Although the construction industry has so many positives, it is one of the most dangerous fields of work. 20 percent of private-industry worker fatalities are in construction, which means one out of every five worker deaths is a construction-related death. The industry also has many non-fatal injuries.
A successful construction business needs to implement effective safety programs and stay updated on OSHA regulations.
We wanted to share some construction safety statistics that show the injuries, fatalities, costs of accidents, and benefits of following safety rules.
- One in five worker deaths each year happens in construction.
- Crane deaths dropped to the lowest ever in 2017 at 33 deaths.
- Out of all worker deaths, construction, transportation and material moving workers accounted for 47 percent.
- Falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and being caught in something or between two objects are responsible for 59.9 percent of construction worker deaths.
- Companies with 10 or less employees and those who are self-employed account for nearly half of all deaths on construction sites.
- Construction sees the most fatal falls, accounting for 51 percent of all falls in the United States.
- If a worker stays in construction for 45 years, there is a 1 in 200 chance that a construction worker will die from a work-related incident.
- One in every 10 construction workers is injured each year.
- Construction sees non-fatal injury rates that are 71% higher than any other industry.
- About half of serious workplace injuries go unreported each year.
- Lifting, using a tool or machine, and carrying heavy objects are the main causes of strain injuries in construction.
- Workers aged between 25 and 34 are the most likely to be injured in construction.
- Construction worker illnesses and injuries are down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 per 100 workers in 2017.
- One fatal injury can cost an average of $991,027 in hospital bills.
- 15 percent of overall workers’ compensation costs are spent on workers injured at a construction site.
- Construction companies can save an average of $32,000 for each medically consulted injury they avoid.
- A company must sell an additional $1,667,000 in services to offset $50,000 in losses from injuries, illness or damage and still make a 3% profit.
- Eliminating falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and being caught in something or between two objects would save 582 workers’ lives in the United States each year.
Contractor work can be dangerous, but if you follow safety rules and are aware of your surroundings, you can stay safer and avoid accidents.
We are a Florida contractor licensing company, and we can help you get your contractor’s license so you can work legally. We help contractors across the United States get their contractor license. We help you succeed at the start.
We submit a completed contractor’s license application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email.
To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.