Workplace safety is one of the most talked-about 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 bunch 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
- Non-Fatal Construction Statistics
- Causes of Construction Injuries
- Cost of Injuries in Construction
- Inspections By OSHA
- OSHA Safety Training Statistics
- Impact of Workplace Safety Initiatives
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 was 2021, with almost 10 deaths per year, up from the previous year’s 9-9.6 deaths per year ratio.
- Around 83 people lost their lives on construction sites in 2021. Making one of the toughest in terms of fatalities.
- Out of the 345 deaths caused by falls in 2023, 96 of them were in the construction industry—more than any other. [BLS]
- Specialty trade contractors happened to be the most dangerous niche for construction, with the most deaths recorded in 2018, 2020, and 2021. [BLS]
- Workers between 25 and 34 happen to be the most difficult ages in construction, due to injuries and fatalities.
- Texas is the most dangerous state for construction workers, with over 1k average fatalities in the state.
- 2019 recorded over 1030 deaths due to falls, slips, and trips on construction sites.
- CDC reports that Caught-in/getting stuck is responsible for around 5.4% of worker deaths in construction. [CDC]
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 10k in 2023.
- 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.
- 2023 actually proved quite 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.
- 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.
- Back happens to be the most affected body part by workplace injuries in construction, with 10,000+ cases recorded in 2020.
Cost of Injuries in Construction
- Experts say that construction injuries cause damage of around $11.5 billion on average.
- Around 130,000 construction workers missed more than one day of work cause of injuries. [BLS]
- 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.
- The highest the construction industry had to bear was $12.7 billion in 2009 [ResearchGate]
Inspections By OSHA
- OSHA held 24,000 inspections in 2021, out of which, 13,700+ were unplanned inspections. [ResearchGate]
- OSHA spent around $632 million in 2023 on inspections, out of which, most were unplanned or unprogrammed inspections. [OSHA]
- OSHA referred 6,600 companies in the construction industry in 2016—more than any other year in the past decade. [OSHA]
- 2023 became a year of very high inspection numbers, 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 Safety Training Statistics
- 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]
- 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 employs 1,850 inspectors who inspect workplaces for the health and safety of 130 million workers across more than 8 million worksites. [OSHA]
- Nearly 60% of trainees opt for OSHA 10 and 30-hour courses online. This stems from the flexibility of said courses.
Impact of Workplace Safety Initiatives
- There were 2.61 million nonfatal incidents in workplaces in 2021, which was a decrease from 2020.
- 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.
- 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 standards, statistics, and how they impact the general perception of a workplace. And while safety training is undeniable, there are various other things to consider for an employer. And, these statistics should be an insight into important and necessary areas to focus on for workplaces/employees.