2012 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI)

Background

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in conjunction with state agencies developed the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program in 1992 to produce accurate, comprehensive, descriptive, timely, and accessible counts of fatal workplace injuries that occur during a given year. A fatality is counted in the state the incident occurred regardless of the state of employment to alleviate duplication of reporting in the states.

The fatality census uses diverse sources to identify, verify, and profile fatal work injuries in an effort to compile counts that are as complete as possible. Source documents such as death certificates, workers’ compensation reports, and Federal and State agency administrative records are cross-referenced to gather key information about each workplace fatality such as the particular occupation in which the fatality occurred, worker demographics, equipment or machinery involved, and circumstances of the event. Two or more independent source documents are used to verify the work relationship of each fatal work injury.

A work relationship exists if an event or exposure results in fatal injury or illness to a person on the employer’s premises and the person was there to work; off the employer’s premises and the person was there to work; or the event or exposure was related to the person’s work or status as an employee. Fatalities that occur during a person’s commute to or from work are excluded from census counts. Work is defined as legal duties, activities, or tasks that produce a product or result; and that which is done in exchange for money, goods, services, profit, or benefit. Although the scope of the fatality census is limited to work-related injuries, states may submit data on work-related fatal illnesses, such as heart attacks, that occur at work.

Information gathered by states participating in the CFOI program is used for statistical and research purposes only. The identifiers of all individuals and companies remain confidential according to BLS policy and confidentiality pledges to state source agencies. BLS and participating state agencies abide by any restrictions on followback or the release data imposed by source agencies.

Data Users

Data compiled by the CFOI program are issued annually for the previous calendar year. These data are used by safety and health professionals, policy analysts, and researchers to prevent fatal work injuries by informing workers of life threatening hazards associated with various jobs, promote safer work practices through enhanced job safety training, develop new safety equipment, assess and improve workplace safety standards, and identify new areas for safety research.

Census Of Fatal Occupational Injuries Highlights

Industry

  • There were 83 total fatalities in Missouri in 2012.
    • Seventy-seven fatalities were in private industry. Six fatalities were in government.
    • Thirty-one fatalities were in private industry, goods-producing sectors. Forty-six fatalities were in private industry, service-providing sectors.
    • Private industry major industry sectors with the most fatalities were:
      • trade, transportation, and utilities with 28;
      • construction with 12; and
      • natural resources and mining with 11.
    • Private industry sectors with the most fatalities were:
      • Transportation and warehousing (NAICS 48-49) with 22;
      • construction (NAICS 23) with 12; and
      • agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (NAICS 11) with 11.

Category of workers

  • Private sector wage and salary workers accounted for 49 of the total occupational fatalities.
    • Service-providing sectors accounted for 31 (63.3%) of the private sector wage and salary worker fatalities.
      • Trade, transportation, and utilities accounted for 17 (34.7%) of the fatalities.
    • The goods-producing sectors accounted for 18 (36.7%) of the private sector wage and salary worker fatalities.
      • Construction accounted for 8 (16.3%) of the fatalities.
  • Government workers accounted for six of the total occupational fatalities.
    • All six of the government workers were in service-providing sectors.
    • Public administration accounted for two of the fatalities.
  • Self-employed workers accounted for 28 of the total occupational fatalities.
    • Service-providing sectors accounted for 15 (53.6%) of the fatalities.
      • The transportation and warehousing sector accounted for ten of the self-employed worker fatalities.
    • Goods-producing sectors accounted for 13 (46.4%) of the self-employed worker fatalities.
      • The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector accounted for eight of the self-employed worker fatalities.

Event or exposure

  • The event or exposures of the total fatalities were:
    • 42 (50.6%) transportation incidents;
    • 15 (18.1%) falls, slips, trips;
    • 10 (12.0%) violence and other injuries by persons or animals;
    • 8 (9.6%) contact with objects and equipment; and
    • 7 (8.4%) exposure to harmful substances or environments.

Transportation incidents

  • Transportation incidents was the event or exposure leading to the most (42) occupational fatalities in Missouri in 2012.
    • Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles accounted for 26 of the transportation incidents. Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles accounted for eight of the transportation incidents.
    • Transportation and material moving occupations accounted for 26 of the transportation incidents. Management occupations accounted for five of the transportation incidents.
    • The transportation and warehousing private industry sector accounted for 18 of the transportation incidents. Seven of the transportation incidents were in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting private industry sector.

Homicides

  • Seven of the total occupational fatalities were homicides.
    • Six of the homicides were shooting by other person--intentional.
    • Six of the homicides were in private industry service-providing sectors.
      • Four of the homicides were in the accommodation and food services sector.
    • Three of the homicides were motor vehicle operators. All three of these homicides were shooting by other person--intentional.

Source

  • Vehicles was the primary source in most (46) of the total fatalities. Persons, plants, animals, and minerals was the source in 12 fatalities.
  • Vehicles; structures and surfaces; and tools, instruments, and equipment were each the secondary source in 11 fatalities.

Occupation

  • Transportation and material moving occupations was the occupational group with the most (32) fatal occupational injuries.
    • Twenty-six of the fatalities in transportation and material moving occupations were transportation incidents.
    • Driver/sales workers and truck drivers accounted for 23 of the occupational fatalities within the transportation and material moving occupations.
  • There were 12 occupational fatalities in construction and extraction occupations.
    • Falls, slips, trips had six fatalities in construction and extraction occupations.
    • Construction trades workers accounted for five of the occupational fatalities within the construction and extraction occupations.
  • There were 11 occupational fatalities in management occupations.
    • Five of the fatalities in management occupations were transportation incidents.
    • Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers accounted for seven of the occupational fatalities within the management occupations.

Worker characteristics

  • Male workers accounted for 77 (92.8%) of the 83 fatal occupational injuries.
    • Forty of the fatalities in male workers were due to transportation incidents.
  • Workers aged 45 to 54 years accounted for 23 (27.7%) of the fatalities.
  • White, non-Hispanic workers accounted for 74 (89.2%) of the total fatal occupational injuries.
    • Black or African-American, non-Hispanic workers accounted for six of the total occupational fatalities.