Table 3.
Nature of OSHA-reported exertion-related and non-exertion-related fatalities in OSHA Fatality Inspection Database (2017–2020).
| Fatalities | N | Percentage | Percentage of Exertion Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4598 | 100% | - |
| Non-Exertion | 4509 | 98.1% | - |
| Accidents * | 2781 | 60.5% | - |
| Non-Accidents ** | 1728 | 37.5% | - |
| Exertion *** | 89 | 1.9% | 100% |
| Heat | 78 | 1.7% | 87.6% |
| Cardiac | 8 | 0.2% | 8.9% |
| Cold | 2 | 0.04% | 2.4% |
| Asthma | 1 | 0.02% | 1.1% |
Note: N = number of incidents; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval. * Accident data were defined as injuries that were not classified as exertion related or non-accidents; ** non-accidents were defined as injuries that included intent to harm (i.e., violence); *** exertion fatality categories created by fatality inspection database and classified as “exertion fatalities” by research team.