The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently revealed that for the first time since 2006, the number of construction fatalities increased by 5 percent from 2011 to 2012.
- About 775 workers died in construction in 2012, which represented the greatest number of fatalities among all major industries. Most were working as contractors
- The increase of 1 percent in total hours worked in construction did not account for the increased danger.
- The total number of fatalities among all of private industry reached 3,945, down from 4,188 of the previous year.
Fatal injuries were down among white and Latino workers. African-American workers suffered higher rates.
- Men were victims in about 77 percent of the incidents.
- Among all age groups, those from 45-54 had the most fatalities at 1,102. Those aged 16 to 17 had the least at 9. The number for those under 16 years almost doubled to 19.
- The most common causes were transportation incidents with 1,937 deaths. Of that number, 1,103 involved motorized land vehicles, with collisions causing the most injuries.
- The second most populous state of Texas had the most fatalities at 339. The most populous state of California ranked second with 390 deaths. The smallest state of Rhode Island showed the fewest casualties at 8.
Without examining the incidents individually, it's impossible to say how many were caused by simply not following the most stringent workplace safety standards in the world. However, if you're concerned about your workplace becoming part of these statistics for the current year, please contact us. As construction safety consultants, we can implement procedures to keep your employees safe.