Construction once again made its annual appearance at or near the top of the list of the nation's most dangerous industries, ranking first in the number of total workplace fatalities in 2003.

In numbers released Sept. 22, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 1,126 construction workers died on the job in 2003 - accounting for more than one in five worker deaths.

A total of 5,559 fatal work injuries were recorded in the U.S. in 2003, a small increase from the revised total of 5,534 fatal work injuries reported for 2002, according to the federal government. Despite the increase, fatal work injuries for both 2003 and 2002 were the lowest ever recorded by the fatality census, which has been conducted each year since 1992.

Worker fatalities for all industries in 2003 were led by 1,350 fatal highway incidents. Fatal falls claimed 691 lives. The overall fatality numbers include 631 workplace homicides - which were down from 1,080 workplace homicides recorded in 1994. Electrocutions killed 246 workers.

While construction had the highest number of fatalities of any sector, the highest fatality rate was in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (31.2 fatalities per 100,000 workers). The second highest rate was in the mining sector (26.9 per 100,000), followed by transportation and warehousing (17.5 per 100,000) and construction (11.7 per 100,000).