NIOSH Program Portfolio : Construction : Occupational Risks

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Construction

Inputs: Occupational Safety and Health Risks

Around 9.3 million workers in building, heavy, and special trades construction are at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Occupations within these industries account for 7% of U.S. workers, and 21% of workplace fatalities. In addition to fatal injuries, workers in these industries are at risk of injury or illness due to 'contact with objects', falls to a lower or same level, overexertion, and excessive noise.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes detailed information on occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities for all industry sectors.

As described in the earlier "Sector Description" section, the U.S. construction industry is divided into three major subdivisions: building construction (NAICS 23), heavy and civil engineering construction (NAICS 24) and special trades construction (NAICS 25) construction. There are 7.2 million paid construction workers working in the industry and an additional 2.1 million self-employed construction workers.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006
External Link: http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/INDRPT23.HTM

Fatalities

In 2004, construction recorded 1,224 fatal work injuries, the highest total among any industry sector. Fatal work injuries among those classified as construction trade workers (as opposed to supervisors or helpers) rose from 788 in 2003 to 870 in 2004 and accounted for most of the increase for this occupational group. Fatal injuries increased for roofers from 55 in 2003 to 94 in 2004, which accounted for nearly half of the total increase among the construction trades.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2004
External Link: http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm

*Fatal occupational injuries by private industry† and selected event or exposure, 2004**
Construction	Fatalities		Selected event or exposure §
Construction	Number	%	Transportation Incidents	Contact with object/equipment	Falls	Exposures to harmful substances/enviroments
Construction	1,224	21	23	22	36	14
Construction of buildings	224	4	20	23	46	8
Heavy/civil engineering const	219	4	41	33	20	12
Specialty trade contractors	752	13	19	18	42	16

* Totals include data for industries not shown separately.

† Based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2002.

§ The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that industry group.

Source: Fatal occupational injuries by industry and selected event or exposure, 2004
External Link: External Link: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.t02.htm

Additional BLS occupational fatality information can be found in the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
External Link: http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.toc.htm

Nonfatal Injuries and Illnesses

The incidence rate of injuries and illnesses in this industry sector declined significantly in 2004 to 6.4 cases per 100 full-time workers, down from 6.8 cases a year earlier. The rates for cases with days away from work, cases with job transfer or restriction, and injury cases also declined significantly in 2004. These declines were driven by changes among specialty trades contractors (NAICS 238), whose total recordable case incidence rate declined from 7.3 to 6.8 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2004. (Specialty trades contractors are defined as those establishments whose primary activity is performing specific functions involved in building construction, such as masonry, roofing, electrical, plumbing, and painting.) The rates for cases with days away from work, cases with job transfer or restriction, and injury cases also declined significantly. As with construction as a whole, the number of cases for specialty trades contractors remained relatively unchanged. Specialty trades contractors accounted for a majority of employment (64%) and cases (67%) in the Construction sector. The number of cases and the incidence rate remained relatively unchanged in 2004 for the two remaining three-digit NAICS industries within Construction-NAICS 236 (Construction of Buildings) and NAICS 237 (Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction).

Source: BLS Workplace Injury and Illness Summary
External link: http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/osh.nr0.htm

Detailed data on nonfatal injuries and illnesses in the Construction sector can be found in the following table:

Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by industry and selected events or exposures leading to injury or illness, 2004
External link: http://stats.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1514.txt

Additional BLS data on Case and Demographic Characteristics for Work-related Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away From Work
External link: http://stats.bls.gov/iif/oshcdnew.htm

NIOSH Worker Health Chartbook, 2004
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2004-146
The Worker Health Chartbook, 2004 is a descriptive epidemiologic reference on occupational morbidity and mortality in the United States . A resource for agencies, organizations, employers, researchers, workers, and others who need to know about occupational injuries and illnesses, the Chartbook includes more than 400 figures and tables describing the magnitude, distribution, and trends of the Nation's occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

NOTE: Data presented in this document are based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), which does not correspond directly with the 2002 NAICS. Convert 1987 SIC codes to 2002 NAICS codes using Correspondence Tables: 1987 SIC Matched to 2002 NAICS
External link: http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/S87TON02.HTM

Worker Health Chartbook, 2004 search results for figures and tables related to Construction Trades

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