Construction Site Accident Statistics

Demographics

• Fatalities in workers over the age of 55 have risen by 8 percent between 2018 and 2019. 
• Fatalities in Hispanic and Latino employees were up 13 percent in 2019, a record high since 1992.
• White (non-Hispanic) workers account for the most injured in 2019 with 3,297 documented injuries.
• Women’s top concerns in the workplace include workplace violence and ergonomic problems, while men’s top concerns were falling objects and electrical hazards.
• A worked died every 99 minutes in 2019.
• 5,333 workers died while on the job in 2019, with 20% (1,061) work-related deaths being in construction site accidents. 

Types of Injuries

• Trips and falls increased by 11% in 2019.
• Too heavy equipment, inexperienced workers, and harsh conditions all contribute to a rise in accidents in gas and oil professions.
• The exposure of harmful substances and environments led to 642 employee deaths in 2019.

Fatal vs. Non-Fatal Injuries

• Missouri accounted for 106 fatal injuries out of 5,333 in the United States in 2019, with Texas having the highest number of fatal injuries at 608..
• Fatalities due to fires and explosions decreased 14% in 2019.
• In 2018, 21,710 construction laborers experienced non-fatal injuries.

Employee Beliefs/ Safety Concerns

The top 5 workplace safety concerns in 2019 were:

• • Slip, trip, fall (36%)
  • Electrical hazards (13%)
  • Heavy lifting (9%)
  • Vehicle and equipment strikes (7%)
  • Falling objects (6%)

• In a 2019 survey done by 360 training, it was revealed that 39% of workers surveyed were more concerned about on-the-job safety than they were the previous year. 
• Construction workers are 27% more likely to be worried about being injured on a daily basis.
• 58% of construction employees believe that safety takes a backseat to productivity and completing job tasks.
• 51% of employees believe that management only does the minimum required by law to keep their employees safe.
• 47% of employees are afraid to report safety issues. 
• 67% of employees in the construction industry feel performance standards are higher for job tasks than safety.
• In 2018, preventable workplace deaths totaled 4,493.

OHSA Violations

The top most frequently cited standards by Federal OHSA in 2020:

• • Fall protection
  • Hazard communication
  • Respiratory protection
  • Scaffolding violations
  • Ladder violations/hazards
  • Control of hazardous energy
  • Powered industrial trucks
  • Fall protection training
  • Eye and face protection
  • Machinery and machine guarding

More common OHSA violations include:

• • Conduct regarding electrical and wiring standards
  • Violations involving electrical designs

Average Time Away from Work After an Injury

The average days an employee has to take away from work due to an injury or an illness, by age (2018):

• 16 to 19 years: 5 days
• 20 to 24 years: 5 days
• 25 to 34 years: 6 days
• 35 to 44 years: 8 days
• 45 to 54 years: 11 days
• 55 to 64 years: 14 days
• 65 years and over: 14 days

The average days an employee has to take away from work due to an injury or an illness, by nature of ailment (2018):

• Punctures (excluding gunshots): 3 days
• Chemical burns and corrosions: 3 days
• Cuts, lacerations, punctures: 4 days
• Heat (thermal) burns: 5 days
• Bruises, contusions: 5 days
• Multiple injuries with sprains: 7 days
• Soreness, pain: 8 days
• Multiple traumatic injuries: 9 days
• Sprains, tears, strains: 11 days
• Tendonitis: 14 days
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: 30 days
• Amputations’: 31 days
• Fractures: 32 days
• Multiple injuries with fractures: 48 days

Sources:

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cfoi.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/data/commonstats

https://www.bls.gov/iif/soii-charts-2018.pdf

https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/publications/mooreworkersreasonsnotreportinginjurykf.pdf

https://www.360training.com/blog/new-survey-reveals-rise-workplace-safety-concerns

https://www.ehstoday.com/construction/article/21919029/58-percent-of-construction-workers-say-safety-takes-a-backseat-to-productivity

https://www.enr.com/articles/48383-construction-fatalities-up-in-2018-fatality-rate-unchanged

https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/construction-site-accident-statistics.html