Workplace deaths hit historic low

On-the-job injuries leading to death were lower last year than at any time since 1991, the first year the statistic was tracked, the Indiana Department of Labor said yesterday.

The 127 fatalities were most heavily concentrated among truck drivers, farmers and construction workers, and 94 percent were male. The deaths occurred most frequently while the workers were involved in transportation or through assaults and violent acts.

Manufacturers and retailers, industries that comprise nearly a third of the state’s 3 million workers, saw fatalities hit record lows.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development attributed the improvement to greater cooperation between regulators and business.