Dept. of Labor: 107 Workers Were Killed in Missouri in 2010
On behalf of Brown & Crouppen, P.C. posted in Workers’ Compensation on Thursday, October 20, 2011
The average Missouri worker killed in a workplace accident last year was white, male, middle-aged and driving as part of their job when they were fatally injured. That is according to statistics recently released by the state Department of Labor detailing fatal workplace accidents in 2010. In all, 107 Missouri residents died in workplace incidents last year, a reduction of about 25 percent from 2009.
It appears the riskiest job-related activity was driving or transporting goods. Sixty out of the 107 deaths, or 56 percent, occurred as a result of motor vehicle, airplane or similar accidents. The single most dangerous field was the agriculture sector, especially crop production, with 23 workers dying in that industry. The construction industry had the second-highest number of fatal incidents with 12.
In its report, the Department of Labor separated the demographics of the victims to provide a picture of those killed on the job. Men overwhelmingly made up the majority of the victims: 100 out of the 107 victims were male. The workers were also nearly all white and non-Hispanic, with 96 victims fitting that ethnic makeup.
While the victims were of various ages, the largest single group of victims was between 45 and 54, who accounted for 25 fatal accidents. Workers between 35 and 44 were a close second with 23 deaths.
While 107 fatal workplace accidents are far too many, the figure is a significant drop from 2009. That year, 142 people were killed on the job. The directors of the Department of Labor credited businesses’ increased participation in his agency’s workplace safety training programs. He said that participation has increased 56 percent since Gov. Jay Nixon took office in January 2009.
Source: Occupational Health & Safety, “Workplace Deaths Drop 25 Percent in Missouri,” Oct. 05, 2011