What’s measured This indicator looks at the number of workplace fatalities in the region that have been investigated or are under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Division in the North Carolina Department of Labor. The data are for 2002 and 2006 and are from the North Carolina Department of Labor. It is important to note that investigated workplace fatalities do not represent the total number of fatalities reported in the workplace. Due to disclosure rules, the North Carolina Department of Labor will not disclose the total number of injuries or fatalities by county, just the number under investigation. South Carolina does not release information about workplace fatalities by county at all. Why it’s measured Outside of the home, most working age adults spend more time at the workplace than anywhere else. Workplace safety is thus another critical component of public safety. Though the number of fatalities investigated doesn’t carry the same weight as the total number of fatalities, examining trends over time still provides insight into workplace safety, particularly when examined over time. An indicator for the future would be to see if the state would release a combination of fatality and injury data by county, so as not to identify companies. Indicator results The 11 county North Carolina portion of the region had 20 investigated workplace fatalities in 2006 and 22 in 2002. Cleveland, Iredell and Lincoln counties had increases in investigated fatalities in 2006 as compared to 2002. Seven of the 8 remaining counties measured had fewer investigated fatalities in 2006 than in 2002, and one county, Union, had no change. Iredell County saw a relatively high increase in the number of fatalities investigated (from 0 to 4), one of which was a construction fatality. Mecklenburg, the most urban county in the region, had the highest number of investigated fatalities in both years (8 in 2002 and 7 in 2006). For both states, the number of investigated fatalities increased from 2002 to 2006: North Carolina went from 82 to 91 investigated workplace fatalities and South Carolina went from 93 to 107. Evaluation Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards exist to protect workers by prohibiting unsafe working conditions that can lead to workplace fatalities and injuries. The number of investigated workplace fatalities in the North Carolina portion of the region is small enough that interpreting the indicator results is difficult. The decline in region-wide fatalities could be a minor fluctuation in a longer-term stable or even increasing trend, or it could be part of a true declining long-term trend. As the number of Hispanic and non-English-speaking or limited-English-proficiency workers in the region increases, especially in the construction industry, the number of workplace fatalities may come under greater scrutiny to determine the extent to which cultural differences and language or communication problems contribute to unsafe working conditions. Culturally, Hispanics may see asking questions about safety as inappropriate questioning of authority. Two of the seven investigated fatalities in Mecklenburg in 2006 were construction fatalities, both involving Hispanics. Connections This indicator ties in strongly with the economy because of the number of people coming to the region for work. It also ties in with demographics because a community criticism has been that the growing Hispanic population is not given enough safety instruction in the construction industry to prevent injuries and death. The language barrier also can be a difficult problem for many companies to ensure compliance and understanding. |