The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released information related to the number of workplace deaths around the country, and the results were largely promising. The nation as a whole saw a 7% drop in fatalities, with 4,383 people killed in their workplaces throughout 2012.
A new report takes a closer look at the state of workplace safety in California. In 2011, 390 people were killed while on the job. That declined last year to 339 fatalities. The drop is even bigger from 2006, when 537 people died.
A reporter attempts to analyze these findings more closely. For instance, he was able to determine that one in three California citizens is involved with the manufacturing, trade and transportation, or construction fields, three of the most hazardous industries for a worker to be in. But the report notes that there are actually fewer people working in such industries throughout the state than there used to be.
Although Orange County and Los Angeles made up a large number of workplace fatalities, with 81 between the two locales, this too represents a decline, as those areas experienced a whopping 188 deaths the year prior. Of the dozen biggest employment hubs around the country, that marks the biggest decline. Other areas of California that benefitted from a decrease in deaths were the Inland Empire, San Diego, and the Oakland and San Francisco areas.
The author comes to the conclusion that California’s emphasis on regulation has helped to protect workers.