Construction Accident Statistics
No line of work is free of risks, but when it comes to job safety, statistics show that construction is one of the most dangerous occupations. Between worksite hazards, the physicality of job duties, and the use of heavy machinery, there are just many opportunities for accidents and injuries.
At Worby Vecchio Edelman, LLP, our attorneys fight to obtain compensation for workers injured in construction accidents. Here, we share some construction accident statistics to provide our White Plains, NY clients with the information they need to pursue a construction accident claim.
Injury Numbers
These statistics show how damaging construction accidents can be:
- According to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction site accidents result in around 150,000 injuries each year.
- Based on accident information, OSHA, or Occupational Safety and Health Administration, reports that one in ten construction site workers are injured each year.
- On average, close to 1,000 construction site workers are killed each year as a result of construction site accidents.
- Construction site injuries account for 15 percent of total workers’ compensation costs each year.
- Each year, close to 20 percent of work-related deaths occur in the field of construction
The Fatal Four
One of the reasons that the field of construction is so dangerous is that the types of accidents that occur involve a higher risk for catastrophic injury or death.
Four types of construction accidents are particularly dangerous and have been classified as the fatal four. Combined, these four types of accidents are responsible for over 60 percent of yearly construction accident deaths.
The top four causes of construction accident deaths are:
- Falls: The majority of construction accidents involve falls. In all, falls account for just under 40 percent of construction accident deaths.
- Being struck by an object: Construction sites may contain heavy machinery, large construction vehicles, and various construction tools. Any of these objects could prove deadly if they were to strike a construction worker. On average, 9 percent of construction accident deaths are the result of someone being struck by an object.
- Electrocutions: It is not uncommon for construction sites to contain loose or ungrounded wires. Electrocutions can result in serious burns or fatal injuries. In a typical year, electrocutions make up about 8 percent of construction deaths.
- Crush injuries: There are various types of crush injuries that could take place on a construction site. Crush injuries include getting caught in between heavy equipment, being pinned by a falling object, and getting crushed by a collapsing structure. Injuries that are classified as crush injuries or “caught in-betweens” account for around 7 percent of construction deaths.
Contact Us
When a construction accident occurs, it is important to have an experienced attorney on your side. To discuss the details of your case with an attorney, contact us at your earliest convenience. Call us at (914) 686-3700 for a case evaluation.
