A total of 5,559 fatal work injuries were recorded in the U.S. in 2003, a slight increase from the revised total of 5,534 fatal work injuries reported for 2002, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Despite the increase, fatal work injuries for both 2003 and 2002 were the lowest ever recorded by the fatality census, which has been conducted each year since 1992. The rate at which fatal work injuries occurred in 2003 was 4.0 fatalities per 100,000 workers, unchanged from the rate reported for 2002.