August 5, 1999

ILLINOIS WORKPLACE FATALITIES DOWN AGAIN IN 1998

SPRINGFIELD, IL - The number of Illinois workers killed on the job in 1998 fell by 10 percent from the previous year, according to a fatality census released today by the Illinois Department of Public Health. This is the second consecutive year fatalities have decreased; 1997 numbers were down 8 percent from those reported in 1996.

There were 216 workplace deaths last year in Illinois, compared with 240 reported in 1997. Nearly a quarter (49, or 23 percent) were the result of fatalities in the transportation and public utilities industry. This represents an increase over 1997, when the industry accounted for 44 deaths (18 percent). The other industry showing an increase was manufacturing; deaths increased from 19 (8 percent) to 28 (13 percent).

The Department's Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), conducted for the seventh year, is part of of a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics effort to provide a complete count of fatal work injuries in all 50 states. In Illinois, records are compiled by the Department from a variety of sources, including death certificates, worker's compensation reports, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Admistration (OSHA) reports and news reports.

The majority of workplace fatalities (201, or 93 percent) occured in the private industry; government accounted for 15 deaths (7 percent). Data for industries other than transportation/public utilities and manufacturing include the following (1997 data is in parentheses):

• Agriculture/forestry/fishing - 28 deaths, 13 percent (33 deaths, 14 percent)
• Mining - 4 deaths, 2 percent (5 deaths, 2 percent)
• Construction - 34 deaths, 16 percent (42 deaths,18 percent)
• Wholesale trade - 8 deaths, 4 percent (8 deaths, 3 percent)
• Retail trade - 20 deaths, 9 percent (22 deaths, 9 percent)
• Finance/insurance/real estate - 3 deaths, 1 percent (6 deaths, 3 percent)
• Services - 27 deaths, 12 percent (31 deaths, 13 percent)

The distribution of fatal injuries by occupation in 1998 reveals the following:

• Operators/fabricators/laborers - 84 deaths, 39 percent
• Precision production/craft/repair - 43 deaths, 20 percent
• Farming/forestry/fishing - 30 deaths, 14 percent
• Technical/sales/administrative support - 23 deaths, 11 percent
• Managerial/professional specialty - 19 deaths, 9 percent
• Service occupations - 17 deaths, 8 percent

Fatal workplace injuries were highest among men (207 deaths, 96 percent), workers 35 to 44 years of age (76 deaths, 31 percent) and whites (178 deaths, 82 percent).

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments