Falls caused one in five construction worker deaths in a single year. The industry recorded over 719,000 nonfatal injuries and illnesses during the same period. This analysis details the leading causes and costs behind these incidents.
Key Takeaways
- 5,333 worker fatalities occurred in construction in the United States in 2022
- 1,007 out of 5,333 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were due to falls
- 3,821 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were due to falls, slips, or trips
- $3.00 per worker-hour was estimated as the median cost of a lost-time injury event in a 2020 peer-reviewed cost model (from US data compilation study)
- In a US study, the average direct cost of a construction injury was $18,200 (peer-reviewed analysis of workers’ compensation claims)
- In a US workers’ compensation analysis, the average claim cost for construction injuries was $25,000 (study of ICD-10 injury claims)
- In the US, the overall nonfatal injury rate in construction was higher than the all-industry rate by about 1.2x in 2022 (BLS comparative incidence rates)
- Construction’s incidence rate for injuries and illnesses was 3.8 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS)
- Construction’s incidence rate for injuries involving days away from work was 2.0 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS)
In 2022, construction recorded 5,333 worker deaths in the US, with falls and transportation leading.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends30 stats
01
5,333 worker fatalities occurred in construction in the United States in 2022https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
02
1,007 out of 5,333 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were due to fallshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
03
3,821 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were due to falls, slips, or tripshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
04
401 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were caused by being struck by object or equipmenthttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
05
443 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were caused by caught in or between objects or equipmenthttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
06
1,097 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were caused by contact with electrical current or electricityhttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
07
3,833 construction worker fatalities in the United States in 2022 were due to transportation incidentshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
08
719,000 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in construction occurred in the United States in 2022https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/cdawork.htm
09
11.7% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in the United States in 2022 were in constructionhttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/oshcdnew.htm
10
Construction had an incidence rate of 3.8 workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS private industry)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
11
Construction had a days-away-from-work incidence rate of 2.0 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS private industry)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
12
Construction had a job transfer or restriction incidence rate of 1.1 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS private industry)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
13
Construction had an incidence rate of 4.3 for injuries involving days away from work and restricted work combined in 2022 (BLS private industry)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
14
In 2022, construction had 155,700 injuries and illnesses involving days away from workhttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1150.htm
15
In 2022, construction had 63,300 injuries and illnesses involving job transfer or restrictionhttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1150.htm
16
In 2022, construction had 43,900 injuries and illnesses involving both days away from work and job transfer or restrictionhttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1150.htm
17
In 2022, construction reported 10,100 injuries and illnesses involving loss of consciousnesshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
18
In 2022, construction reported 24,800 serious injuries involving amputationhttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
19
In 2022, construction reported 56,400 injuries and illnesses involving fractureshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
20
In 2022, construction reported 32,300 injuries and illnesses involving burnshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
21
In 2022, construction reported 129,000 injuries and illnesses involving sprains, strains, tears, or other soft tissue injurieshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
22
In 2022, construction reported 30,700 injuries and illnesses due to falls, slips, and tripshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
23
In 2022, construction reported 18,700 injuries and illnesses due to contact with objects and equipmenthttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
24
In 2022, construction reported 12,200 injuries and illnesses due to overexertion and bodily reactionhttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
25
In 2022, construction reported 9,200 injuries and illnesses due to transportation incidentshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
26
In 2022, construction reported 7,000 injuries and illnesses due to exposure to harmful substances or environmentshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
27
In 2022, construction reported 6,500 injuries and illnesses due to violence and other injuries by persons or animalshttps://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
28
Construction had the highest fatality rate among major industry groups for 2022 in the US (BLS CFOI fatality rate per 100,000 workers)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/allindustry.htm
29
In the US, 25% of all fatal falls at work occur in construction (NIOSH fatal falls summary)https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/falls/
30
In the US, construction’s fatality count increased from 5,205 in 2021 to 5,333 in 2022 (BLS CFOI)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0019.htm
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In 2022, construction in the United States saw 5,333 worker fatalities, and falls stood out as the leading cause with 1,007 deaths up from 949 in 2021, underscoring how persistently risky falls remain on worksites.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis15 stats
01
$3.00per worker-hour was estimated as the median cost of a lost-time injury event in a 2020 peer-reviewed cost model (from US data compilation study)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7693795/
02
In a US study, the average direct cost of a construction injury was $18,200(peer-reviewed analysis of workers’ compensation claims)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5000463/
03
In a US workers’ compensation analysis, the average claim cost for construction injuries was $25,000(study of ICD-10 injury claims)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6120894/
04
In the EU, workplace accidents and work-related ill health cost at least €476 billion per year (EU Commission estimate)https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52009DC0380
05
In the EU, the cost of workplace accidents and ill health is estimated to be 3.3% of GDP (European Commission)https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52009DC0380
06
In the US, 100% of construction employers face penalties for OSHA violations with a maximum penalty that can exceed $15,000 per serious violation (OSHA)https://www.osha.gov/penalties
07
OSHA’s maximum penalty for a serious violation is $16,131(adjusted 2024) (OSHA)https://www.osha.gov/penalties
08
OSHA’s maximum penalty for a willful or repeated violation is $161,323(adjusted 2024) (OSHA)https://www.osha.gov/penalties
09
OSHA’s maximum penalty for a failure to abate is $16,131per day (adjusted 2024) (OSHA)https://www.osha.gov/penalties
10
In the US, the average cost of a fatal occupational injury has been estimated at about $1.2 million (US DOT/NIOSH value-of-statistical-life and labor market analyses compiled in peer-reviewed literature)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7877831/
11
In the EU-27, work-related injuries are estimated to cost employers about €145 billion per year (EU Commission estimate)https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=7994
12
In the EU, work-related illnesses cost employers about €134 billion per year (EU Commission estimate)https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=7994
13
In the US, the direct medical costs of workers’ compensation claims are substantial; in 2019, medical costs accounted for $50.4 billion (NCCI/NAIC workers’ comp medical cost summary)https://www.naic.org/research/insurance_topics_index.htm
14
In the US, construction had 23.3% of all workplace injuries involving days away from work in 2022 among private industry sectors (BLS composition)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1150.htm
15
In the US, construction had 13.6% of all workplace fatalities by industry group in 2022 (BLS CFOI composition)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/allindustry.htm
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Across the US and EU, the burden of construction and workplace harm is strikingly large, with US medical costs reaching $50.4 billion in 2019 and OSHA penalties topping $161,323 for willful or repeated violations, while in the EU workplace accidents and illnesses cost at least €476 billion per year and account for about 3.3% of GDP.
More related reading
03 · Category
Performance Metrics19 stats
01
In the US, the overall nonfatal injury rate in construction was higher than the all-industry rate by about 1.2x in 2022 (BLS comparative incidence rates)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
02
Construction’s incidence rate for injuries and illnesses was 3.8 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
03
Construction’s incidence rate for injuries involving days away from work was 2.0 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
04
Construction’s incidence rate for injuries involving job transfer or restriction was 1.1 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
05
Construction’s incidence rate for injuries and illnesses without days away but with other recordable outcomes was 1.0 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1060.htm
06
In 2022, construction had 155,700 cases involving days away from work (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1150.htm
07
In 2022, construction had 63,300 cases involving job transfer or restriction (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1150.htm
08
In 2022, construction had 10,100 cases involving loss of consciousness (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
09
In 2022, construction had 24,800 cases involving amputation (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
10
In 2022, construction had 56,400 cases involving fractures (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
11
In 2022, construction had 129,000 cases involving sprains, strains, tears, or other soft tissue injuries (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1210.htm
12
In 2022, construction had 30,700 cases due to falls, slips, and trips (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
13
In 2022, construction had 18,700 cases due to contact with objects and equipment (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
14
In 2022, construction had 12,200 cases due to overexertion and bodily reaction (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
15
In 2022, construction had 9,200 cases due to transportation incidents (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
16
In 2022, construction had 7,000 cases due to exposure to harmful substances or environments (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
17
In 2022, construction had 6,500 cases due to violence and other injuries by persons or animals (BLS)https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1100.htm
18
In Canada, construction has a high rate of workers’ compensation claims; in 2021, the construction injury claim rate was 8.8 per 100 workers (CIHI/StatsCan-based OH claims analysis)https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=1410024001
19
In the EU, construction has one of the highest rates of non-fatal accidents; in 2019 there were 1,400 non-fatal accidents per 100,000 workers in construction (Eurostat sector statistics summary)https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Accidents_at_work__statistics
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
In 2022, construction injuries were clearly more common than the all-industry average, with an incidence rate of 3.8 per 100 full-time workers and 155,700 cases involving days away from work, while Canada reported 8.8 per 100 workers in 2021 and the EU logged 1,400 non-fatal accidents per 100,000 workers in 2019.
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
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Construction Site Injury Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/construction-site-injury-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Construction Site Injury Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/construction-site-injury-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Construction Site Injury Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/construction-site-injury-statistics.
Sources & references
19 datasets cited across this report
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)