Construction Injury Newsroom

2005 Profile For Fatal Work Place Accidents

Profile of 2005 fatal work injuries by type of incident: Fatal highway incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal workplace event,accounting for one in every four fatalities nationally in 2005. Fatal highway incidents rose by 2 percent in 2005, accounting for 1,428 worker deaths. Nonhighway incidents (such as those that might occur on a farm or industrial premises) stayed about the same. The number of workers who were killed after being struck by vehicles or mobile equipment rose from 378 in 2004 to 390 in 2005.

The number of fatal work injuries involving aircraft declined 36 percent in 2005 after increasing the previous 2 years. The 147 fatal injuries involving aircraft in 2005 was a series low for the fatality census and 24 percent lower than the lowest previous annual total. Fatalities involving railroad incidents, however, were sharply higher, rising from 50 fatalities in 2004 to 84 in 2005.

The 767 fatal falls recorded in 2005 represented a 7 percent decline from the series high recorded in 2004. Lower numbers of fatal falls from roofs (from 180 in 2004 to 160 in 2005), ladders (from 135 to 129), from stairs or steps (from 27 to 17), and from nonmoving vehicles (from 84 to 74) led to the lower overall total. However, falls on the same level (to a floor or onto or against objects) rose in 2005 (from 61 to 83).

The number of workers who were fatally injured after being struck by objects in 2005 remained at about the same level as in 2004 (604 fatal work injuries in 2005 as compared to 602 in 2004). Fatalities resulting from workers being struck by falling or flying objects rose 5 percent in 2005, though fatalities involving rolling or sliding objects were down 15 percent to 94 fatalities in 2005.