Fatal Work Injuries in Minnesota — 2012
Fatal work injuries totaled 70 in 2012 for Minnesota, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that while the 2012 count was preliminary, the number of work-related fatalities in Minnesota increased by 10 over the year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 113 in 1993 to a low of 60 in 2011. (See chart 1.)
Of the 70 fatal work injuries reported in Minnesota in 2012, 28 resulted from transportation incidents, 14 from contact with objects and equipment, and 11 from violence and other injuries by persons or animals. These three major categories accounted for just over three-quarters of all fatal work injuries. Other major event categories each reported eight or fewer deaths.
Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles was the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 15 deaths, accounting for 21 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) The second-largest event in transportation incidents, non-roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles, accounted for nine fatalities. In the contact with objects and equipment category, eight fatalities resulted from workers being struck by objects or equipment. In the violence and other injuries by persons or animals category, all 11 deaths occurred from intentional injury by a person. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2012 data are released in Spring 2014 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)
In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2012, accounting for 41 percent of fatal work injuries. Minnesota's 40-percent share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was similar to the nationwide share. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities. Contact with objects or equipment (16 percent) and falls, slips, and trips (15 percent) were the third and fourth most frequent events, respectively, in the nation.
The agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry sector had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 20, similar to the 19 recorded in the previous year. (See table 2.) Within this industry sector, transportation incidents accounted for 10 worker deaths.
Construction recorded 13 fatalities, down 3 fatalities from 2011. Fall, slips, and trips accounted for six on-the-job fatalities in construction.
Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries with 16. (See table 3.) Seven of these fatalities were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Workers in construction and extraction occupations had the next highest fatality count at 13.
In Minnesota, 91 percent of those who died from a workplace injury were white non-Hispanics. Nationwide, this group accounted for 68 percent of work-related deaths.
Workers 25-54 years old—the prime working age group—accounted for 39 fatalities, or 56 percent, of the state's work-related deaths in 2012. Workers in this group nationally accounted for 59 percent of on-the-job fatalities.
Of the 70 persons that suffered fatal work injuries in Minnesota, 70 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remaining were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both groups was transportation incidents.
Acknowledgments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that submitted source documents used to identify fatal work injuries, in particular the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Minnesota, 2011-2012
Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles
Nonroadway noncollision incident
Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway
Fires and Explosions
Exposure to electricity
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport
Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle
Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Minnesota, 2011-2012
Other heavy and civil engineering construction
Other specialty trade contractors
Site preparation contractors
Other miscellaneous manufacturing
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
Nonscheduled air transportation
General freight trucking, long-distance
Transit and ground passenger transportation
Taxi and limousine service
Educational and health services
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Minnesota, 2011-2012
Air transportation workers
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
Commercial pilots
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Material moving workers
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by worker characteristics, Minnesota, 2011-2012
Last Modified Date: Thursday, November 21, 2013