This blog focuses on workplace injuries and fatalities caused by poor equipment, lack of training, negligence and other causes of workplace accidents. However, we don’t talk much about worker injuries and deaths caused by violence. However, in 2012, ten people died in shootings that happened on the job in New York City. Another seven were killed by co-workers in non-gun-related homicides.
These deaths are a little less than a quarter of all workplace deaths in New York during that year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released this data on September 19, 2013, showing that there were 75 workplace deaths in the city, according to preliminary information.
During the same time period, 4,383 workers nationally died on the job, according to the 2012 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, released in August.
Almost all of the people who died on the job in New York City were male – 73 out of the total 75. Half of them were black or Hispanic, contrasting with national statistics showing around a quarter of workplace fatalities were among Hispanic or black employees.
The most dangerous industry sector for all types of fatalities last year was transportation, utilities or trades, which accounted for 26 of the deaths at NYC workplaces. This represents an increase over 2011, when 17 fatalities occurred in these types of workplaces. The second most dangerous industry sector was construction, where 20 deaths occurred.
Workplace violence (which also includes suicide and deaths inflicted by an animal) was the most common cause of workplace deaths across all sectors. Falling was the next most frequent cause of death on the job, accounting for 21 of the fatalities. Of these deaths, 19 occurred in people who fell from heights.
Workplace deaths in New York were highest in 1993, when there were 191 fatalities across the city. The lowest number occurred in 2009, when 63 people died on the job in NYC.
Source: .Epoch Times, “Violence at Work Killed 26 in NYC Last Year,” Dep. 18, 2013.