The number of job-related deaths from highway incidents declined in 2000 for the first time since the fatality census was first conducted in 1992, according to information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Highway incidents still topped the list of job-related fatalities, though.
Although the number of fatal highway incidents was down about nine percent from 1999 levels, highway crashes continued to be the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities in 2000, accounting for nearly a quarter of the fatal work-injury total.
Non-collision accidents that resulted in jack-knife or overturns involved 304 fatalities. Total highway fatalities were 1,363.
In other transportation incidents, fatal work injuries resulting from workers being struck by vehicles or mobile equipment also dropped slightly in 2000. In contrast, however, the number of workers killed in non-highway incidents increased from 352 in 1999 to 399 in 2000.
Rates of fatal work injury in 2000 were highest in the mining, agriculture, construction, and transportation industries.
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, uses diverse state and federal data sources to identify, verify, and profile fatal work injuries.
Information about each workplace fatality (occupation and other worker characteristics, equipment being used, and circumstances of the event) is obtained by cross-referencing source documents, such as death certificates, workers' compensation records, and reports to federal and state agencies, according to BLS information.