Construction Site Injury & Death

Construction Site Injury & Death Overview

Working at a construction site is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. In 2006, the latest year for which statistics are available, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 1226 fatal incidents in the construction industry. General unskilled laborers are the group most at risk, accounting for 27% of construction site deaths. Ironworkers and roofers also experienced high rates of injury and death.

Another 415,000 workers were injured or contracted illnesses on construction sites, many of them incurring serious disability and career-ending injuries. Among the skilled construction trades, framers, foundation workers, and those involved in exterior construction suffered the highest rates of injury.

Back injuries are the most frequently occurring injuries on construction sites. Arms, legs, and hands are the next most frequent kinds of injuries. Falls are the greatest cause of deaths on construction sites.

The chief causes of construction site injuries and death are unsafe work practices and unsafe work site conditions. These most often are caused by employers’ failure to comply with federal and state mandated safety practices, failure to provide adequate safety equipment such as scaffolding, safety harnesses and fall protection devices, failure to provide safe and properly functioning tools and machinery, use of worn and failing cables, and trenches that have not been properly graded and shored. Excessive work schedules without adequate rest breaks and work in inclement weather and poor visibility also increase the risks workers face.