For workers in Indiana and Illinois, fatal accidents are highly likely for those in our highest at-risk industries. Here’s where fatal injuries happen most often in our part of the country.
Latest BLS National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
In December 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. The new BLS Report studies the number of worker deaths on the job in this country during the calendar year 2017, as reported to the federal government. Then, the BLS researchers compare this new compilation to prior years, going back to 2003. Go here to read the details regarding this latest Fatal Worker Injury Report.
The BLS researchers also break down the fatal on-the-job injury information into various categories, including (1) by state; (2) by metropolitan area; (3) according to industry; (4) by worker characteristics; (5) distinguishing the private vs. public sectors; and more.
What Accidents Cause the Most Deaths on the Job?
From their research findings, the BLS warns that falls (slip and fall, trip and fall) are the most likely cause of a fatal accident on the job.
In fact, falls are reported as being at their highest level in the 26-year history of the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
For more on deadly falls on the job, read:
- Slip and Fall Accidents in the Workplace: Severe Injury or Death on the Job
- Construction Fall Accidents in Indiana or Illinois: Great Danger of Fatal Injury in a Fall on the Job.
Meanwhile, transportation accidents (motor vehicle crashes) are considered to be the most frequent type of fatal accident. Other common causes of worker deaths include things like: violence and other injuries by persons or animals; homicides and suicides; unintentional overdoses; contact with objects and equipment incidents; caught in running equipment or machinery accidents; confined space accidents; and crane-related workplace fatalities.
For a discussion of fatal accidents in confined spaces, see, e.g.: Grain Accidents in Indiana and Illinois: Danger of Death in Engulfment, Entrapment, or Explosion.
What Lines of Work Are the Most Deadly Jobs?
Once again, the BLS found the transportation and material moving workers along with construction jobs to be the most likely to result in a fatal injury.
Together, just these two lines of work (transportation/material moving and construction/extraction) resulted in almost half (47%) of all worker on-the-job deaths. Truckers face an especially high risk.
Delving into these industries, BLS found that things are very dangerous for truckers. Truck drivers of heavy commercial trucks and tractor-trailer trucks had the largest number of fatalities.
This latest BLS trucker death toll was the highest fatality rate for commercial truckers since the BLS occupational series began in 2003.
Among other industries, fishers and related fishing workers and logging workers had the highest published rates of fatal injury in 2017. Others included grounds maintenance workers; farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers; and law enforcement officers (police and sheriff’s patrol).
BLS Report: Fatal On the Job Accidents in Indiana and Illinois
The BLS compared all fifty states according to thirteen different industry sectors, as well as compiling an overall fatality rate for each state. Alaska had the highest fatality rate (10.2%) while Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and New Jersey each tied with the lowest worker death rate (1.6%).
Which State is Riskier for Fatal Worker Accidents: Indiana or Illinois?
The BLS studies show that overall Indiana is more dangerous for workers than Illinois. However, when comparing cities within the two states, Chicago is by far the higher risk for on-the-job fatalities than any other city in either Illinois or Indiana.
In the BLS breakdown of fatal occupational injuries state by state, Indiana was almost twice as dangerous as Illinois with a fatality rate of 4.5 as compared to Illinois’ death rate of 2.8.
Comparing our local cities, it is more dangerous to work in Chicago than Indianapolis.
Among metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin MSA ranked second in the nation for worker on-the-job accidental deaths, surpassed only by New York-Newark-Jersey City. Meanwhile, Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson ranked 30th in the nation for being the deadliest MSA for occupational fatalities.
The Most Dangerous Industries in Illinois and Indiana
Among the various industries, Indiana and Illinois are found by the BLS researchers to have the following as their most deadly lines of work:
Indiana
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Transportation and utilities
- Construction
- Other services, except public administration
- Professional and business services
- Leisure and hospitality
- Wholesale and retail trade
- Manufacturing
- Educational and health services.
Illinois
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Transportation and utilities
- Construction
- Public administration
- Other services, except public administration
- Wholesale and retail trade
- Professional and business services
- Manufacturing (tied with Leisure and hospitality)
- Leisure and hospitality (tied with Manufacturing).
Seeking Justice for Workers Who Perish as a Result of Their Work Site Injuries
From this new occupational fatality report, it is clear that many workers in our local area must face serious risks of bodily injury or death each day as a part of doing their job. Construction workers, farmers, truck drivers: the industry may vary, the danger remains unacceptably high.
Those who advocate for job safety know that the sad truth today is far too many employers fail to provide a safe working environment for their workers. These companies focus on maximizing profits, at the expense of work site safety.
When an accident inevitably happens, both the company and its insurance carrier and defense team often refuse to accept responsibility, and instead aggressively try to limit or even avoid liability for the accident that has cost the life of their employee.
Under both Illinois and Indiana law, Worker’s Compensation legislation is on the books to help injured workers and their families. Claims proceed through this Worker’s Compensation system in order that these victims can have justice. Read: Workers’ Compensation in Indiana and Illinois: Work-Related Injuries and the Fight Against Corporate Greed.
For some workers, there may be special laws that apply to their fatality claims. For instance, those working at a local port may be covered by special federal laws, as will workers injured on board vessels. See, The Jones Act vs. the Longshoreman and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act for Maritime Workers.
There are also occasions where the victims may proceed outside of these statutory schemes and file independent claims under state personal injury laws. Each case is different; whether or not these claims are available will depend upon an individual analysis of the particular incident.
For more, read: Job Site Injury in Illinois or Indiana: When Accidents at Work Are Not Worker’s Compensation Claims.
If you are hurt on the job, having an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer who understands the complexities of fatal work accidents can be vital to getting justice. Please be careful out there!
