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Investigating fatal fall injuries among US construction workers using the new BLS coding system
Xuanwen Wang, PhD, Xiuwen Sue Dong, DrPH, and Julie Largay, MPH
CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, USA
8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries in the construction
industry. Despite the significance, detailed data (e.g., the distance
fallen), were not available in the past. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) has substantially revised the Occupational Injury and Illness
Classification System (OIICS). This study examined the effects of the
revised OIICS on safety and health surveillance by focusing on
construction fall injuries.
Two code sections used to define fatalities in the OIICS, “Event or
Exposure” and “Source”, were compared using 2010 and 2011
Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). Univariate analysis and
cross-tabulations were conducted using SAS version 9.2.
Event or Exposure: The manner in which the injury or illness was
produced or inflicted. For example: Fires, Falls, etc.
Source : The objects, substances, equipment, and other factors
responsible for the injury or illness or that precipitated the Event or
Exposure. For example: Machinery, Vehicles, Tools, etc.
Codes for Event or Exposure
OIICS version 2007 vs. version 2.01
Version 2007
Division
6
Version 2.01
Title
Division
Assaults and Violent Acts
1
Contact with electric current
Struck by object
Fatal Falls/slips/trips in Selected Industries, 2011
Transportation
Retail
28
24
Education
19
Health care
19
Wholesale
18
Public admin
16
Mining
13
Utilities
11
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. http://www.bls.gov/data/#injuries.
6-10 feet
21.9%
Fires and Explosions
3
Fires and Explosions
1
Falls
4
Falls, Slips, Trips
21-25 feet
26-30 feet
5
Exposure to Harmful Substances or
Environments
0
Exposure to Harmful Substances or
Environments
Contact with Objects and
Equipment
2
Bodily Reaction and Exertion
3
9
6
Contact with Objects and Equipment
7
Overexertion and Bodily Reaction
11-15 feet
18.2%
Unspecified
Other fall to lower
level: 74.7%
10.1%
Other Events or Exposures
9999 Nonclassifiable
9999 Nonclassifiable
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System, Version 2007 and 2.01.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Fatality data for this chart were obtained from the U.S. BLS through a special data request.
0
1
Containers
2
Furniture and Fixtures
3
Machinery
18.2%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Note: Deaths that do not meet BLS publication criteria are excluded.
Data for this chart were obtained from the U.S. BLS through a special data request.
Fatal Falls by Primary Source in Construction, 2010
(OIICS 2007)
Fatal Falls to Lower Level in Construction, by Causes &
Height, 2011 (OIICS 2.01)
Other fall to lower level (433x)
Through surface/existing opening (432x)
Version 2.01
Title
Chemicals and Chemical
Products
Division
1
2
Title
Chemicals and Chemical
Products
Containers, Furniture, and
Fixtures
60
50
Other structures & surfaces: 11.6%
4
6
7
Structures and Surfaces
Tools, Instruments, and
Equipment
7
Structures and Surfaces
Tools, Instruments, and
Equipment
8
Vehicles
8
Vehicles
9
Other Sources
9
Other Sources
9999
Nonclassifiable
9999
Nonclassifiable
5
Ground: 39.3%
Machinery
Parts and Materials
Persons, Plants, Animals, and
Minerals
Parts and Materials
Persons, Plants, Animals, and
Minerals
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System, Version 2007 and 2.01.
Sidewalks, paths, outdoor
walkways: 10.1%
45
45
40
30
25
25
20
20
20
13
0
6 ft or
less
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
Height of fall
30 ft or Unspecfied
more
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Note: Deaths that do not meet BLS publication criteria are excluded.
Data for this chart were obtained from the U.S. BLS through a special data request.
Floors: 28.8%
Highlights
Source: Fatal injury data were generated by the authors with restricted access to BLS CFOI micro data. The views
expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the BLS.
Fatal Falls/slips/trips by Primary Source in
Construction, 2011 (OIICS 2.01)
Total = 269 deaths
Floors/Ground: 3.3%
Other: 1.9%
Vehicles: 4.8%
Machinery: 5.2%
Roofs: 33.8%
Scaffolds, staging: 13.0%
Fall from scaffold,
staging (116x): 13.9%
 In 2011, about one-third of construction fall fatalities were falls from
15 feet or less.
 Under OIICS version 2007, Ground/Floors was the “Source” of
nearly 70% of construction fall fatalities in 2010; while under version
2.01, such injuries were coded under more explanatory categories
(e.g. Roofs or Ladders).
 The removal of codes with leading zeroes makes data manipulation
(for example, data sorting) easier and eliminates possible confusion
between codes such as 0319 and 319.
 Distances of falls are available only in a portion of cases.
 Some categories may be too general to obtain meaningful results.
For example, about 75% of construction fall fatalities are coded as
“Other fall to lower level”.
 For detailed information on fall injuries, both “Source” and “Event” in
version 2.01 should be used for cross-tabulations .
 There is no bridge between version 2007 and version 2.01. Data
prior to 2011 are not completely comparable to data from 2010 and
forward.
Conclusions
Other structures & surfaces: 14.1%
Fall from roof (115x): 33.7%
Ladders: 23.8%
Source: Fatal injury data were generated by the authors with restricted access to BLS CFOI micro data. The views
expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the BLS.
54
10
Total = 267 deaths
Other: 3.4% Fall down stairs or steps (111x): 1.9%
Fall on same level (13xx): 3.0%
Fall to lower level, n.e.c. (119x):
6.4%
Fall from nonmoving
vehicle (118x): 6.4%
Fall from ladder (113x):
Fall from building girder
25.8%
or other structural steel
(117x): 5.6%
From collapsing structure or equipment (431x)
Other : 6.0%
Street, road: 4.1%
3
16-20 feet
30 feet or more
8.1%
Fatal Falls in Construction by Event or Exposure, 2010
(OIICS 2007)
269
37
Less than 6 feet
5
Deaths
Agriculture
Fall through surface or existing
opening (432x): 13.0%
Number of deaths
Number of deaths
Source: CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. 2013. The Construction Chart Book: The
U.S. Construction Industry and Its Workers, Fifth edition. Silver Spring, MD: CPWR.
50
10.1%
Transportation Incidents
6
Manufacturing
Fall from collapsing structure or equipment
(431x): 8.9%
2
5
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
5.3%
8.1%
Transportation Accidents
4
Construction
Other: 1.5%
Total = 267 deaths
256
Fall to lower level
Highway incident
Total = 247 deaths
4
Division
Year
Fall on same level (42xx): 1.9%
Title
Violence and Other Injuries by Persons or
Animals
Version 2007
258
Fatal Falls to Lower Level in Construction,
by Height of Fall, 2011 (OIICS 2.01)
Total = 269 deaths
Codes for Source
OIICS version 2007 vs. version 2.01
Leading Causes of Fatalities in Construction, 19922010
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
Fatal Falls/slips/trips in Construction by Event or
Exposure, 2011 (OIICS 2.01)
Main findings
Introduction
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Note: Data for this chart were obtained from the U.S. BLS through a special data request.
 OIICS version 2.01 provides more detailed information than version
2007, thus enhancing the data’s usefulness for injury prevention.
 Information on the height of falls along with information on what the
worker fell from can be used in designing fall prevention equipment
and developing industry safety standards and best practices.
This work was supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Grant No. 1U60OH009762. Any errors in this presentation are the authors’ sole responsibility. For more information, please contact: Sue Dong sdong@cpwr.com