Statistics reveal workplaces still need safety improvements

The National Safety Council has been collecting and studying statistics for nearly 100 years, but the organization revealed a new section on Tuesday specifically for workplace statistics.

The database, now completely online, details injury facts, worker details and timelines, which help to understand why these injuries and fatalities occur.

“We want to double-down and be aggressive when it comes to these issues,” said National Safety Council President and CEO Deborah A.P. Hersman.

Ken Kalosh (shown above), manager of statistics at the National Safety Council, said the online database, which he has been working on for the past year, will hopefully help employers and employees make workplaces safer.

“We are eight times safer at work than we are at home, but the data remind us that our workplaces could still be much safer,” Kolosh said.

The construction industry continues to experience the most worker deaths, leading all industries with 959 fatalities in 2016. Transportation and warehousing is second with 764.

Another interesting statistic: 70 percent of nonfatal workplace assaults occur to women, whereas over 81 percent of fatal workplace assaults occur to men.

Not surprising, considering this year’s emphasis on opioid abuse awareness: Overdoses from the non-medical use of drugs or alcohol while on the job increased from 165 in 2015 to 217 in 2016, a 32 percent increase

Deaths among workers aged 55 or older totaled 1,848 – a 9.9 percent increase.

Deaths among black or African-American, non-Hispanics increased 18.6 percent, totaling 587.

Deaths among Asian, non-Hispanic workers increased 40.4 percent, totaling 160 deaths.

The entire database is available to the public at injuryfacts.nsc.org.