Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/605412
N early 4,700 people were killed on the job in 2014, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the construction industry accounting for nearly one-fi fth of those deaths. The number of construction workers killed on the job increased by 10 percent in 2014 to 874, once again making the industry accountable for the highest num- ber of worker deaths in the country. Early data from the BLS suggests a total of 4,679 Americans died on the job in 2014. The BLS releases two Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reports each year: preliminary fi ndings in the Fall and fi nal numbers in the Spring. The CFOI pulls from multiple sources to tally construction deaths and must confi rm each one in at least two ways, be it through a morgue report or investigation of the inci- dent itself. The fi nal number of deaths is usually higher than the preliminary report. Second to construction in 2014 was the transportation and warehousing industry, accounting for 735 deaths, followed by agriculture (which includes forestry, fi sh- ing and hunting) at 568. Construction's death fi gure amounts to a worker death rate of 9.5 per 100,000, placing it as the fourth deadliest industry in the United States behind agriculture, mining (which includes quar- rying and oil/gas extraction), and transportation. As has been the case for several years, falls were the leading cause of death in 2014 among construc- tion workers, killing 349 workers. Second to falls were transportation incidents at 231. These incidents typi- cally involve vehicles in a highway work zone. Finally, exposure to harmful substances or environments killed 120 construction workers, followed by contact with objects and equipment at 114. Roofi ng was the deadliest craft among construc- tion workers, claiming the lives of 81 workers in 2014. That was followed by electrical work at 78, plumbing, heating and cooling at 62 and highway work at 61. A total 206 jobsite laborers were killed in 2014 along with 38 equipment operators, according to the preliminary data. –Wayne Grayson EquipmentWorld.com | December 2015 11 reporter | by Equipment World staff Construction deaths up 10 percent in preliminary 2014 report, putting the industry on top of all industries T erex named John Garrison Jr. CEO and president Nov. 2, succeeding outgoing CEO Ron DeFeo, who will con- tinue as executive chairman through December 31st of this year, after which he will continue as a consultant through the end of 2016. Garrison previously served as president and CEO of Tex- tron's Bell Helicopter business, and held former positions in the company's industrial segment, E-Z-Go, and Case (now Case Construction Equipment). Terex changes leadership; DeFeo leaves after 23 years at the helm * Data for 2014 are preliminary. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2015 Number and rate of fatal occupational injuries by industry sector, 2014* Garrison DeFeo