Construction Injury Newsroom

2005 Fatal Work Place Injury

A total of 5,702 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2005, down about 1 percent from the revised total of 5,764 fatal work injuries recorded in 2004. The rate at which fatal work injuries occurred in 2005 was 4.0 per
100,000 workers, down slightly from a rate of 4.1 per 100,000 in 2004.

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries has been conducted each year since 1992. The numbers reported in this release are preliminary and will be updated in April 2007.

Key findings of the 2005 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:

• Fatal work injuries among workers under 20 years of age were up about 18 percent from the 2004 figure to 166 cases.
• Fatal work injuries involving women in 2005 were down 3 percent to 402 cases-the lowest total ever recorded by the fatality census.
• Fatalities among agricultural workers were up 23 percent from 145 in 2004 to 178 in 2005.
• Fatal work injuries among Hispanic workers increased by 2 percent in 2005 to a new series high, though the fatality rate for Hispanic workers was lower.
• Fatal falls were lower by 7 percent after reaching a series high in 2004.
• While the number of fatal work injuries in private construction continued to be the most of any industry sector, the number of fatalities was 4 percent lower in 2005 than 2004.
• Fatal workplace injuries attributable to hurricanes accounted for 29 fatal work injuries in 2005, though this total may rise as additional cases are identified and verified.