Fatal work-related injuries claimed 93,338 lives from 1980 to 1995, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported in two new documents.

The new reports, based on a comprehensive NIOSH assessment of data gathered from death certificates nationwide, show numbers and rates of job-related fatalities by occupation, industry, age and cause for the 16-year period. The data will help researchers and policy-makers identify high-risk occupations and industries for focusing injury prevention efforts.

"Fatal Injuries to Civilian Workers in the United States, 1980-1995 (National and State Profiles), DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-129S," provides both national and state-specific data. The other report, "Fatal Injuries to Civilian Workers in the United States, 1980-1995 (National Profile), DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-129," includes only the national data for users who do not want the additional state-specific information.

Other key findings in the NIOSH reports include:

  • Fatal occupational injuries decreased 28 percent from 7,343 deaths in 1980 to 5,314 in 1995. The average annual rate declined 42 percent from 7.4 deaths per 100,000 workers in 1980 to 4.3 per 100,000 in 1995.

  • Leading causes of job-related death during the 16-year period were motor vehicle crashes, homicides, machine-related incidents, falls, electrocutions and being struck by falling objects.

  • Male workers had a job-related fatality rate 11 times higher than the rate for female workers.

  • Workers 65 years and older had the highest fatality rate of all age groups in every industry and occupation.