Construction remains one of the most dangerous places to work, with a fatal injury rate of 8.9 deaths per 100,000 full time equivalent workers in 2022. Even more striking, 1 in 6 workplace fatal injuries in the US involved construction trades and 69% of construction deaths occurred at worksites where the worker was working at height. As you compare falls, trench collapses, and machinery contact alongside injury and illness days away, the pattern of risk becomes clearer and harder to ignore.
Key Takeaways
- 3.6% of all workplace fatalities in the United States involved construction trades in 2022
- 1,016 workers died in construction in the United States in 2022
- In 2022, workers in construction had a fatal injury rate of 8.9 deaths per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers (FTEs)
- $163 billion per year is the estimated cost of work-related injuries and illnesses in the United States from household costs
- 1 fatality can correspond to $1.5 million to $4 million in total societal costs, depending on assumptions (including productivity and quality-of-life)
- $1.0 billion annual savings potential in construction from reducing serious injuries (US estimate range narrowed in study)
- 2.0x higher accident rates were reported on work sites using older equipment vs. modern equipment in a construction equipment safety study
- 25% of construction workers who died were aged 55 and older in 2022 (BLS CFOI age distribution)
- In the US, 75% of fatalities among construction workers occurred in the 25–64 age range (CFOI distribution)
- In 2022, 13% of construction fatalities in the US were among Black workers (CFOI race/ethnicity distribution)
- In 2022, 69% of construction fatalities in the US occurred at worksites where the worker was working at height (CFOI event narrative coding summary)
- In 2022, 9% of construction fatalities in the US involved contact with machinery/equipment
- 1.5 million workers in the EU are estimated to be exposed to falling risks at work (share across sectors; construction-relevant)
Construction deaths and serious injuries remain concentrated in key risk areas like falls and unsafe equipment, with high costs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Workplace Injury Rates10 stats
01
3.6% of all workplace fatalities in the United States involved construction trades in 2022
02
1,016 workers died in construction in the United States in 2022
03
In 2022, workers in construction had a fatal injury rate of 8.9 deaths per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers (FTEs)
04
In 2022, construction accounted for 4.5% of all worker injuries and illnesses involving days away from work
05
1 in 6 fatal work injuries in the US happened in construction in 2022 (share of all workplace fatalities)
06
In 2022, the median number of days away from work for injuries involving overexertion and bodily reaction in construction was 8 days
07
2.2 million work-related injuries requiring at least 4 days of absence occurred in the EU in 2019 across all sectors (context)
08
1 in 5 construction workers experience a musculoskeletal disorder annually (review estimate; construction-specific)
09
29% of construction workers report low back pain in cross-sectional surveys (systematic review)
10
In 2022, 9,500 construction-related worksite injuries resulting in days away were recorded in the BLS CFOI data subset (value for construction, days away)
Interpretation
Workplace Injury Rates Interpretation
For the workplace injury rates in construction, fatalities are notably concentrated with 1,016 deaths in 2022 and 8.9 fatal injuries per 100,000 FTE workers, while injuries that keep people out of work are also substantial with 9,500 construction-related days away cases recorded in BLS CFOI data.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
$163 billion per year is the estimated cost of work-related injuries and illnesses in the United States from household costs
02
1 fatality can correspond to $1.5 million to $4 million in total societal costs, depending on assumptions (including productivity and quality-of-life)
03
$1.0 billion annual savings potential in construction from reducing serious injuries (US estimate range narrowed in study)
04
$40,000median cost for a serious fall-related injury claim in construction in the US (workers’ comp claim severity)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, construction can capture about $1.0 billion in annual savings by reducing serious injuries, especially since a single serious fall claim alone can cost a median of $40,000 and even one fatality can represent $1.5 million to $4 million in societal costs.
03 · Category
Industry Trends1 stats
01
2.0x higher accident rates were reported on work sites using older equipment vs. modern equipment in a construction equipment safety study
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends show that construction work sites using older equipment experience accident rates that are 2.0x higher than those using modern equipment, underscoring the safety value of equipment upgrades.
More related reading
04 · Category
Workforce & Demographics3 stats
01
25% of construction workers who died were aged 55 and older in 2022 (BLS CFOI age distribution)
02
In the US, 75% of fatalities among construction workers occurred in the 25–64 age range (CFOI distribution)
03
In 2022, 13% of construction fatalities in the US were among Black workers (CFOI race/ethnicity distribution)
Interpretation
Workforce & Demographics Interpretation
For the workforce and demographics in construction, people aged 55 and older accounted for 25% of worker deaths in 2022, while 13% of fatalities were among Black workers, showing that both an aging workforce and racial disparities are key issues to address.
05 · Category
Hazard Mechanisms6 stats
01
In 2022, 69% of construction fatalities in the US occurred at worksites where the worker was working at height (CFOI event narrative coding summary)
02
In 2022, 9% of construction fatalities in the US involved contact with machinery/equipment
03
1.5 million workers in the EU are estimated to be exposed to falling risks at work (share across sectors; construction-relevant)
04
3% of construction fatalities in the US involved trenching or excavation collapses (CFOI event narrative)
05
4.7x higher risk of injury when lockout/tagout is not followed in industrial construction contexts (meta-analysis)
06
2.4x higher risk of falls when guardrails are not installed on scaffolds (study finding)
Interpretation
Hazard Mechanisms Interpretation
Across hazard mechanisms in construction, falls dominate the risk picture with 69% of US construction fatalities in 2022 occurring at work at height and additional evidence showing 1.5 million EU workers are exposed to falling risks, while weaker controls also matter as indicated by 2.4 times higher fall risk when scaffold guardrails are not installed.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Alexander Schmidt. (2026, February 13). Construction Accident Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/construction-accident-statistics
MLA
Alexander Schmidt. "Construction Accident Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/construction-accident-statistics.
Chicago
Alexander Schmidt. 2026. "Construction Accident Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/construction-accident-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)