Job-related deaths down in New Mexico

NM's work deaths were lower than its neighbors.

With the Great Recession comes constant updates of depressingly-high jobless numbers across the country, yet one statistic details something even more grim: death on the job.

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Luckily, it's a number that remains relatively low in New Mexico.

According to newly-released Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers, job fatalities in the state fell from 42 in 2009 to 38 in 2010. That makes New Mexico one of 23 states to reduce job fatalities since 2009.

Highway-related deaths were most common, making up nine. Six people died from long falls to a lower level.

Men made a vast majority of those last year's deaths, totaling 32. Roughly two-thirds of them were between the age of 25-54.

Industry-wise, transportation and material-moving work accounted for the most deaths, making up 11. Construction and extraction-related jobs had 9 deaths. 

In total, about 4,500 people in the United States died on the job last year, a very comparable number to 2009. Most of them belonged to our neighbor, Texas, which lead the country with 456 deaths. Arizona had 75 work-related deaths. 

New Mexico's all-time high for job-related fatalities came in 2002 with 63. It's lowest occurred in 2002 with 31.

Photo courtesy lifeatthebar.com.

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