Workplace Injury Stats

Deaths and Injuries in the Workplace 2002:

• There were 4,900 workplace fatalities in 2002 due to unintentional injuries
• There were 3.69 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2002
• On the job, 3.7 million American workers suffered disabling injuries in 2002
• The agriculture industry accounted for 730 deaths and 150,000 disabling injuries in 2002
• Agriculture workers had the second highest death rate among the major industry divisions
• Work injuries cost Americans $146.6 billion in 2002. That amounts to $1,060 per worker.

Deaths and Injuries in the Workplace 2003:

• There were 4,500 workplace fatalities due to unintentional injuries
• There were 3.2 deaths per 100,000 workers
• On the job, 3.4 million American workers suffered disabling injuries
• Motor vehicle crashes accounted for 2,000 of the 4,500 workplace fatalities
• The agriculture industry accounted for 710 deaths and 110,000 disabling injuries. Agriculture workers had the second highest death rate among the industry divisions
• Work injuries cost Americans $156.2 billion. That amounts to $1,120 per worker.

Recommendations for Reducing Workplace Deaths and Injuries

• Greater educational effort by American companies with their work forces is needed to help reduce the rate of off-the-job deaths and injuries
• The Council recommends increased efforts for construction zone safety on both sides of the barricades
• Every company or organization should have a strict safety belt policy that requires all employees to buckle up while on the job
• All workplaces should operate with a comprehensive safety and health plan and address security issues that can prevent workplace violence.

General Workplace Injury Stats:
Today there are over 105 million workers employed in the United States by some 7 million employers. Despite these huge numbers, workplace safety has improved over the last 30 years. Through the efforts of industry and government agencies such as the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), American workers are better protected than ever before.

Despite this, there were nearly 6 million occupational injuries and illnesses among U.S. workers in 1999 alone. Put differently, 6 out of every 100 workers experienced a job-related serious injury or illness. 6,023 workers died on the job.

Construction Industry Injury Stats:
The construction industry employs over 6 million people in the United States and is considered one of the country's most dangerous professions. Each year over 8,000 construction workers are injured or killed on the job, and the statistics seem to continue to rise despite new regulations imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Dozens of workers are involved in construction-related accidents every day. Many of these accidents could have been avoided if the employer offered proper training and supplied adequate safety equipment.

What are my responsibilities regarding workplace safety as an employee?
If your employer is regulated by OSHA, you must read the OSHA poster in your workplace. You must follow all of the regulations your employer has regarding safety practices, gear and equipment. You should report all hazardous conditions to your employer and, if your employer does not take care of them, you should report such conditions to OSHA.

What are my responsibilities regarding workplace safety as an employer?
To provide a workplace free from recognized hazards and comply with OSHA rules and standards; to minimize or reduce hazards and make sure employees have and use safe tools and equipment; to establish and update operating procedures and communicate them so that employees follow safety and health requirements; keep records of work-related injuries and illnesses; post, at a prominent location, the OSHA poster informing employees of their rights and responsibilities; not discriminate against employees who exercise their rights under the Act; post OSHA citations at or near the work area involved; correct cited violations by the deadline set in the OSHA citation.

The Case For Automated External Defibrillation Programs
About 250,000 people a year die of coronary heart disease without being hospitalized. That's more than 680 Americans each day. Most of these are sudden deaths caused by cardiac arrest, usually from a rapid, uncoordinated quivering of the heart's lower chambers. This problem, called ventricular fibrillation, prevents the heart from pumping blood effectively. If this isn't reversed within a few minutes, the victim will die.

The American Heart Association strongly encourages businesses and public facilities to establish AED (Automated External Defibrillation) programs to increase the chances of survival for people with heart-related emergencies. Through an AED program a person will be better prepared to save the life of a co-worker, friend, family member, or stranger. AEDs have helped save many lives, and with a good implementation plan and proper training, one can help save more lives.

AHA and OSHA join forces to protect America 's workforce from nation's leading killers
A new alliance between the American Heart Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will help protect America 's workers from heart disease and stroke - leading causes of lost productivity, disability and death. 

Under the alliance, OSHA and the American Heart Association will work together to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, as well as develop programs to reduce disability and death from these illnesses in the workplace.

Cardiovascular diseases cost the nation more than any other disease - an estimated $351.8 billion this year in medical expenses and lost productivity.  Lost productivity from disability and death alone will cost $142.5 billion.