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NIOSH Programs > Construction > Economic Factors
ConstructionInput: Economic FactorsIn 2005, the total value of construction put in place was more than $1.1trillion. The largest segment was residential construction with more than half of this value ($632 billion). Other large nonresidential construction segments include educational facilities ($76 billion), commercial buildings ($71 billion), highway and street ($67 billion) construction, and office ($46 billion) construction. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006, Annual Value of Construction Spending put in place Across the SectorSeveral construction industry economic and industry organization factors serve to provide challenges that can impact safety and health conditions:
Labor Force IssuesThe industry has a high concentration of apprenticeship programs that provide an occupational safety and health training opportunity. In 2004, approximately 20% of construction workers worked 45 hours or more. The short-term nature of construction projects, the cyclical nature of the industry, and slowdowns due to poor weather conditions can result in periods of unemployment. The industry has a high concentration of immigrant and non-English speaking workers, which presents a variety of potential safety and health challenges such as training and communication. For example, a recent Pew Hispanic Center Research Report estimates that while unauthorized ( their term for undocumented) immigrant workers represented 4.9% of the total civilian labor force, they represented 14% of the construction workforce. Four of the five detailed occupations with the highest share of such workers are in construction.
Other construction occupations with at least three times the national share include construction laborers (25%), brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons (25%), painters (construction and maintenance) (22%), and cement masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers (21%) (Passel, J. 2006. The Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U.S, Estimates are based on the March 2005 Current Population Survey from the Pew Hispanic Center. March 7, 2006. Estimates of the costs of fatal occupational injuries in constructionNIOSH Fatal Occupational Injury Cost Fact Sheet: Construction
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NIOSH Program:Construction |
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