May 20, 2013
By Neal Tepel
Washington DC – A recent AFL-CIO report, "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect," said in 2011, 4,693 workers were killed on the job and about 50,000 die every year from occupational diseases. The report noted that an average of 13 U.S. workers die on the job every day while an additional estimated 137 die each day from occupational diseases.
According this AFL-CIO document, the rate of deaths on the job has not changes in the past three years , at 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers. The report noted that Latino workers face the highest rates of workplace fatalities, 14 percent higher than other workers. However, the job fatality rate had been declining steadily for many years,
"In 2013, it is unacceptable that so many hardworking men and women continue to die on the job," Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO president, said in a statement. "No one should have to sacrifice his or her life or health and safety in order to earn a decent living. Yet, elected leaders, business groups and employers have failed to provide adequate health and safety protections for working families." Trumka said that the true toll is estimated to be two to three times greater, but lack of reporting in this area results in lower official figures.
