Fatalities in the workplace

Recent figures released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration raised some controversy, but also shed light on developments in the American economy.  The number of workplace fatalities was down significantly when compared with figures from 1992.  Union members pointed out that most of the recent reduction occurred in transportation industries which are not governed by OSHA.  We presume the numbers are also a reflection of more dangerous manufacturing activities moving overseas in the past 15 years.  The four occupations with the highest fatality rates in 2007 were fishing, logging, aircraft crews, and structural iron and steel workers.  Fatal falls rose 39 percent from 1992, while workplace homicides increased by 13 percent in the past year,  and deaths among police officers rose by 30 percent from 2006 to 2007.