Construction Worker Injuries, Overdoses, and Suicides

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brooks, Raina D. ; Dufoe D ; Harris W ; Trueblood A
• Description:
  This issue examines on-the-job injuries, as well as suicides and overdoses using mortality data. The construction industry is one of the most dangerous in the U.S., accounting for nearly one-fifth of all workplace deaths in 2023. Construction workers face hazards such as dangerous equipment, falls and slips, overexertion, transportation accidents, and exposure to harmful substances. While fatal and nonfatal injuries have their greatest effects on workers and their families, they also affect construction companies, who experience loss of productivity and financial costs. In addition, research shows that hazardous work is associated with poor mental health. This Data Bulletin examines fatal and nonfatal on-the-job injuries, as well as mortalities by cause of death among U.S. construction workers. Injury data was collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). Fatal injuries were examined by demographics, major subsector, event/exposure, work activity, and worker location. CFOI does not typically include illnesses with long latency periods, such as cancers caused by exposure to work-related carcinogens. Nonfatal injuries are only those that resulted in days away from work (DAFW). Nonfatal injuries were examined by major subsector, event/exposure, and primary source. Because SOII data changed from annual to biennial estimates in 2021, nonfatal data are shown for two-year periods. Data on cause of death for construction workers 16 to 64 years old was obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). NVSS data does not capture employment status (full-time, unemployed, retired, etc.) at time of death. Construction workers are defined in NVSS data as those whose usual industry was construction, including individuals currently employed, retired, or no longer in the workforce. Data for rate calculations were obtained using the Current Population Survey (CPS). Rates calculated per 100,000 full-time equivalents (FTEs) for fatal injuries and per 10,000 FTEs for nonfatal injuries. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Epidemiology Mental Health Nervous System Occupational Health Safety Suicide
• Keywords:
  Construction Industry Construction Workers Drug Overdose Injuries Mental Health
• Publisher:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Newsletter
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070778
• Citation:
  CPWR Data Bulletin. Silver Spring, MD: CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 2025 Apr; :1-7
• Contact Point Address:
  Data Center, CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910
• Email:
  datacenter@cpwr.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20240901
• Source Full Name:
  Construction worker injuries, overdoses, and suicides
• End Date:
  20290831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:86f4a5bdb237346ffec01525a2b6d2d6679fba4f0e3c982c810ec2b86e67528ef9a496f21d8f8848027b7b1c840086fcbc4c69880d3ce11e6ac554478e7e5ccd
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208935/cdc_208935_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.22 MB ]