Number of Workplace Deaths on the Rise in Kansas

The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) has reported that workplace fatalities in that state increased to 101 in 2007, compared to 85 in 2006 according to the 2007 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries conducted by the KDOL’s Labor Market Information Services.

The number represents an 18.8 percent increase from the previous year.

The highest number of workplace fatalities – 27.7 percent – occurred in the natural resources and mining sector, particularly in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry. In fact, farmers and ranchers was the occupational group with the highest number of worker fatalities in 2007, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the recorded deaths.

The leading cause of work-related deaths in the state continued to be transportation incidents, accounting for 47.5 percent of all workplace fatalities. Among the transportation-related fatalities, highway accidents was the leading cause of deaths, accounting for 66.7 percent. Non-highway accidents, excluding rail, air or water, accounted for nearly 21 percent of the transportation-related fatalities and railway accidents accounted for 6.3 percent of the deaths.

Other findings from the survey include:

• After farmers and ranchers, drivers/sales workers and truck drivers’ occupations had the highest number of fatalities with 14.9 percent.
• Men accounted for 86 of the 101 work-related fatalities in 2007.
• White, non-Hispanic workers accounted for 93 of the 101 fatalities in 2007 and 77 of the 85 fatalities in 2006.
• Workers aged 45 to 54 years accounted for 21 of the workplace fatalities in 2007, followed by 19 workers each in the 25 to 34 years and 55 to 64 years age groups. In 2006, workers in the 65 years and over age group accounted for 19 of the 85 worker fatalities, followed by 18 workers in the 45 to 54 years age group and 17 workers in the 35 to 44 years age group.
• Seventy-three work-related fatalities occurred in the wage and salary category in 2007, while 28 of the fatalities were among self-employed workers. For 2006, 68 worker fatalities occurred among wage and salary workers and 17 occurred in the self-employed category.
• The highest number of fatal work-related injuries in 2007- 18 of the 101 – occurred in August. Eleven fatalities were recorded in February, with September and October following closely behind with 10 each.
• Fatal workplace injuries in 2007 occurred most frequently on Wednesday, with 24 workplace fatalities occurring on that day of the week. Monday and Friday followed, incurring 18 fatal injuries each.
• Peak times of day for fatal injuries to occur were between 10 am and 11 am, between 11 am and noon and from 2-3 pm. There were 10 fatalities recorded in each of those time periods.

Source: Kansas Department of Labor, www.dol.ks.gov/