Fatal workplace violence among U.S. women: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2003-2008

Purpose: Homicide remains a leading cause of occupational death for women in the U.S. workplace. This study classifies workplace homicides occurring to U.S. women between 2003 and 2008 and compares these events to non-homicide occupational fatalities.

Methods: Data from the U.S. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries were used to enumerate and describe homicides and non-homicides occurring to women in the workplace between 2003 and 2008. Homicides were categorized into the four types of workplace violence using narrative text fields. Characteristics were compared between homicides and non-homicides, as well as the four types of workplace violence using Pearson chi-square tests.

Results: There were 2,508 fatalities; 74% were non-homicides (n=1,861) and 26% were homicides (n=647). Of the 647 homicides, 34% (n=223) were Type I (criminal intent), 11% (n=71) Type II (customers), 12% (n=78) Type III (worker-on-worker), and 27% (n=177) Type IV (personal relations). Hispanic women and non-white women were significantly more likely to be killed in an occupational homicide than non-Hispanic, white women (p<0.0001 & p<0.0001, respectively). As women age, the chance of dying on the job due to homicide significantly decreases (p=0.0001). The larger the size of the workplace establishment, the less likely a homicide involving a female will occur there (p<0.001). Type IV workplace violence events are significantly less likely to occur in a government worksite than a non-government site (p<0.0001).

Conclusions: Important socio-demographic and occupational differences remain between homicides and non-homicides and types of violence among working women. Further investigation into these differences is warranted.