A Graphical Analysis of Mortality Rates and Years of Potential Life Lost

Abstract

One challenge in assessing occupational fatal injuries is choosing a summary measure of the impact of these injuries. Each metric emphasizes different aspects of health risk, and fatal injury reports often focus on only one summary measure at a time. Deaths from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatality database were combined into external cause of death (e-code) groups. Graphs comparing average years of potential life lost (YPLL), mortality rate, and their product, “YPLL-rate”, are presented for e-code groups overall, industries and occupations, and e-code groups within selected industries and occupations. This integrated analysis of fatal injury characteristics allows identification of the portion of the workforce at highest risk. Homicides and electrocutions (e-code groups) had high mortality rates, average YPLL, and YPLL-rates, both overall, and within several of the industries and occupations examined. The industry and occupation of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing experienced a very high mortality rate and the lowest average YPLL for both industries and occupations. Laborer was the most hazardous occupation for young workers with an average YPLL near 40, and a mortality rate greater than 15 deaths per 100,000 worker-years.