Transportation ranks second in fatal injury rate
The transportation and warehousing industry suffered 805 deaths last year, second only to the construction industry’s 1,126 deaths, according to new workplace fatality statistics released by the U.S. Labor Department last week.
Truck transportation accounted for 517 deaths, or nearly two-thirds of the sector’s total.
Transportation jobs, such as truck drivers, longshoremen and railroad brakemen, are the second-most dangerous jobs, with a death rate of 17.5 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared with mining, with a death rate of about 27 and construction with a rate of 11.7.
A total of 5,559 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2003, up slightly from 2002. Nonetheless, the total number of fatalities for both years are the lowest on record.
Transportation ranks second in fatal injury rate
