Construction sites are among the most dangerous job sites of any industry. Even if a construction worker follows all regulations and protocols, they still might find themself suffering from a construction accident injury.

Commonly considered to be the most dangerous job field, the construction industry consistently finds itself leading the pack in terms of both lethal and non-lethal injuries. It’s important to be aware of the risks that you’re taking when you step foot onto a construction site.

Fatal Construction Injury Statistics

• 21% of all worker deaths per year are in the construction industry (OHSA)
• 1,038 construction deaths were reported in 2018 (BLS)
• 45- to 54-year-olds are most likely to experience fatal injuries while on the job, with 228 fatalities reported in 2018 (NSC)
• Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Full-Time Workers by Construction Occupation Type (ConstructConnect)
  • Roofers – 39.7
  • Steelworkers – 29.8
  • Supervisors – 16.1
  • Laborers – 15.6
  • Operating engineers – 11.3
  • Electricians – 10.7
  • Pipelayers – 8
  • Painters – 7.6
  • Carpenters – 6.7
• A construction employee has a 1-in-200 chance of being fatally injured throughout their career (Safety & Health Magazine)
• Construction’s “fatal four” are 58.6% of all construction accident fatalities (OHSA)
  • Falls – 33.5%
  • Struck by object – 11.1%
  • Electrocutions – 8.5%
  • Compressed by equipment/objects – 5.5%
• Most fatal falls in the construction industry occur to workers over 45 (CDC)
• The construction industry is responsible for the second-most number of teenage workplace deaths (NCBI)
• About 50% of construction fatalities happen in companies with 10 or fewer workers (CDC)
•  33 construction worker deaths were caused by cranes in 2017, down from 116 in 1992 (BLS)

Non-Fatal Construction Injury Statistics

• There are roughly 199,100 construction accident cases every year (BLS)
• About 60% of construction accidents happen during the worker’s first year of construction employment (BLS)
• The average construction worker has a 75% chance of a disabling injury (Safety & Health Magazine)
• 35-44 year-old construction workers are the most likely to experience a non-lethal injury while working, with 19,410 construction injuries occurring in 2018 (NSC)
• The most commonly reported non-fatal construction injury includes sprains, strains, and tears (21,230 in 2018), while the least commonly reported construction injury causes carpal tunnel syndrome (100 in 2018) (NSC)
• Construction worker injuries are down from 10.9 to 2.8 per 100 construction workers from 1972 to 2017 (OHSA)
• About 2.3 million workdays are missed per year due to construction accident injuries (HSE)
• 31% of non-fatal construction injuries require time off work (ConstructConnect)
• The average construction injury causes a worker to miss 10 days of work (ConstructConnect)

Construction Industry Statistics

• The construction industry is worth $1.3 trillion in the United States (US Census)
• 80% of construction companies don’t have enough workers (Autodesk)
• There are more than 7 million workers in the industry in America (BLS)
• The average construction worker is 38 years old (eLCOSH)
• Less than 10% of construction workers are female (Autodesk)
• Construction spending in the U.S. was over $1.2 trillion in 2019 (US Census)

The Importance of Construction Accident Statistics

One of the reasons that these accident statistics are so important is they help us to recognize and appreciate the risks that construction workers take while on the construction site. While the dangers are often overlooked by those of us that don’t work on construction projects for a living, the risks that construction workers take should not go unnoticed.

The data and statistics are also very important to consider for anyone who is interested in joining the construction field. They must truly weigh the pros and cons of joining the industry and decide for themselves if the risks are worth it.

More than anything, though, construction data can help current construction employees stay more aware of their surroundings while on the job. If you’re aware of the dangers that you’re facing on a daily basis, you’re more likely to be more careful while on the construction site. In the unfortunate event that you or a loved one experiences an injury while on the worksite, contact us as soon as possible.

Recovering From a Construction Accident Injury

The toll that construction accident injuries and deaths can take on victims and their families is more than just physical. Many times, victims and their families have a hard time recovering from lost wages resulting from missed days of work, medical bills, and even potential funeral costs.

If you’ve found yourself suffering from a construction-related injury sustained while working on a construction project – or if you have a loved one that tragically lost their life while on the construction site – the legal team at Golitko & Daly is here to help.

When you or a loved one is a victim of a construction accident and in need of legal representation, you need to feel like you have a legal team in your corner. Contact the construction accident attorneys at Golitko & Daly today for a legal team that you can count on.

Contact Golitko & Daly

Maintaining workplace safety and health is critical to any company in any line of work. If you’ve suffered a work injury, the team at Golitko & Daly is prepared to represent you. We’ve won several multi-million dollar cases by fighting for those in need of representation. Schedule a free consultation from the legal team at Golitko & Daly to get started as soon as possible.