Fewer Workers Killed on Job, U.S. Finds

The number of workers killed on the job last year dropped about 2% even though employment was up, and construction was the most deadly industry, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.

Fatal work injuries last year decreased to 5,915 from 6,053 in 1999. On average, about 16 workers were fatally injured each day during 2000.

“We’ve made a lot of progress, but this report points to where we need to do better,” said Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. “We want to promote compliance assistance and training to keep reducing workplace tragedies.”

The leading cause of deaths of workers--those in all lines of work--was highway incidents, which fell for the first time since the report began in 1992, down 9% to 1,363.

In other transportation-related deaths, the number of workers struck by vehicles or mobile equipment also decreased slightly in 2000. But the number of workers killed in non-highway incidents like farm-related work rose from 352 in 1999 to 399 in 2000.

Fatalities from electrocutions, fires and explosions, and contact with objects or equipment were down in 2000, but deaths from homicides and falls both increased.

Workplace homicides increased 4%, from 651 to 677 last year, the first rise in six years. That still was 37% lower than the high of 1,080 homicides in 1994. In homicides where a motive could be determined, robbery caused the most deaths with 291 last year, up from 255 in 1999.

Among industries, construction again had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 1,154 deaths, down about 3% from 1,191 in 1999. That was the first decline since 1996.

Fatal work injuries to men were down nearly 3%, although fatalities to women increased slightly in 2000.