New safety stats: Women injured more on the job; men die more

A new injury facts database revealed in October showed the workplace fatalities rose 7.3 percent, with men overwhelmingly represented in fatalities.

According to the National Safety Congress & Expo in Houston, increases in on-the-job fatalities were driven by issues in transportation, drugs and violence.

The new numbers from 2016 show that women are impacted by nonfatal workplace violence with 70 percent of assault-related injuries occurring to women. Injuries cost society about $151 billion annually in both lost wages and productivity.

Meanwhile 81 percent of all on-the-job fatalities are men.

Construction is the leading industry for fatalities, with 959 fatalities in 2016. According to NSC, the cost of a single workplace death is $1.12 million.

Overdoses of non-medical drugs or alcohol while on the job increased from 165 in 2015 to 217 in 2016. This represents a 32 percent increase.
Statistics showed fewer injuries from falls in 2016 over 2015.