While every day on a construction site brings its own dangers, the stark reality is that one of every five workplace deaths in America happens in this industry, claiming over a thousand lives in 2022 alone.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, construction workers experienced 1,056 fatal injuries, accounting for 19.9% of all workplace fatalities in the US.
- The construction industry had a fatal injury rate of 13.1 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2022.
- Falls to a lower level caused 395 construction fatalities in 2022, representing 37.4% of construction deaths.
- Construction nonfatal injury rate was 2.1 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022.
- In 2022, construction had 150,360 nonfatal injuries and illnesses with days away from work.
- Sprains, strains, tears accounted for 32.4% of construction nonfatal cases in 2022.
- Falls, slips, trips caused 47% of nonfatal construction injuries in 2022.
- Overexertion and bodily reaction: 34% of construction nonfatal days-away cases 2022.
- Struck by object or equipment: 17% of construction nonfatal injuries 2022.
- Construction workers aged 25-34 had 32% of nonfatal injuries in 2022.
- Males comprised 92% of construction injury cases in 2022.
- Hispanic workers: 30% of construction nonfatal injuries 2022.
- Construction costs $170 billion annually in US due to injuries 2022.
- Fatalities cost $1.4 million per death in construction.
- Nonfatal injury average cost: $42,000 per case 2022.
Construction injury statistics show many dangerous risks but also progress through improved safety standards.
Causes of Injuries
1Falls, slips, trips caused 47% of nonfatal construction injuries in 2022.
Verified2Overexertion and bodily reaction: 34% of construction nonfatal days-away cases 2022.
Verified3Struck by object or equipment: 17% of construction nonfatal injuries 2022.
Verified4Contact with objects/equipment: 15% of cases 2022.
Directional5Exposure to harmful substances: 3% of construction injuries 2022.
Single source6Caught in/between: 5% of nonfatal construction cases 2022.
Verified7Lifting caused 22% of overexertion injuries in construction 2022.
Verified8Slips without fall: 4% of construction nonfatal 2022.
Verified9Trips without fall: 3.5% of cases 2022.
Directional10Nail gun injuries: 3,700 annually average 2011-2021 in construction.
Single source11Power tool cuts: 12% of hand injuries in construction.
Verified12Scaffold-related injuries: 4,500 nonfatal annually.
Verified13Ladder incidents: 20% of fall injuries from same level.
Verified14Trenching injuries: 500 nonfatal caught-in cases yearly.
Directional15Crane strikes: 71 nonfatal injuries 2011-2021.
Single source16Welding burns: 2,100 eye injuries annually.
Verified17Silica exposure respiratory cases: 1,200 in construction yearly.
Verified18Asbestos-related non-acute injuries: 800 cases reported.
Verified19Heat-related illnesses: 450 cases in construction 2022.
Directional20Noise-induced hearing loss claims: 2,500 annually.
Single source21Vehicle backs-over: 1,200 struck-by cases yearly.
Verified22Forklift tip-overs: 300 injuries in construction.
Verified23Electrical shocks nonfatal: 1,800 cases 2022.
Verified24Inhalation of fumes: 900 respiratory cases 2022.
Directional25Manual material handling: 40% of musculoskeletal disorders.
Single sourceCauses of Injuries Interpretation
The construction site is a masterclass in chaotic physics, where gravity is the leading cause of insults, your own body is its own worst enemy, and the inanimate objects around you have a surprising, and statistically significant, vendetta.
Fatalities
1In 2022, construction workers experienced 1,056 fatal injuries, accounting for 19.9% of all workplace fatalities in the US.
Verified2The construction industry had a fatal injury rate of 13.1 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2022.
Verified3Falls to a lower level caused 395 construction fatalities in 2022, representing 37.4% of construction deaths.
Verified4Struck by object or equipment resulted in 151 construction fatalities in 2022.
Directional5From 2011-2022, construction saw an average of 1,028 fatalities per year.
Single source6In 2021, 964 construction workers died on the job, a rate of 12.2 per 100,000 workers.
Verified7Hispanic or Latino construction workers had 424 fatalities in 2022, 40% of total construction deaths.
Verified8In New York, construction fatalities numbered 53 in 2022, highest among states proportionally.
Verified9Roofers had a fatality rate of 51.8 per 100,000 in 2022, highest in construction.
Directional10Structural iron and steel workers fatalities: 26.2 per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source11From 2013-2022, 10,480 construction fatalities occurred, averaging 1,048 annually.
Verified12Electrocutions caused 73 construction deaths in 2022, 6.9% of total.
Verified13Caught-in/between incidents led to 46 construction fatalities in 2022.
Verified14In 2020, construction fatalities dropped to 1,008 due to COVID slowdowns.
Directional15Texas reported 107 construction fatalities in 2022.
Single source16Older workers (55+) accounted for 30% of construction fatalities in 2022.
Verified17In Canada, construction had 26 fatalities in 2021, rate of 8.7 per 100,000.
Verified18UK construction fatalities: 29 in 2022/23, rate 1.61 per 100,000 workers.
Verified19Australia construction fatalities: 24 in 2022, highest industry.
Directional20In 2019, 1,061 construction fatalities in US, peak recent year.
Single source21Crane-related fatalities: 29 in construction 2011-2021 average.
Verified22Trench collapse fatalities: 166 in construction 2011-2022.
Verified23Ladder falls caused 81 construction fatalities 2011-2022.
Verified24Scaffolding fatalities: 89 from 2011-2022 in construction.
Directional25Highway work zone construction fatalities: 871 from 2012-2021.
Single source26In 2022, 112 construction fatalities from falls from roofs.
Verified27Machinery-related construction deaths: 128 in 2022.
Verified28Fire/explosion caused 9 construction fatalities in 2022.
Verified29Violence/overexertion rare but 12 construction fatalities in 2022.
Directional30In 2022, private construction fatalities totaled 1,050 of 1,056.
Single sourceFatalities Interpretation
The grim mathematics of construction reveal an industry where a worker is statistically more likely to be killed by the law of gravity than by any law of the land, with falls accounting for over a third of deaths in a field that, year after grim year, averages the chilling equivalent of a fully occupied commercial airliner crashing with no survivors.
Non-Fatal Injuries
1Construction nonfatal injury rate was 2.1 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022.
Verified2In 2022, construction had 150,360 nonfatal injuries and illnesses with days away from work.
Verified3Sprains, strains, tears accounted for 32.4% of construction nonfatal cases in 2022.
Verified4Soreness/pain cases: 20.3% of construction nonfatal injuries in 2022.
Directional5Cuts, lacerations, punctures: 13.1% of construction nonfatal cases 2022.
Single source6Fractures represented 8.7% of nonfatal construction injuries in 2022.
Verified7In 2022, median days away from work for construction injuries: 12 days.
Verified8Overexertion caused 24.7% of nonfatal days-away cases in construction 2022.
Verified9Falls on same level: 15.8% of construction nonfatal injuries 2022.
Directional10Struck by object: 17.2% of construction nonfatal cases 2022.
Single source11From 2011-2021, average 172,000 nonfatal construction injuries annually.
Verified12Eye injuries in construction: 4,100 cases with days away in 2022.
Verified13Back injuries: 38,200 cases in construction 2022.
Verified14Shoulder injuries: 19,500 nonfatal cases in construction 2022.
Directional15Hand injuries: 22,800 cases with days away in construction 2022.
Single source16In 2021, construction nonfatal rate 2.2 per 100 workers.
Verified17Carpenters had 18,900 nonfatal injuries in 2022.
Verified18Laborers nonfatal injuries: 35,600 in 2022.
Verified19Electricians: 12,400 nonfatal cases 2022.
Directional20Roofers nonfatal rate: 4.8 per 100 workers 2022.
Single source21In UK, construction nonfatal injuries: 65,000 in 2022/23.
Verified22Canada construction nonfatal claims: 12,460 in 2021.
Verified23Australia construction serious claims: 7,200 in 2022.
Verified24Knee injuries in construction: 8,900 cases 2022.
Directional25Ankle injuries: 6,200 nonfatal cases 2022.
Single source26Head injuries excluding eyes: 4,500 cases 2022.
Verified27Falls to lower level nonfatal: 17,100 cases in construction 2022.
Verified28Contact with electric current nonfatal: 1,200 cases 2022.
Verified29In 2022, 27.5% of construction nonfatal cases involved days away, restricted, or transferred work.
DirectionalNon-Fatal Injuries Interpretation
The construction industry’s annual injury report is essentially a grim, statistically-verified plea for better boots, sharper minds, and stricter safety rules, where every sprain, fall, and puncture proves that “working hard” shouldn’t mean getting hurt hard.
Trends and Costs
1Construction costs $170 billion annually in US due to injuries 2022.
Verified2Fatalities cost $1.4 million per death in construction.
Verified3Nonfatal injury average cost: $42,000 per case 2022.
Verified4Workers' comp costs for construction: $15 billion yearly.
Directional5Fall injuries cost $4.7 billion annually in construction.
Single source6Struck-by costs: $2.1 billion per year.
Verified7OSHA fines for construction violations: $150 million in 2022.
Verified8Injury rates declined 30% from 2012-2022 in construction.
Verified9Fatal rate increased 11% from 2021-2022 to 13.1.
Directional10PPE non-use contributes to 60% of hand injuries, cost savings potential $1B.
Single source11Training ROI: $4 saved per $1 spent on safety training.
Verified12UK construction injury costs: £5.8 billion in 2022/23.
Verified13Canada workers' comp payouts construction: $1.2 billion CAD 2021.
Verified14Australia construction claims cost: AUD 1.5 billion 2022.
Directional15Musculoskeletal disorders cost $1 billion yearly in construction.
Single source16Absenteeism from injuries: 2.5 million lost workdays annually.
Verified17Productivity loss: 37% of injury costs.
Verified18Medical costs: 23% of total injury expenses.
Verified19Indemnity costs: 40% of construction injury totals.
Directional20Silica regulations saved $12 billion in health costs projected.
Single source21Crane certification reduced incidents 20%, saving $500M.
Verified22From 1992-2022, construction fatal rate halved from 25 to 13.
Verified23Nonfatal rates from 4.2 to 2.1 per 100 workers 2003-2022.
Verified24COVID-19 added 1,000 respiratory illnesses in construction 2020-2021.
Directional25Climate change projected to increase heat injuries 20% by 2030.
Single sourceTrends and Costs Interpretation
The brutal math of construction safety reveals a staggering $170 billion annual toll where every saved dollar in training saves four, yet a lethal complacency persists as fatalities rise despite decades of progress.
Worker Characteristics
1Construction workers aged 25-34 had 32% of nonfatal injuries in 2022.
Verified2Males comprised 92% of construction injury cases in 2022.
Verified3Hispanic workers: 30% of construction nonfatal injuries 2022.
Verified4White non-Hispanic: 55% of construction injuries 2022.
Directional5Workers aged 45-54: 22% of injuries 2022.
Single source6Apprentices: 2x injury rate of experienced workers.
Verified7Immigrant workers: 25% higher injury rate in construction.
Verified8Union workers had 15% lower injury rates than non-union.
Verified9Self-employed construction workers: 40% of fatalities disproportionately.
Directional10Carpenters median age 41, injury peak at 35-44.
Single source11Laborers: 1.8 million employed, 25% under 25 years old.
Verified12Women: 10.9% of construction workforce, 8% of injuries.
Verified13Black workers: 7% of workforce, 6% of injuries 2022.
Verified14Asian workers: 3% of construction injuries 2022.
Directional15Workers 65+: 5% of workforce, 8% of fatalities.
Single source16High school education only: 60% of injured workers.
Verified17Temporary workers: 20% higher injury rates.
Verified18Night shift workers: 30% more fall injuries.
Verified19Small firms (<20 workers): 50% of injuries despite 30% workforce.
Directional20In UK, 18-24 year olds: 25% of construction injuries.
Single source21Canada: New workers (<1 year) 25% of injuries.
Verified22Australia: Migrant workers 18% higher claims rate.
Verified23Veterans in construction: 15% of workforce, similar injury rates.
Verified24Disabled workers: 4% of workforce, 12% higher injury risk.
Directional25Language barriers: 2.5x injury rate for limited English.
Single sourceWorker Characteristics Interpretation
These statistics paint a picture of an industry where inexperience, vulnerability, and a lack of protection—whether from language barriers, precarious employment, or non-union status—are the most reliable predictors of getting hurt.
Sources & References
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