Occupational fatality

An occupational fatality is a death that occurs while a person is at work or performing work related tasks. Occupational fatalities are also commonly called “occupational deaths” or “work-related deaths/fatalities” and can occur in any industry or occupation.

Common causes of occupational fatalities include falls, machine-related incidents, motor vehicle accidents, electrocution, falling objects, homicides and suicides. Occupational fatalities can be prevented.

In the United States in 2006, 41% of occupational fatalities occurred during a transportation incident, 17% occurred after a worker came into contact with an object or equipment, and 15% occurred as a result of a fall. The remaining 12% of deaths were the result of chemical or environmental exposures (9%) and fires or explosions (3%). Lastly, 15% of all occupational fatalities are the consequences of assault and other violent acts in the workplace.

Many factors contribute to a fatal incident at work. Lack of appropriate employee training and failure to provide and enforce the use of safety equipment are frequent contributors to occupational fatalities. In some cases, employees do receive safety training, but language barriers prevent the employee from fully understanding the safety procedures. Incidents can also be the result of insufficient supervision of inexperienced employees or employees who have taken on a responsibility for which they are not properly trained. Poor worksite organization, staffing and scheduling issues, unworkable policies and practices and workplace culture can all play a role in occupational fatalities. In any case, the incident leading to an occupational fatality is generally not the fault of a single person, but the tragic result of a combination of many human and environmental factors.

Although all workers are at risk for occupational fatalities, elderly workers age 65 and older are roughly three times more likely to die at work.Hispanic workers die on the job at a higher rate than non-Hispanic workers. Men account for 92% of occupational deaths.

The majority of occupational deaths occur among men. In one U.S. study, 93% of deaths on the job involved men, with a death rate approximately 11 times higher than women. The industries with the highest death rates are mining, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and construction, all of which employ more men than women.

Occupational fatalities are preventable. Prevention of occupational fatalities depends on the understanding that worker safety is not only the responsibility of the worker, but is the primary responsibility of the employer. Employers must train all employees in the appropriate safety procedures and maintain a safe working environment so that fatalities are less likely to occur. An occupational fatality is not just the fault of the deceased worker; instead, it is the combination of unsafe work environments, insufficient safety training, and negligible employee supervision that contribute fatal incidents. As a result, it is imperative that an employer address all the potential [risk] factors at the workplace and educate all employees in safe work practices and risk awareness.

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Wikipedia