On Dec. 19, 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries report for 2023, which showed the construction industry had 1,075 fatal injuries for the year—up from 1,069 fatal injuries in 2022, according to Construction Dive. This marks the construction industry’s highest number of workplace deaths since 2011.
Additionally, the industry’s 2023 fatal injury rate was 9.6 in 2023 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, which is unchanged from 2022. The fatal injury rate is viewed as a key safety indicator because it adjusts for yearly changes in the overall number of workers and amount of construction work.
Falls, slips and trips were the most common fatal events at 421, accounting for 39.2% of construction fatalities.
In total, 5,283 U.S. employees died at work in 2023, which means about one in five occupational deaths in 2023 occurred at construction workplaces.
According to the report, the overall fatality rate for U.S. workers in all industries was about 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. Additionally, the fatal injury rate for Black or African American workers decreased from 4.2 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2022 to 3.6 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2023. The fatal injury rate for Hispanic or Latino workers was 4.4 per 100,000 workers in 2023, which is down from 4.6 in 2022.
“Today’s data is a grim reminder of the challenge our industry faces when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of the men and women who build America,” said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and workforce for the Associated General Contractors of America.
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