Hoosier Work Deaths At Historic Low

Last updated on Tuesday, December 20, 2016

(INDIANAPOLIS) - Monday, the Indiana Department of Labor (IDOL) released its annual preliminary Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) report for 2015.

The IDOL reported 115 worker deaths in 2015, tying 2012 with the lowest total since the CFOI report was introduced in 1992.

Commissioner of Labor Rick Ruble acknowledged the news as progress, but noted there is still work to be done. "Employers have focused on safety in recent years, and we are starting to see that reflected in our injury and illness numbers. 2015 tied the records for the lowest nonfatal injury and illness rates and the lowest fatal injury rates. This is a testament to the hard work of Hoosier employers, employees, trade groups, labor unions and the Indiana Department of Labor. However, 115 families still lost a loved one and we must continue our efforts to make Indiana a safe place to work."

Some findings of the 2015 CFOI report include:

The IDOL reported 115 worker deaths in 2015, tying 2012 as the lowest total experienced since the CFOI report was introduced in 1992.
Forty-eight percent (55) of the occupational fatalities reported in 2015 were a result of a transportation-related incident. More than half (66 percent) of the workplace transportation-related deaths reported in 2015 were attributed to a roadway incident involving motorized land vehicles.
Most often, men suffered a workplace fatality (90 percent) in 2015.
Most major Hoosier industries experienced a reduction in workplace fatalities in 2015.
The Hoosier construction industry experienced a large percentage decrease (39 percent) in workplace deaths in 2015.
The Hoosier agriculture, forestry fishing and hunting industry experienced a large percentage decrease (18 percent) in workplace deaths in 2015.
The number one cause of worker fatalities in Indiana in 2015 was vehicle crashes; specifically roadway motor vehicle accidents (36 incidents) and non-roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles (8 incidents).
An overview of the CFOI data is attached as a reference. The BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses data for 2016 is scheduled for release in December 2017.

About the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) Data:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data for Indiana includes work-related fatalities resulting from unintentional and intentional injuries. CFOI uses multiple data sources to identify, document, and verify work-related injury deaths. On an annual basis, thousands of documents including death certificates are reviewed by the Indiana Department of Labor's QMS Division staff to provide this data. CFOI began tracking the data in 1991.

About the Indiana Department of Labor:

The mission of the Indiana Department of Labor is to advance the safety, health and prosperity of Hoosiers in the workplace. In order to make significant strides, we emphasize both enforcement and compliance assistance by employers. www.in.gov/dol.

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