>Doug, checking the hotlink above, I noticed that the '92-'98 figures
>are qualified with this footnote: "Data exclude fatal work-related
>injuries and illnesses." What do the trend lines look like with
>those fatalities included? And how much of that *is* homicide
>(which I thought was mainly a postal problem)?
Don't have historical figures at hand, but 6,026 deaths in 1998, 709 of them homicides, don't have much statistical effect on a workforce of 120 million.
Obviously, illnesses contracted because of exposure to workplace toxins are probably not captured by these counts. There are some attempts to measure those, I know, but I don't have them at hand.
The major point, though, is that there seems to be no historical uptrend. Which isn't to say the capitalist workplace isn't dangerous and barbaric, just in case someone wants to accuse me of being an apologist.
Doug
<http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.t01.htm>
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, 1993-98
Event or exposure(1) Fatalities
1993-97 1997(2) 1998
average Number Number Percent
Total 6,335 6,238 6,026 100
Transportation incidents 2,611 2,605 2,630 44
Highway 1,334 1,393 1,431 24
Collision between
vehicles, mobile equipment 652 640 701 12
Moving in same direction 109 103 118 2
Moving in opposite directions,
oncoming 234 230 271 4
Moving in intersection 132 142 142 2
Vehicle struck stationary object
or equipment 249 282 306 5
Noncollision 360 387 373 6
Jackknifed or overturned--
no collision 267 298 300 5
Nonhighway (farm, industrial premises) 388 377 384 6
Overturned 214 216 216 4
Aircraft 315 261 223 4
Worker struck by a vehicle 373 367 413 7
Water vehicle 106 109 112 2
Railway 83 93 60 1
Assaults and violent acts 1,241 1,111 960 16
Homicides 995 860 709 12
Shooting 810 708 569 9
Stabbing 75 73 61 1
Other, including bombing 110 79 79 1
Self-inflicted injuries 215 216 223 4
Contact with objects and equipment 1,005 1,035 941 16
Struck by object 573 579 517 9
Struck by falling object 369 384 317 5
Struck by flying object 65 54 58 1
Caught in or compressed by equipment
or objects 290 320 266 4
Caught in running equipment or machinery 153 189 129 2
Caught in or crushed in collapsing
materials 124 118 140 2
Falls 668 716 702 12
Fall to lower level 591 653 623 10
Fall from ladder 94 116 111 2
Fall from roof 139 154 156 3
Fall from scaffold 83 87 97 2
Fall on same level 52 44 51 1
Exposure to harmful substances or environments 586 554 572 9
Contact with electric current 320 298 334 6
Contact with overhead powerlines 128 138 153 3
Contact with temperature extremes 43 40 46 1
Exposure to caustic, noxious, or
allergenic substances 120 123 104 2
Inhalation of substance 70 59 48 1
Oxygen deficiency 101 90 87 1
Drowning, submersion 80 72 75 1
Fires and explosions 199 196 205 3
Other events or exposures(3) 26 21 16 -