N.C. Workplace Deaths Up 90% in 2014

Work-related fatalities in North Carolina increased by 90 percent in 2014 over 2013.

There were 44 workplace fatalities, compared to 23 in 2013, the state Labor Department said.

The most work-related deaths – 18 – were due to struck-by events. Falls accounted for 13 deaths. Seven workers died after being caught in-between objects.

The construction industry experienced 19 fatalities, 12 more than 2013.

“These deaths are tragic,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. She said the average age was 43 years old, “much too young to become a workplace statistic.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Division of the department said data show that many construction accidents are happening within the first 60 to 90 days on the job and in some cases on the first day of work.

“To hear that workers are getting injured on the first day or between 60 and 90 days on the job sends a red flag that the workers are not getting the necessary training prior to starting the work,” Berry said.

She said her department provides training for free to employers for workers new to the industry or returning.

The state’s combined injury and illness rate for private industry dropped to an all-time low of 2.7 per 100 full-time workers for 2013. Based on the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Carolina was one of 12 states with a rate statistically lower than the national average of 3.3.