Imagine a workplace where nearly half of all fatal accidents happen to Hispanic workers, where a single industry accounts for one in five worker deaths nationwide, and where falls alone claimed nearly 400 lives in a single year—welcome to the grim reality of the American construction site, a place where safety statistics tell a story of preventable tragedy.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the U.S. construction sector had 1,056 fatal work injuries, accounting for one in five worker deaths across all industries.
- Falls to a lower level caused 391 construction fatalities in 2022, making it the leading cause of death in the industry.
- Struck by falling objects or equipment resulted in 151 construction worker deaths in 2022.
- In 2022, construction injuries with days away from work totaled 137,090 cases.
- The construction industry had a nonfatal injury rate of 2.0 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022.
- Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for 28.4% of construction injuries requiring days away in 2022.
- Falls caused 38.6% of construction fatalities from 2011-2018.
- Struck-by objects caused 24.6% of construction deaths over the past decade.
- Electrocutions accounted for 8.4% of construction fatalities.
- In 2022, construction accidents cost $13.5 billion in workers' compensation.
- Average cost per construction fatality was $1.4 million in direct costs.
- Nonfatal construction injuries cost $11.5 billion annually.
- Ladder safety training reduces accidents by 71%.
- Fall protection use prevents 75% of fall deaths.
- Hard hats reduce head injury severity by 60%.
Construction worker fatalities rose sharply in 2022, with falls being the leading cause of death.
Accident Causes
- Falls caused 38.6% of construction fatalities from 2011-2018.
- Struck-by objects caused 24.6% of construction deaths over the past decade.
- Electrocutions accounted for 8.4% of construction fatalities.
- Caught-in/between hazards led to 5.1% of deaths in construction.
- Lack of fall protection was involved in 90% of fatal falls from roofs.
- Unsecured scaffolding contributed to 15% of fall fatalities.
- Crane collapses caused 72 deaths from 2011-2020.
- Trench collapses kill 2 workers per month on average.
- Improper grounding caused 42% of construction electrocutions.
- Overhead power lines contact led to 50% of electrocution deaths.
- Vehicle strikes caused 16% of construction fatalities.
- Backing incidents account for 45% of construction vehicle deaths.
- Ladder failures or misuse cause 81% of construction ladder injuries.
- Scaffold failures due to poor assembly in 65% of cases.
- Flying objects from power tools cause 10% of eye injuries.
- Fatigue contributes to 20-30% of construction accidents.
- Drug or alcohol involvement in 15% of construction fatalities.
- Inadequate training cited in 70% of OSHA construction citations.
- Respiratory hazards from silica cause 100+ deaths yearly.
- Heat stress incidents rose 300% from 2011-2022 in construction.
- In California, 40% of construction accidents due to falls.
- Texas struck-by incidents cause 25% of injuries.
- New York ladder accidents in 30% of falls.
- Florida crane tips due to overload in 20% cases.
- Illinois trench hazards in 10% fatalities.
- Ohio unguarded machinery causes 15% injuries.
- Georgia electrical contact in 12% deaths.
- Michigan vehicle backups 18% incidents.
- North Carolina scaffold misuse 22% falls.
- Pennsylvania lack of PPE in 25% cases.
Accident Causes Interpretation
These statistics reveal construction's grim and predictable reality: a worker's life often depends less on their own skill and more on whether their employer bothered with a guardrail, proper training, or simply securing a ladder.
Economic and Cost Statistics
- In 2022, construction accidents cost $13.5 billion in workers' compensation.
- Average cost per construction fatality was $1.4 million in direct costs.
- Nonfatal construction injuries cost $11.5 billion annually.
- Workers' comp premiums for construction averaged $2.50 per $100 payroll.
- OSHA fines for construction violations totaled $40 million in 2022.
- Lost productivity from construction injuries costs $5 billion yearly.
- Medical costs for construction back injuries average $40,000 per case.
- Fall accidents cost construction firms $2.5 billion in 2021.
- Struck-by incidents average $150,000 per claim.
- Electrocution claims cost $1.2 million per incident on average.
- Trench collapse average cost $500,000 including rescue.
- Crane accidents cost $1 million per event in damages.
- Construction insurance rates rose 15% due to accidents in 2022.
- Total societal cost of construction deaths $170 billion annually.
- California construction comp costs $4 billion yearly.
- Texas construction claims averaged $35,000 per injury.
- New York fall injury claims $100 million annually.
- Florida construction OSHA penalties $5 million in 2022.
- Illinois lost wages from injuries $1.2 billion.
- Ohio construction comp payouts $2.8 billion in 2022.
- Georgia average injury cost $28,500.
- Michigan construction fines $3 million.
- North Carolina comp costs $1.5 billion.
- Pennsylvania injury claims rose 10% costing $2.1 billion.
- Ladder accidents cost $11 billion over 10 years.
- Silica exposure litigation costs $500 million yearly.
- Heat illness claims average $25,000 per case.
- Fatigue-related accidents cost $1.8 billion.
- PPE non-compliance fines average $14,000 per violation.
- Fall protection violations cost $15,500 average fine.
- Scaffolding violations $12,000 average penalty.
Economic and Cost Statistics Interpretation
While these statistics translate into a staggering ledger of economic carnage, the real cost—measured in human lives, families shattered, and futures stolen—is a debt no column of figures can ever truly settle.
Fatal Injury Statistics
- In 2022, the U.S. construction sector had 1,056 fatal work injuries, accounting for one in five worker deaths across all industries.
- Falls to a lower level caused 391 construction fatalities in 2022, making it the leading cause of death in the industry.
- Struck by falling objects or equipment resulted in 151 construction worker deaths in 2022.
- From 2011 to 2022, construction fatalities increased by 35%, from 781 to 1,056.
- In 2021, 33.5% of all private industry fatalities were in construction, totaling 1,008 deaths.
- Hispanic or Latino workers accounted for 503 construction fatalities in 2022, or 47.6% of the total.
- Roofers had the highest fatality rate in construction at 51.8 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers in 2022.
- Structural iron and steel workers had 27.7 fatalities per 100,000 in 2022.
- In California, 99 construction workers died in 2022, the highest number among states.
- Texas reported 94 construction fatalities in 2022.
- Florida had 73 construction deaths in 2022.
- From 2012-2022, electrocutions caused 9% of construction fatalities, totaling around 900 deaths.
- Caught-in/between incidents led to 4% of construction deaths in 2022.
- Transportation incidents accounted for 18% of construction fatalities in 2022.
- In 2020, construction had 1,027 fatalities despite COVID-19 impacts.
- Older workers aged 55+ had a construction fatality rate of 24.5 per 100,000 in 2022.
- New York reported 39 construction fatalities in 2022.
- Pennsylvania had 52 construction deaths in 2022.
- Machinery-related deaths in construction totaled 88 in 2022.
- From 2011-2021, average annual construction fatalities were 955.
- In 2019, 1,061 construction workers died on the job.
- Falls caused 80% of roofer fatalities in 2022.
- In Illinois, 45 construction fatalities occurred in 2022.
- Ohio reported 48 construction deaths in 2022.
- Construction fatality rate was 13.1 per 100,000 workers in 2022.
- Women construction workers had 12 fatalities in 2022.
- In 2022, 28% of construction fatalities involved multiple events.
- Georgia had 47 construction fatalities in 2022.
- Michigan reported 31 construction deaths in 2022.
- North Carolina had 41 construction fatalities in 2022.
Fatal Injury Statistics Interpretation
Despite accounting for just one in five U.S. workers overall, construction workers represent one in five workplace deaths, a grim and rising statistic propelled by falls, preventable impacts, and stark disparities that stubbornly defy gravity, common sense, and decades of safety knowledge.
Non-Fatal Injury Statistics
- In 2022, construction injuries with days away from work totaled 137,090 cases.
- The construction industry had a nonfatal injury rate of 2.0 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022.
- Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for 28.4% of construction injuries requiring days away in 2022.
- Soreness and pain caused 10.9% of construction DAFW cases in 2022.
- Overexertion incidents led to 23,170 construction injuries in 2022.
- Falls on the same level caused 15,780 construction injuries in 2022.
- In 2022, median days away from work for construction injuries was 12 days.
- Construction laborers had 25,990 DAFW cases in 2022.
- Carpenters experienced 15,500 nonfatal injuries with days away in 2022.
- From 2011-2022, construction nonfatal injury rates decreased by 20%.
- In 2021, construction had 142,860 cases with days away, restricted, or transferred work.
- Hand injuries accounted for 18% of construction nonfatal injuries in recent years.
- Eye injuries from foreign bodies caused 5% of construction DAFW cases.
- In California, construction injury incidence rate was 2.3 per 100 workers in 2021.
- Texas construction nonfatal injury rate was 1.9 in 2022.
- Slips, trips, and falls caused 27% of nonfatal construction injuries.
- Hit by object injuries totaled 19% of construction nonfatal cases.
- In 2022, 45% of construction DAFW cases involved body parts in upper extremities.
- Back injuries represented 22% of construction strains in 2022.
- Electricians had 8,120 DAFW injuries in 2022.
- Operating engineers had 10,300 nonfatal injuries in 2022.
- In New York, construction injury rate was 2.5 per 100 in 2021.
- Florida construction nonfatal cases totaled over 12,000 in 2021.
- Construction injury claims averaged 21 days off work nationally.
- Shoulder injuries made up 12% of construction DAFW cases in 2022.
- In 2022, 15% of construction injuries involved machinery.
- Knee injuries accounted for 8% of construction strains.
- In Illinois, construction had 1,200 severe injury cases in 2022.
- Ohio reported 2,500 construction DAFW cases in 2022.
- Falls to lower level caused 12,450 nonfatal injuries in construction 2022.
- In 2022, struck-by incidents led to 18,200 construction injuries.
Non-Fatal Injury Statistics Interpretation
These numbers paint a grim, painful portrait: while our industry's overall injury rate is thankfully trending down, every year hundreds of thousands of hardworking people are still being pushed past their limits, struck by objects, or sent crashing to the ground, leading to a staggering amount of wrenching sprains, debilitating overexertion, and too many long, unpaid weeks away from providing for their families.
Safety and Prevention Statistics
- Ladder safety training reduces accidents by 71%.
- Fall protection use prevents 75% of fall deaths.
- Hard hats reduce head injury severity by 60%.
- Trench shoring prevents 100% of collapse deaths if used properly.
- Lockout/tagout compliance cuts machinery deaths by 90%.
- Crane certification reduces tip-overs by 50%.
- High-visibility clothing lowers struck-by risks by 70%.
- OSHA 10-hour training reduces injuries by 18%.
- Fatigue management programs cut accidents 30%.
- Silica controls reduce lung disease by 80%.
- Heat acclimatization prevents 50% of heat illnesses.
- Pre-task safety planning lowers incidents 20%.
- Drug testing programs reduce fatalities 25%.
- Guardrail use on scaffolds prevents 85% falls.
- Proper ladder setup avoids 75% accidents.
- Electrical PPE compliance cuts shocks 95%.
- Spotters for backing reduce strikes 40%.
- In California, safety programs cut injuries 15%.
- Texas crane inspections prevent 60% failures.
- New York scaffold training lowers risks 50%.
- Florida fall protection enforcement saves 30 lives yearly.
- Illinois trenching training reduces collapses 70%.
- Ohio machinery guards prevent 80% injuries.
- Georgia PPE usage up 25% post-training.
- Michigan vehicle safety plans cut incidents 35%.
- North Carolina ladder inspections reduce falls 65%.
- Pennsylvania silica monitoring lowers exposure 90%.
Safety and Prevention Statistics Interpretation
The grim but simple truth is that on a construction site, every safety rule and piece of gear is essentially a statistically proven amulet against fate's most brutal practical jokes.
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