A new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that 78 people died on the job in New York City last year – a whopping 22% increase from 2013.
News sources report that safety advocates are blaming that number on OSHA being under-resourced and unable to carry out effective enforcement.
“Regardless of industry, there isn’t enough enforcement of our health and safety laws,” said Nadia Marin-Molina, a safety and health specialist at the New York Committee for Occupational Safety.
The construction industry had the most on-the-job fatalities – 22, up from 17 in 2013.
From the BLS report:
- There were 12 workplace suicides, 11 homicides and 2 deaths from unspecified workplace violence
- 20 deaths from falls, slips or trips
- 8 fatalities resulting from contact with heavy objects or machinery
- 7 from exposure to toxic substances
- 4 from fires and explosions
2014 victims were
- mostly men (71)
- ages 55 to 64 years old (22)
- Hispanic (32)
- White (28)
- Asian (10)
