Transportation accidents and injuries sustained in the construction and manufacturing industries continue to be the leading causes of workplace deaths. Out of the 404 reported deaths, transportation incidents accounted for 186 fatalities. By comparison, the number of transportation deaths in 2004 equaled 198. The majority of those deaths are due to vehicle accidents (97), which include multiple vehicle collisions, non-collision accidents such as overturned trucks, and vehicles striking stationary objects.

Thirty-eight workers died after being struck by a vehicle.

Construction accidents are the second leading cause of fatalities. The majority of those incidents are divided between falls and contact with objects and equipment. Falls accounted for a total of 72 deaths including falls from a lower level (62), falls from a ladder (18), and falls from a roof (26). Other construction incidents (44) include individuals being struck by an object or piece of equipment. Thirty-one individuals were killed after being hit by a falling object and 24 died after being struck by a flying object. Fifty individuals also suffered a fatal injury from exposure to a harmful substance. Out of those 54 workers, 20 died due to accidents involving electricity.

Assaults and violent acts accounted for 47 deaths. The majority of those deaths were attributable to workers being shot during a robbery (350). Five workers were also stabbed and 10 workers committed suicide while on the job. Twelve workers also died due to fires and explosions.

Looking at worker demographic data, in 2005 men continued to suffer the most on-the-job deaths at 382 as opposed to the 22 fatalities suffered by women. Likewise, wage and salary workers were more likely to suffer a life-ending injury (386) as compared to self-employed workers (18). Other worker characteristics are as follows:

Based on ethnic backgrounds, white non-Hispanic workers accounted for the majority of deaths at 206, which is a 42 percent increase over figures posted in 2003. Hispanic workers represented the second highest number of deaths at 111, which mark the first decrease in Hispanic fatalities in seven years. Black and Asian workers suffered 59 and nine fatalities, respectively.

Workers between the ages of 25 and 34 suffered the most deaths (93) as compared to 2003, when workers between 35 and 44 led the category. In 2005, workers between ages 35 and 44 accounted for 89 deaths. Workers between 45 years to 54 registered 90 deaths. Workers age 55 or older accounted for 78 deaths and those workers 24 and younger accounted for 45 deaths.