Dive Brief:
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has revised the number of 2014 private construction work fatalities from 874 to 899, an increase of 9% from 2013 and the highest figure since 2008.
- The BLS also revised the number of 2014 work fatalities across all industries, 4,679 to 4,821, also the highest annual total since 2008, with a fatal work injury rate of 3.4 per 100,000 full-time workers.
- Changes to the original figures, which caused 33 states to upwardly revise their numbers as well, the BLS said, are a result of new source documents made available after its release of the original figures in September.
Dive Insight:
Other BLS industry-wide changes because of the new data are:
- Work fatalities involving Hispanic/Latino workers rose to 804, lower than 2013's 817. The number of non-Hispanic/Black/African American fatalities were up to 475 from 457.
- Fatalities of workers 55 and older rose by 70 to 1,691, the biggest number recorded for this demographic.
- Roadway fatalities increased 8% to 1,157
- Fall, slip and trip fatalities increased by 25 to 818
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has increased its construction safety enforcement efforts by launching national campaigns in the areas of fall protection, excavation and trenching, scaffolds and personal protective equipment. From May 2-6, OSHA will hold its 2016 National Safety Stand-down, during which OSHA plans to raise awareness of fall prevention.
The agency will also increase its fines by as much as 80% beginning in August.
