THE CHART BOOK 42

Fatal and Nonfatal Injuries within Construction Occupations

Death and injury counts vary widely among construction occupa- at age 20 and a number of construction workers are still working tions. From 2008 to 2010,1 the number of work-related deaths at age 65), it is estimated that the probability of a fatality is among construction laborers (630) far exceeded the number of approximately 0.5% (5.1 per 1,000 FTEs).3 Ironworkers (31.1 per fatalities in other construction occupations, accounting for 23% 1,000 FTEs), electrical power-line installers (26.1 per 1,000 of all construction fatalities during that time (chart 42a). Foremen FTEs), and (14.2 per 1,000 FTEs) have a higher lifetime experienced 278 deaths during the same period, ranking as the risk of fatal work injuries than any other construction occupa- second occupation with a high fatality number in construction. tions. For comparison, the Occupational Safety and Health Construction laborers also had the highest number of nonfatal Administration considers a lifetime risk of one death in 1,000 injuries and illnesses2 resulting in days away from work (DAFW) workers to be a significant level of risk.4 in 2010, at 14,700 cases, almost twice as many as carpenters (the For nonfatal work injuries, about 65% of construction next highest occupation) with 8,300 cases (chart 42b). workers may experience DAFW injuries during their working In terms of injury rates, electrical power-line installers lifetime. When broken down by occupation, construction helpers, had the highest rate of fatal injuries (56.5 per 100,000 full-time sheet metal workers, and ironworkers have the greatest lifetime equivalent workers [FTEs, see Glossary]), which was nearly six risk at 90% or more (chart 42f). Despite the high lifetime risk of times the rate for all construction workers on average (chart 42c). nonfatal injuries in construction, it is important to note that the Nevertheless, fatal injury rates have significantly declined for this risk may be underestimated due to possible underreporting of high-risk occupation since 1992, when electrical power-line nonfatal injuries.5,6 installers experienced 149.3 deaths per 100,000 FTEs. For nonfa- The fatality data were from the Census of Fatal tal injuries, construction helpers, sheet metal workers, and iron- Occupational Injuries and the nonfatal injury data were from the workers were the three occupations with the highest injury rates Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (see page 38). The in 2010 (chart 42d). number of construction workers, expressed as FTEs, was While annualized injury rates are a useful measure, life- obtained from the Current Population Survey (see page 10). Due time risk estimates assess risk accumulated over a working life- to coding system modifications and other changes in these data time. Assuming that a working lifetime for construction workers sources, numbers reported on this page may not be directly com- is 45 years (given that many construction workers start working parable to those in previous publications.

1. The tabulations are an average of three years of data for more reliable estimates. 2. Illnesses comprise about 3% of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses in construction; therefore, numbers for construction largely represent injuries and will be referred to as such in this chart book. 3. Lifetime risks were estimated based on the data from 2003 (when both occupational and industrial coding systems changed) to 2007 (considering that data during the economic downturn may not reflect real risk in construction). Working lifetime risk = [1 – (1 – R)y] * 1,000; where R = probability of a worker having a work-related injury in a given year, 1 – R = probability of a worker not having a work-related injury in a given year, y = years of exposure to work-related injury, (1 – R)y = probability of surviving y years without a work-related injury, and 1 – (1 – R)y = probability of having a work-related injury over y years of employment. 4. Adkins CE. 1993. Occupational safety and health. In Burke TA, Tran NL, Roemer JS, & Henry CJ (eds). Regulating Risk: The Science and Politics of Risk. Washington, DC: ISIC Press, 23-24. 5. Dong X, Fujimoto A, Ringen K, Stafford E, Platner J, Gittleman J, & Wang X. 2011. Injury underreporting among small establishments in the construction industry. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 54:339-349. 6. U.S. House of Representatives. 2008. Hidden Tragedy: Underreporting of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. A Majority Staff Report by the Committee on Education and Labor. http://www.cste.org/dnn/Portals/0/House%20Ed%20Labor%20Comm%20Report%20061908.pdf (Accessed August 2012). 42 THE CONSTRUCTION CHART BOOK

42a. Number of fatalities, selected construction occupations, 42b. Number of nonfatal injuries resulting in days away 2008-2010 total (All employment) from work, selected construction occupations, 2010

Number of deaths Number of injuries Laborer 630 Laborer 14,700 Foreman 278 Carpenter 8,300 Carpenter 201 5,540 181 4,960 Electrician 158 Foreman 4,630 Operating engineer 124 Heat A/C mech 3,730 Construction manager 120 Helper 2,810 Truck driver 106 Truck driver 2,180 Painter 105 Roofer 2,100 Plumber 96 Operating engineer 1,840 Ironworker 60 Painter 1,770 53 Drywall 1,270 Heat A/C mech 50 Sheet metal 1,120 Brickmason Brickmason 41 1,000 Construction manager 1,000 Power-line installer 33 Welder 950 Helper 27 Ironworker 800 Drywall 18 Power-line installer 380

42c. Rate of fatalities, selected construction occupations, 42d. Rate of nonfatal injuries resulting in days away from 2008-2010 average (All employment) work, selected construction occupations, 2008-2010 average

Deaths per 100,000 FTEs Injuries per 10,000 FTEs Power-line installer 56.5 Helper 511.2 Ironworker 37.8 Sheet metal 401.9 Roofer 32.9 Ironworker 295.1 Truck driver 22.8 Truck driver 241.3 Welder 21.4 Power-line installer 219.5 Laborer 17.4 Laborer 209.9 Foreman 14.6 Plumber 204.3 Helper 14.3 Heat A/C mech 193.3 Operating engineer 14.3 Roofer 180.1 Carpenter Electrician 10.1 172.8 Electrician 150.1 Brickmason 8.8 Welder 139.9 Plumber 8.3 Brickmason 136.9 Painter 7.6 Drywall 119.1 Heat A/C mech 6.3 Foreman 118.6 Carpenter 6.3 Operating engineer 97.0 Drywall 3.8 Painter 80.4 Construction manager 3.5 Construction manager 20.3 All construction 9.6 All construction 160.6

42e. Lifetime risk of fatal injuries, selected construction 42f. Lifetime risk of nonfatal injuries resulting in days occupations (All employment) away from work, selected construction occupations

Lifetime risk per 1,000 FTEs Lifetime risk per 100 FTEs Ironworker 31.1 Helper 95.9 Power-line installer 26.1 Sheet metal 91.7 Roofer 14.2 Ironworker 90.0 Truck driver 11.0 Laborer 81.9 Laborer 10.4 Truck driver 75.7 Carpenter Welder 8.8 73.1 Heat A/C mech 72.1 Operating engineer 7.3 Roofer 69.8 Foreman 4.9 Plumber 69.6 Electrician 4.9 Electrician 62.0 Construction manager 4.3 Power-line installer 60.0 Brickmason 3.9 Welder 59.6 Heat A/C mech 3.7 Brickmason 57.6 Painter 3.7 Operating engineer 56.7 Plumber 3.2 Drywall 53.2 Carpenter 3.2 Foreman 52.8 Drywall 2.4 Painter 39.0 All construction 5.1 Construction manager 12.7 All construction 65.0

Note: Charts 42b, 42d, and 42f - Data cover private wage-and-salary workers only.

Source: Charts 42a, 42c, and 42e - Fatality numbers were estimated from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. This research was conducted with restricted access to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the BLS. Numbers of FTEs were estimated from the Current Population Survey. Calculations by CPWR Data Center. Charts 42b, 42d, and 42f - Numbers of nonfatal injuries were from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Numbers of FTEs were estimated from the Current Population Survey. Calculations by CPWR Data Center.