Disparities in Fatal Occupational Injury Rates in North Carolina, 1978–2017: Comparing Nonmanagerial Employees to Managers

Abstract

Background: We examined fatal occupational injuries among private-sector workers in North Carolina during the 40-year period 1978–2017, comparing the occurrence of fatal injuries among nonmanagerial employees to that experienced by managers. Methods: We estimated a standardized fatal occupational injury ratio by inverse probability of exposure weighting, taking nonmanagerial workers as the target population. When this ratio measure takes a value greater than unity it signals settings in which nonmanagerial employees are not provided as safe a work environment as that provided for managers. Results: Across all industries, nonmanagerial workers in North Carolina experienced fatal occupational injury rates 8.2 (95% CI = 7.0, 10.0) times the rate experienced by managers. Disparities in fatal injury rates between managers and the employees they supervise were greatest in forestry, rubber and metal manufacturing, wholesale trade, fishing and extractive industries, and construction. Conclusions: The results may help focus discussion about workplace safety between labor and management upon equity, with a goal of providing a work environment for nonmanagerial employees as safe as the one provided for managers.