While a single statistic can shock, the grim mosaic of over a thousand lives lost in construction each year—a number that has tragically increased—demands not just our attention but a fundamental re-examination of safety on every worksite.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the construction industry recorded 1,056 workplace fatalities, accounting for 19.9% of all private industry fatal work injuries.
- Construction fatalities increased by 11.8% from 2021 to 2022, with a rate of 13.1 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.
- From 2011 to 2022, falls to a lower level caused 39.7% of construction fatalities, totaling over 5,000 deaths.
- In 2022, construction industry saw 1,069,140 nonfatal injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, resulting in a rate of 2.0 cases per 100 full-time workers.
- From 2021 to 2022, nonfatal injury rates in construction decreased by 5.2% to 2.0 per 100 workers.
- In 2022, sprains/tears accounted for 28.4% of construction nonfatal injuries with days away from work.
- Falls to lower level caused 33.5% of construction fatalities from 2011-2021.
- Struck-by flying objects incidents: 8.2% of construction fatalities 2012-2022.
- Electrocution from overhead power lines: 42% of construction electrocutions 2011-2020.
- 85% of construction companies with formal safety programs have lower injury rates.
- OSHA training reduces injury rates by 52% in construction firms.
- 70% of construction workers report insufficient hazard training.
- In 2022, construction injuries cost $13.5 billion in workers' compensation.
- Each construction fatality costs society $1.4 million on average.
- OSHA fines for construction violations totaled $167 million in 2022.
Construction fatalities are rising despite safety training and programs proving they can save lives.
Economic Impact Statistics
- In 2022, construction injuries cost $13.5 billion in workers' compensation.
- Each construction fatality costs society $1.4 million on average.
- OSHA fines for construction violations totaled $167 million in 2022.
- Lost productivity from injuries: $171 billion annually across industries, construction 20%.
- Average workers' comp claim in construction: $42,000 per serious injury.
- Safety investments yield $4.69 return per $1 spent in construction.
- Fall injuries cost construction $2.5 billion yearly in medical/direct costs.
- Struck-by incidents economic burden: $1.9 billion annually.
- Total societal cost of construction fatalities: $15 billion per year.
- Insurance premiums rise 25% after major construction incidents.
- Downtime from injuries costs construction $50 billion yearly indirect.
- OSHA penalties average $15,625 per serious violation in construction.
- Ergonomic injuries cost $1 billion in construction comp claims.
- Crane accidents cost $500 million annually in damages/claims.
- Trench collapse average cost: $800,000 per incident.
- Property damage from construction accidents: $3.2 billion yearly.
- Legal fees post-fatality average $250,000 in construction.
- Absenteeism from injuries: 60 million lost workdays, $10B cost.
- ROI of safety training: $6 saved per $1 invested.
- Silica regulation compliance costs $1B but saves $12B health costs.
- Hearing protection programs save $2.5 per exposed worker daily.
- Total work injury costs 2022: $167B, construction 15% share.
- Productivity loss per fatality: $1.2 million indirect costs.
- Electrocution incidents cost $1.1 billion yearly.
- Safety tech investments reduce costs 20-40%.
- Workers' comp rates highest in construction at 3.5 per $100 payroll.
Economic Impact Statistics Interpretation
The construction industry's safety statistics reveal a grim ledger where the stark price of complacency—from $15 billion in societal costs from fatalities to a $50 billion hit from injury downtime—proves investing a dollar in prevention isn't just ethically sound, it's a five-dollar profit waiting to be cashed.
Fatality Statistics
- In 2022, the construction industry recorded 1,056 workplace fatalities, accounting for 19.9% of all private industry fatal work injuries.
- Construction fatalities increased by 11.8% from 2021 to 2022, with a rate of 13.1 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.
- From 2011 to 2022, falls to a lower level caused 39.7% of construction fatalities, totaling over 5,000 deaths.
- In 2022, 479 construction workers died from falls, representing 45.3% of industry fatalities.
- Hispanic or Latino workers in construction faced a fatality rate of 17.9 per 100,000 in 2022, higher than the industry average.
- Between 2012 and 2022, struck-by incidents accounted for 10.1% of construction fatalities, with 1,066 deaths.
- In 2021, construction had the highest number of fatalities among industries at 1,058.
- From 2013-2022, electrocutions caused 8.4% of construction deaths, totaling 936 fatalities.
- Young construction workers aged 25-34 had a fatality rate of 18.2 per 100,000 in 2022.
- In 2020, COVID-19 related fatalities in construction numbered 226, contributing to total industry deaths.
- Over 1980-2022, construction fatalities totaled 33,000+, averaging 937 per year.
- In 2022, Massachusetts reported 21 construction fatalities, with a rate of 9.4 per 100,000 workers.
- Self-employed construction workers had 79 fatalities in 2022, 7.5% of total.
- From 2011-2020, 1,141 construction fatalities involved cranes or derricks.
- In 2022, 110 construction fatalities were due to being struck by objects or equipment.
- Construction fatality rate was 13.1 per 100,000 FTEs in 2022, up from 11.7 in 2021.
- In 2019, 1,061 construction fatalities occurred, 20.7% of private sector total.
- Women in construction had 23 fatalities in 2022, rate of 4.8 per 100,000.
- From 2003-2022, 8,059 fall fatalities in construction.
- In 2022, roofing work led with 112 fatalities, rate 51.2 per 100,000.
- Structural iron/steel workers had 26 fatalities in 2022, rate 27.1 per 100,000.
- In 2022, 69 fatalities from caught-in/between in construction.
- Over 2012-2021, average annual construction fatalities: 1,035.
- In 2022, Texas had 109 construction fatalities, highest in US.
- Fatalities from explosions/fires in construction: 28 in 2022.
- From 1992-2022, construction share of total US work fatalities averaged 21%.
- In 2021, 397 fall fatalities in construction, 38% of total.
- Older workers 65+ had construction fatality rate of 22.5 per 100,000 in 2022.
- In 2022, 1,056 total construction fatalities included 542 from falls, struck-by, electrocution, caught-in.
- Non-highway construction had 464 fatalities in 2022.
Fatality Statistics Interpretation
The grim punchline of construction's leading role in workplace fatalities is that a man-made environment, built to protect everyone else, remains the most statistically dangerous place for the people who build it.
Hazard-Specific Statistics
- Falls to lower level caused 33.5% of construction fatalities from 2011-2021.
- Struck-by flying objects incidents: 8.2% of construction fatalities 2012-2022.
- Electrocution from overhead power lines: 42% of construction electrocutions 2011-2020.
- Caught-in collapsing materials: 15.4% of caught-in fatalities in construction 2022.
- Scaffold failures led to 4,500 injuries and 70 deaths in construction 1980-2020.
- Trenching cave-ins cause 20 fatalities yearly average in construction.
- Ladder-related incidents: 81% of fall incidents involve ladders in construction.
- Crane tip-overs: 29% of crane fatalities 1997-2017.
- Silica dust exposure leads to 1,000+ lung disease deaths yearly in construction.
- Heat-related illnesses: 40 construction deaths annually average.
- Vehicle strikes: 12.9% of construction fatalities 2011-2021.
- Confined space incidents: 100+ fatalities per decade in construction.
- Lead exposure: 2.9 million construction workers at risk annually.
- Asbestos-related diseases kill 12,000 construction workers yearly.
- Forklift overturns: 25% of forklift fatalities in construction.
- Welding fumes cause 1,500 lung cancer cases yearly in construction.
- Hearing loss from noise: 25% of construction workforce affected.
- Musculoskeletal disorders: 34% of construction injuries from ergonomic hazards.
- Overhead power line contacts: 400 incidents yearly in construction.
- Excavation hazards: 488 cave-in fatalities 2011-2018.
- Respiratory hazards from welding: 400,000 workers exposed daily.
- Fall from roofs: 38% of roofing fatalities.
- Caught-between equipment: 22% of machinery fatalities.
- Chemical burns: 5,000 cases yearly in construction.
- Drowning in construction: 80 fatalities 2011-2020.
Hazard-Specific Statistics Interpretation
The grim truth is that in construction, the job site is a relentless gauntlet where gravity, electricity, and invisible dust are just waiting for a single moment of inattention to become a fatal statistic.
Injury Statistics
- In 2022, construction industry saw 1,069,140 nonfatal injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, resulting in a rate of 2.0 cases per 100 full-time workers.
- From 2021 to 2022, nonfatal injury rates in construction decreased by 5.2% to 2.0 per 100 workers.
- In 2022, sprains/tears accounted for 28.4% of construction nonfatal injuries with days away from work.
- Construction workers experienced 75,340 injuries from overexertion in 2022.
- In 2022, 19.8% of construction nonfatal cases involved fractures.
- From 2011-2022, average annual nonfatal injuries in construction: 1.1 million.
- In 2022, back injuries represented 22.7% of construction days-away-from-work cases.
- Hispanic construction workers had 192,940 nonfatal injury cases in 2022.
- In 2022, struck-by objects caused 9.3% of construction nonfatal injuries.
- Construction median days away from work for injuries: 11 days in 2022.
- In 2021, 1,080,360 nonfatal cases in construction, rate 2.1 per 100.
- Shoulder injuries in construction: 14.2% of nonfatal cases in 2022.
- From 2020-2022, construction injury incidence rate fell from 2.2 to 2.0.
- In 2022, 42,380 construction injuries from falls on same level.
- Women in construction had 38,720 nonfatal injuries in 2022.
- Hand injuries accounted for 17.5% of construction nonfatal cases in 2022.
- In 2022, 15.1% of construction injuries involved machinery.
- Knee injuries in construction: 9.8% of days-away cases in 2022.
- From 2012-2022, construction nonfatal rates averaged 2.3 per 100 workers.
- In 2022, eye injuries in construction numbered 12,450 with days away.
- Overexertion injuries increased 3.4% in construction from 2021-2022.
- In 2022, 28,160 construction workers suffered amputations.
- Slip/trip/fall injuries: 24.7% of construction nonfatal cases in 2022.
- In 2022, roofing injuries led with rate 4.5 per 100 workers.
- Electrical injuries nonfatal: 5,230 in construction 2022.
- In 2022, 112,340 construction cases with job restriction/transfer.
- Head injuries: 6.2% of construction nonfatal injuries 2022.
- In 2022, construction had 2.0 total recordable incidence rate (TRIR).
Injury Statistics Interpretation
While the welcome decline in injury rates proves our collective efforts aren't for naught, the sheer volume of sprains, fractures, and overexertion cases tells a story where a single misstep still means nearly two weeks away from the job and a painful reminder that in construction, safety is a daily grind against gravity, heavy objects, and our own physical limits.
Training and Compliance
- 85% of construction companies with formal safety programs have lower injury rates.
- OSHA training reduces injury rates by 52% in construction firms.
- 70% of construction workers report insufficient hazard training.
- Companies with OSHA 10/30-hour training see 37% fewer citations.
- Safety committee presence correlates with 20% lower fatality rates.
- 92% compliance with fall protection standards reduces falls by 50%.
- Toolbox talks weekly reduce incidents by 61% in construction crews.
- Drug-free workplace programs cut injuries 50-75%.
- E-learning safety training increases retention by 60%.
- 45% of construction firms lack written safety programs.
- Multilingual training reduces Hispanic injury rates by 40%.
- Near-miss reporting programs improve safety by 30%.
- OSHA audits show 65% violation rate in small construction firms.
- Safety incentive programs boost participation by 88%.
- VR safety training cuts errors 40% vs traditional methods.
- 78% of trained workers use PPE correctly.
- Compliance with trenching standards prevents 90% of cave-ins.
- Safety culture surveys predict 25% variance in injury rates.
- Post-incident training reduces recurrence by 70%.
- 60% of fatalities preventable with basic training.
- Crane operator certification reduces accidents 35%.
- Behavior-based safety programs lower injuries 52%.
- 35% of OSHA citations for lack of training in construction.
- Mentoring programs improve young worker safety 45%.
- Annual safety audits compliance: 72% effective in reducing citations.
- Hazard recognition training boosts identification by 64%.
Training and Compliance Interpretation
The data reveals an unforgivingly simple equation: the obvious, affordable, and often legally required safety measures that a shocking number of firms still neglect are precisely the ones that dramatically save lives, limbs, and lawsuits.
Sources & References
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- Reference 6NIOSHniosh.cdc.govVisit source
- Reference 7AGCagc.orgVisit source
- Reference 8INJURYFACTSinjuryfacts.nsc.orgVisit source
- Reference 9NCCIncci.comVisit source