Workplace Deaths Rise in North Carolina; Overall Injury Rate Drops

There were 48 fatal workplace accidents in North Carolina in 2010, a tally that is up from 34 in the previous year but below the five-year average of 53.2.

At the same time, the state’s overall injury and illness rate is currently at an all time low for private industry, according to North Carolina Department of Labor officials.

“Any workplace death is a tragedy and of great concern because it affects so many people—the family, co-workers, the community and our department,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. “We’ll redouble our efforts and work even harder to prevent these accidents from happening, and we’ll call on employers and employees across the state to recommit themselves to workplace safety and health in 2011.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Division of the state’s labor department has identified four hazards that have caused 80 percent of the work-related deaths during the past decade. The leading cause of the work-related fatalities in 2010 was struck-by accidents with 16 fatalities, followed by falls with 15. Nine workers were crushed by objects, and four were electrocuted. Four workers died in other fatal events.

“Many of the fatalities involved falls or crushed-by accidents and these can be avoided by using fall protection and paying close attention to your surroundings,” said Allen McNeely, director of the OSHD.

The injury and illness rate has steadily declined from 5.3 per 100 fulltime workers in 2000 to 3.1 in 2009.

“The injury and illness rate is encouraging for our state because it shows dramatic reduction in the number of employees injured per 100 workers,” Berry said. “Although injuries and illnesses are headed in the right direction, the ultimate injury—a fatal accident—is not.”

Manufacturing, dropped from eight fatalities in 2009 to six in 2010. Construction fatalities increased by one to 15 in 2010. There were six fatalities in the service industry, the same number as in 2009. Transportation and public utility fatalities increased from one in 2009 to five in 2010. Wholesale trade experienced five fatalities, and retail trade experienced four in 2010, an increase from no fatalities for wholesale trade and one for retail trade in 2009. Agriculture, forestry and fishing fatalities increased from two in 2009 to four in 2010. Finance, insurance and real estate accounted for three of the 2010 fatalities; there were none in that sector in 2009.

There were no work-related fatalities in 66 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. Mecklenburg County experienced the most fatalities with seven.

Whites accounted for 32 of the 48 workplace deaths. Blacks and Hispanics accounted for seven apiece. One victim was Asian and one was Native American. Men accounted for 47 of the 48 workplace fatalities.