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On-the-job deaths inch up nationally

By LEIGH STROPE
The Associated Press

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In Washington state, 82 workers died on the job last year, a slight decline from the 86 in 2002. Nearly a third died in transportation-related accidents, and 16 died from falls.

So far this year, Washington has seen 68 workplace deaths, and typically about 100 take place on the job each year, according to the state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). The total includes deaths caused by workplace injuries or illnesses.

"Motor vehicles is always the leading cause of workplace deaths, and those are across the board in all industries," said Elaine Fischer, an L&I spokeswoman. But farm, logging and fishing deaths are a major factor.

"We're a big agricultural state, and agriculture is one of the industries that's generally more hazardous," she said.

In 2002, 5,534 people died on the job nationwide — the lowest total since the survey began in 1992. The death rate came to four deaths a year per 100,000 workers in 2002 and 2003.

"American workers remain safer than they were just a few years ago," said John Henshaw, assistant labor secretary for Occupational Safety and Health.

The construction industry had the most deaths — 1,126, followed by 805 in the transportation and warehousing sector.

When the number of workers in each industry was considered, the highest death rate was in the sector of agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, with 31.2 deaths per 100,000 workers. Mining was next, with a rate of 26.9 per 100,000 workers. Construction's rate was 11.7, and transportation and warehousing's was 17.5.

Nationally, work-related highway deaths totaled 1,350 last year, compared with 1,373 in 2002. Some 861 truck drivers died on the job last year, more than in any other occupation. But logging workers had the highest death rate, with 131.6 per 100,000. The rate for truck drivers was 26.7.

"Transportation is a dangerous job," said Bret Caldwell, spokesman for the Teamsters union, which represents truck drivers and others in the warehouse, parcel and freight industries.
 
The union opposes a Bush administration plan for a two-year exemption from U.S. safety standards for foreign-built trucks that have previously entered the United States. The move is aimed at opening U.S. roads to Mexican trucks as part of a free-trade pact with Mexico and Canada.

The report said the second-most-frequent work deaths were falls, with 691 last year, compared with 719 in 2002. Homicides followed, with 631 in 2003 — an increase from 609 the previous year. Still, workplace murders were down from a high of 1,080 in 1994.

Stress and anxiety about layoffs, the transfer of jobs abroad and terrorist attacks are making the workplace more volatile, said Paul Viollis, president of Risk Control Strategies, a risk-assessment security company.

On Monday, an unarmed security guard was shot and killed at the Illinois Statehouse.

"We need to do a much better job in the United States of providing a safe work environment," Viollis said.

Hispanic workers died on the job more frequently than others, with a rate of 4.5 deaths per 100,000. Last year, 791 Hispanics were killed at work. Whites had a rate of 4.0 deaths per 100,000, and for blacks, the rate was 3.7, the Labor Department said.

Seattle Times business reporters

Alwyn Scott and Shirleen Holt contributed to this report.