MEMO: WORKPLACE DEATHS DOWN OVER PAST 20 YEARS

Workplace deaths in the United States have dropped by nearly half over the past two decades, the government said Thursday, crediting new technology, stricter safety regulations and a shift in the economy toward safer service-industry jobs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 5,285 workers died from on-the-job injuries in 1997, the latest year for which figures are available. That is a rate of 4.1 deaths per 100,000 workers -- down 45 percent from 1980, when it was 7.4.

"The hazards workers face are considerably different," said Suzanne Marsh, a statistician at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. "We're moving from an industrial country to a more of a service-oriented country."