In 2005, there were 5,734 fatal workplace injuries
The nation’s workplace safety laws are too weak to effectively protect the nation’s workers, according to the new AFL-CIO annual study: “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect.” In 2005, there were 5,734 fatal workplace injuries, with significant increases in fatalities among Latino, African-American, foreign-born and young workers.
On average, 16 workers were fatally injured and more than 12,000 workers were injured or made ill each day of 2005. These statistics do not include deaths from occupational diseases, which claim the lives of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 workers each year. Overall, the rate of workplace fatalities decreased slightly from 4.1/100,000 workers in 2004 to 4.0/100,000 workers in 2005.
“The number of workers killed, injured and diseased on the job each year is a national tragedy and disgrace. It’s time for the Bush Administration to wake up and see there are real solutions to preventing workplace injuries and deaths. Enforceable safety laws. Better funding for OSHA. Voices for workers on the job,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.
“Instead of rolling back workplace safety measures, the Bush Administration should meet its responsibility to provide needed protections for America’s workers.”
The Bush Administration’s proposed FY 2008 budget for worker safety and health programs provides $490 million for OSHA, which, adjusting for inflation, represents a $25 million cut since the Administration took office. Federal OSHA enforcement staffing levels have been cut from 1,683 to 1,543 positions and staffing for the development of safety and health standards from 100 to 83 positions.
To inspect each workplace, it would take federal OSHA 133 years with its current number of inspectors. In seven states (Florida, Delaware, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Maryland, and South Dakota), it would take more than 150 years for OSHA to pay a single visit to each workplace. In 18 states, it would take between 100 and 149 years to visit each workplace once.
The current level of federal and state OSHA inspectors provides one inspector for every 63,670 workers. This compares to a benchmark of one labor inspector for every 10,000 workers recommended by the International Labor Organization for industrialized countries.
In the states of Arkansas, Florida, Delaware, Nebraska, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, the ratio of inspectors to employees is greater than 1/100,000 workers.
The fatality rate among Latino workers in 2005 was 23 percent higher than the fatal injury rate for all U.S. workers. In 2005, fatal injuries among Latino workers increased by 2 percent over 2004, with 923 fatalities among this group of workers, the highest number ever reported. The rate of fatal injuries to Latino workers decreased from 5.0 per 100,000 workers in 2004 to 4.9 per 100,000 workers in 2005.
Wyoming, Montana, and Mississippi had the highest rates of worker fatalities in the last year while Rhode Island and Vermont had the best record of workplace safety. Twenty-four states saw an increase in either the rate or number of fatalities between 2004 and 2005, with Mississippi, Montana, and South Dakota having the biggest increases in fatality rates.
The release of the AFL-CIO Death on the Job report coincides with Workers Memorial Day, April 28, which commemorates workers who died or were injured in the past year. As part of the day of remembrance, community and union members from around the world are participating in hundreds of events to remember local workers and draw attention to the “unfulfilled promise” of worker safety.
Also for the week of Workers Memorial Day, two hearings are being held in Congress to investigate current job safety protections in the United States. On Tuesday, April 24, the House of Representatives investigated if OSHA standards are keeping up with workplace hazards. On Thursday, April 26, the Senate held a hearing on the state of workplace safety and health protections. Peg Seminario, the Director of Safety and Health at the AFL-CIO will testify before the Senate committee, arguing that enforceable safety regulations are crucial to protecting today’s workforce.
