Despite significant efforts that many businesses have devoted to safety programs, thousands of U.S. workers are killed on the job every year in the United States. The good news is that the number of workplace fatalities is falling. According to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,609 workers suffered fatal work injuries in the U.S. in 2011, down from 4,690 in 2010. The rate of fatal work injuries was 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, down from 3.6 in 2010. In Iowa, 93 people lost their lives in fatal work injuries last year. The list shown at right shows the preliminary figures for fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers by industry sector in 2011, starting with the industries with the greatest fatalities.

More fatal work injuries resulted from transportation incidents than from any other event. Roadway incidents alone accounted for nearly one out of every four fatal work injuries.

*Data for 2011 are preliminary. NOTE: Event data for 2011 are not comparable to prior years.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2012.