Serious accidents at construction sites continue to be a big problem in the U.S., and Boston is no exception. Virtually every day, a construction worker is badly hurt at work. Even contractors that take safety seriously cannot guarantee that a terrible accident will not occur at one of their sites.
To track safety issues in the construction industry, government agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration compile statistics on construction accidents in this country. Here are a few facts about construction accidents that you might never have heard before.
- In the U.S., one out of every five workplace deaths happens to a construction worker
- There are 9.7 fatal injuries for every 100,000 construction workers each year, the fourth-worst rate of any American industry
- Falls from heights are the most common type of fatal accident. They account for one-third of all construction site fatalities
- Around 8.5 percent of nonfatal work injuries that require the victim to miss work happen in the construction industry
- The injury rate in construction is 71 percent higher than the average of all U.S. industries
- In 2019, more than 130,000 construction workers missed at least one day of work due to injuries
- Construction injuries cost more than $11.5 billion per year
- Construction workers aged 25-34 were the most likely to suffer a job site injury
These statistics help paint a picture, but they do not show us the human side of a serious construction accident. An injured worker can experience terrible pain and physical limitation. They cannot earn an income while they are out of work, and their quality of life may be poor. Workers’ compensation can help workers make ends meet until they recover.