The annual release of workplace injury and fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is one way for safety and health professionals to assess trends across industries and track our collective progress towards safer jobsites. Though 2024 data won’t be available for almost a year, the recent release of 2023 data provides several actionable insights at a time when the construction industry is running at full capacity.
“By making use of this information today, LIUNA District Councils, Local Unions, training centers and signatory contractors can help protect LIUNA members on the job tomorrow,” said LHSFNA Management Co-Chair David F. Rampone. “There’s no doubt these hazards are impacting our members, and being proactive is always the best approach when safety is concerned.”
For the third year in a row, the nonfatal injury and illness rate dropped in the construction industry. The injury rate now sits at 2.3 per 100 full-time workers, which continues to be lower than the average rate of 2.7 across all U.S. workplaces, and significantly lower than industries such as retail (3.1) and warehousing (4.7).
While it’s encouraging to see injury rates continue to drop, it’s also important to note that many injuries go unreported. In industries such as construction, where paid sick time is limited, reporting an injury can mean missing a paycheck.
Across the U.S., there were 5,283 workplace deaths in 2023, a slight decrease from 2022. The construction industry accounted for 20 percent of those fatalities, with 1,055. This figure is almost identical to 2022, when 1,056 construction workers lost their lives on the job. Although the construction industry represents only a small portion of the workforce, it accounts for a disproportionately high number of fatal incidents.
The fatality rate for both construction workers – and construction laborers specifically – also stayed nearly the same from 2022 to 2023.
However, by digging deeper, we can see that the ways construction workers are losing their lives on the job is shifting in certain categories. Consider the chart below:
Year after year, falls kill more construction workers than any other hazard. That was true again in 2023, but the gap is shrinking. That’s because transportation deaths spiked 19 percent and were responsible for almost a quarter of deaths in the industry. In fact, transportation deaths were the only major hazard category that went up in 2023, with 39 more construction workers killed than the year before.
For construction laborers specifically, one category stands out – contact with objects and other equipment, also commonly known as struck-by injuries. Among construction laborers, 22 percent of deaths were caused by contact with objects/equipment, compared to 15 percent for all construction workers. That gap of seven percentage points is the largest of any hazard category.
Now is the time to refresh worker training on physical hazards in the workplace, work zone safety, fleet safety, distracted driving and fall prevention. LIUNA signatory contractors and other affiliates can order or download toolbox talks and other educational materials on these topics by signing up for Fund services and clicking on Publications.
[Nick Fox]
