2017 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 125 total work-related fatalities in Missouri in 2017.
- There were 111 work-related fatalities in private industry. Fourteen fatalities were in government.
- Private industry, service-providing sectors had 68 work-related fatalities in 2017.
- There were 43 work-related fatalities in private industry, goods-producing sectors in 2017.
- Private industry major industry sectors with the most fatalities were:
  - Trade, transportation, and utilities with 31;
  - Natural resources and mining with 29; and
  - Professional and business services with 13.
- Private industry sectors with the most fatalities were:
  - Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (NAICS 11) with 29;
  - Transportation and warehousing (NAICS 48-49) with 17;
  - Construction (NAICS 23) with 10; and
  - Administrative and waste services (NAICS 56) with 10.

Category of workers

Private sector wage and salary workers accounted for 69 of the total occupational fatalities.
- Service-providing sectors accounted for 53 (76.8%) of the private sector wage and salary worker fatalities.
  - Trade, transportation, and utilities major industry sector accounted for 23 (33.3%) of the fatalities.
  - Transportation and warehousing sector accounted for 12 (17.4%) of the fatalities.
- The goods-producing sectors accounted for 16 (23.2%) of the private sector wage and salary worker fatalities.
  - Construction major industry sector, and sector, accounted for seven (10.1%) of the fatalities.
  - Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector accounted for five (7.2%) of the fatalities.
Government workers accounted for 14 of the total occupational fatalities.
- Twelve (85.7%) of the government workers were in service-providing sectors.
  - Public administration major industry sector, and sector (NAICS 92), accounted for eight (57.1%) of the fatalities.
Self-employed workers accounted for 42 of the total occupational fatalities in 2017.
- Goods-producing sectors accounted for 27 (64.3%) of the self-employed worker fatalities in 2017.
  - Natural resources and mining major industry sector accounted for 24 (57.1%) of the self-employed worker fatalities in 2017.
  - Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector accounted for 24 (57.1%) of the self-employed worker fatalities in 2017.
- Service-providing sectors accounted for 15 (35.7%) of the self-employed worker fatalities.
  - Trade, transportation, and utilities major industry sector accounted for eight (19.0%) of the self-employed worker fatalities.
  - Transportation and warehousing sector accounted for five (11.9%) of the self-employed worker fatalities.

Event or exposure

The event or exposures of the total fatalities in 2017 were:
- 46 (36.8%) transportation incidents;
- 31 (24.8%) violence and other injuries by persons or animals
  (20 violence fatalities in 2016, 13 violence fatalities in 2015)
  - Fifteen homicides (intentional injury by other person)
    (13 homicides in 2016, seven homicides in 2015)
  - Thirteen suicides (self-inflicted injury—intentional)
    (five suicides in 2016, six suicides in 2015);
- 16 (12.8%) contact with objects and equipment;
- 13 (10.4%) falls, slips, trips; and
- 11 ( 8.8%) exposure to harmful substances or environments.

Transportation incidents

Transportation incidents was the event or exposure leading to the most (46) occupational fatalities in Missouri in 2017.
- Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles accounted for 25 of the transportation incidents. Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles accounted for 13 of the transportation incidents. Pedestrian vehicular incidents accounted for five of the transportation incidents.
- Transportation and material moving occupations accounted for 18 of the transportation incidents. Management occupations accounted for 16 of the transportation incidents.
- The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting private industry sector accounted for 16 of the transportation incidents. The transportation and warehousing private industry sector accounted for ten of the transportation incidents.

Homicides

Fifteen of the total occupational fatalities in 2017 were homicides. (There had been 13 homicides in 2016, seven homicides in 2015.)
- Thirteen of the homicides in 2017 were shooting by other person--intentional. (There had been ten shootings in 2016, six shootings in 2015.)
- Fourteen of the homicides were in private industry. Twelve of these homicides were shooting by other person—intentional.
- Twelve of the homicides were in private industry service-providing sectors. Eleven of these homicides were shooting by other person--intentional.
  - Seven homicides were in the trade, transportation, and utilities major industry sector.
  - Four homicides were in the retail trade sector (NAICS 44-45).

Source

Vehicles was the primary source in most (56) of the total fatalities.
- Highway vehicles, motorized accounted for 33 of the fatalities.
- Off-road or industrial vehicles--powered accounted for 22 fatalities.
Persons, plants, animals, and minerals was the primary source in 39 fatalities in 2017. (Persons, plants, animals, and minerals had been the source in 29 fatalities in 2016, 20 fatalities in 2015.)
- Person—other than injured or ill worker was the source for 15 of the fatalities in 2017 (13 in 2016, seven in 2015).
- Person—injured or ill worker was the source for 14 fatalities in 2017 (five in 2016, six in 2015).
Tools, instruments, and equipment was the secondary source in 25 fatalities.
- Firearms was the secondary source in 21 fatalities.
Structures and surfaces was the secondary source in 20 fatalities.
- Floors, walkways, ground surfaces was the secondary source in 12 of the fatalities.

Occupation

Transportation and material moving occupations was the occupational group with the most (33) fatal occupational injuries.
- Eighteen of the fatalities in transportation and material moving occupations were transportation incidents.
- Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 20 of the occupational fatalities within the transportation and material moving occupations.
There were 28 occupational fatalities in management occupations in 2017.
- Sixteen of the fatalities in management occupations were transportation incidents.
- Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers accounted for 22 of the occupational fatalities within the management occupations in 2017.

Worker characteristics

Male workers accounted for 115 (92.0%) of the 125 fatal occupational injuries.
- Forty-four of the fatalities in male workers were due to transportation incidents.
- Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the event or exposure for 25 fatalities in male workers.
Workers aged 65 years and over accounted for 34 (27.2%) of the fatalities. Workers aged 35 to 44 years accounted for 25 (20.0%) of the fatalities.
White (non-Hispanic) workers accounted for 101 (80.8%) of the total fatal occupational injuries.
- Black or African-American (non-Hispanic) workers accounted for 13 (10.4%) of the total occupational fatalities.
- Hispanic or Latino workers accounted for four (3.2%) of the total occupational fatalities.