Workplace safety is one of the most critical topics in the professional world. With fatalities, injuries, and other concerns, safety is something that’s constantly scrutinized by organizations like OSHA around the globe.
That’s why there are a number of statistics, reports, and other facts that help employers and workers understand their industries better. Today, we’re looking at a few such statistics and important information, which will tell us the following:
- Fatal Construction Injuries
2. Non-Fatal Construction Statistics
3. Causes of Construction Injuries
4. Impact of Workplace Safety Initiatives
5. Cost of Injuries in Construction
6. Inspections By OSHA
7. OSHA Safety Training Statistics
These are the key statistics we’ll be focusing on throughout this article. So, let’s get started.
Fatal Construction Injuries
The construction Industry has the most fatal injuries, with 1 in 5 fatal injuries reported in construction sites. [Bureau of Labor Statistics/BLS]
The most devastating year for construction was 2021, with almost 10 deaths per year, up from the previous year’s 9-9.6 deaths per year ratio.
1000 average
25 and 34
Texas is the most dangerous state for construction workers, with over 1000 average fatalities in the state.
Construction workers between the ages of 25 and 34 are most pront to injuries and fatalities.
2018, 2020, and 2021
Specialty trade contractors happened to be the most dangerous niche for construction, with the most deaths recorded in 2018, 2020, and 2021. [BLS]
Around 83 people lost their lives on construction sites in 2021. Making one of the toughest in terms of fatalities.
CDC reports that Caught-in/getting stuck is responsible for around 5.4% of worker deaths in construction. [CDC]
2019 recorded over 1030 deaths due to falls, slips, and trips on construction sites.
Out of the 345 deaths caused by falls in 2023, 96 of them were in the construction industry—more than any other. [BLS]
Non-Fatal Construction Statistics
OSHA recorded the most construction-related injuries (non-fatal) back in 2016, with numbers surpassing 77,780.
Residential building construction led the charts with the most injuries, amounting to 10,000 in 2023.
25-35
Experts report that 25-35 are most likely the age to get injured in a construction workplace. [NSC]
Tinnitus is one of the most common injuries among construction workers, with over 7% of them having it.
Construction leads the way with 6% of injuries, which end up with workers spending days away from work.
2.6 workers per 100
2023 proved safe comparatively for construction workers, as the injury rate dropped to 2.6 workers per 100. [ENR.com]
Around 51% of workers have suffered some sort of overexposure to noise as of this writing.
Fall protection in construction is the most violated safety standard by OSHA, even though there are strict guidelines. [OSHA]
Causes of Construction Injuries
Around 31% of injuries in construction are due to falls, slips, and trips.
Falling is responsible for most accidents in the construction industry, with 47% of incidents under the falling category.
10,000+ cases
The back happens to be the most affected body part by workplace injuries in construction, with 10,000+ injuries recorded in 2020.
Around 174 construction injuries in 2020 were caused by harmful chemicals.
Bodily reactions to chemicals and other substances were reported to be responsible for 84% of workplace injuries.
Cost of Injuries in Construction
Experts say that construction injuries cause damage of around $11.5 billion on average.
The highest the construction industry had to bear was $12.7 billion in 2009 [ResearchGate]
$4 – $6
Experts of workplace safety say construction companies save more than $4-$6 for every $1 that they spend on workplace safety.
The average bearing cost for employers for an active construction worker was $42,000 in 2023.
Around 130,000 construction workers missed more than one day of work because of injuries. [BLS]
Inspections By OSHA
OSHA held 24,000 inspections in 2021, out of which 13,700+ were unplanned inspections. [ResearchGate]
Fines by OSHA for non-compliance with its regulations can reach $70,000 per fine. [OSHA Gear]
OSHA spent around $632 million in 2023 on inspections, out of which, most were unplanned or unprogrammed inspections. [OSHA]
2023 recorded a high number of inspections, with a total of 34,267 inspections held throughout the year. [OSHA]
In 1973, the first year of OSHA’s inspection and operation, the organization managed to reduce workplace injuries by 16%. [Jstore.org]
OSHA referred 6,600 companies in the construction industry in 2016—more than any other year in the past decade. [OSHA]
OSHA Safety Training Statistics
OSHA employs 1,850 inspectors who inspect workplaces for the health and safety of 130 million workers across more than 8 million worksites. [OSHA]
OSHA has trained more than 5.8 million workers in the past 5 years. The most was in 2023, with over 1.3 million general/construction trainees. [OSHA]
OSHA construction training statistics in the past 5 years saw a spike in 2019, with over 60,000 trainees in that one single year. The next best year was 2018, with 55,5584. [OSHA]
Impact of Workplace Safety Initiatives
Around 83% of active workers in the United States have seen some sort of workplace emergency while working. [Forbes]
Research said 75% of employees feel their employers can do more for safety training.
There were 2.61 million nonfatal incidents in workplaces in 2021, which was a decrease from 2020.
Safety-focused companies tend to have 21% more profits compared to those without proper safety programs.
Workplaces with safety-focused programs tend to see 17% more productivity than those without.
Conclusion
These are some of the most important safety statistics that portray an accurate picture of the state of workplace safety in the construction industry. Businesses should make sure to implement OSHA standards and provide 10-hour and 30-hour construction safety training to make worksites safer.
