a given calendar year.
The information is intended to be used to determine where more oversight is needed.
For the 2014 report, more than 19,800 unique sources were used to gather the data.