The construction industry remains one of the most hazardous sectors in the U.S., accounting for over 20% of all workplace fatalities. As job sites grow more complex and workforces more diverse, construction site safety must evolve beyond checklists and compliance to meet rising risks and regulatory expectations.
This in-depth report compiles the most recent data, trends, and insights shaping safety outcomes in 2023–2024, including the top causes of fatalities, demographic risk disparities, and the economic impact of injuries. For construction professionals, safety managers, and project owners, understanding these trends is essential for building a safer, more resilient workforce.
Whether you're improving your safety inspection process, evaluating construction site safety software, or addressing cultural and procedural gaps in safety management, this report offers the insights and solutions you need to lead in 2025.
Check out FTQ360's Integrated Safety Features:
The U.S. construction industry remains a cornerstone of the national economy, employing millions of workers. Yet it continues to be one of the most hazardous industries, responsible for over 20% of all workplace fatalities.
This executive summary highlights the latest data from:
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) – Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (2023 data, released late 2024)
National Safety Council (NSC) – Economic cost of injuries and fatalities
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – Enforcement and fatality trends through 2024
Together, these data sources provide a clear view of the risks, costs, and disparities shaping the state of construction site safety today.
Record Fatalities:
1,075 construction worker deaths in 2023, the highest number since 2011
Despite a stable fatality rate (9.6 per 100,000 FTEs), the rising death count shows safety efforts aren’t scaling with workforce growth
Disproportionate Risk:
Construction accounted for 1 in 5 workplace deaths nationwide
The industry remains the deadliest private sector in the U.S.
The Fatal Four Hazards Persist:
Falls, struck-by incidents, caught-in/between accidents, and electrocutions
Falls alone caused nearly 40% of deaths
Demographic Disparities:
Hispanic and foreign-born workers face significantly higher fatality rates
Highlights a failure of culturally and linguistically appropriate safety programs
Economic Costs:
Average cost of a workplace fatality in 2023: $1.46M
Total U.S. burden of work injuries: $176.5B
Signs of Progress:
OSHA’s targeted enforcement (e.g., fall protection, trenching) led to fewer fatalities in 2024
Proves that focused safety programs can drive measurable improvements
Scale Safety With Growth
Build safety systems that expand with workforce size
Move beyond compliance-only approaches
Target Routine Dangers
Prioritize fall protection at 6–30 feet, where most deadly incidents occur
Bridge Cultural and Language Gaps
Deliver multilingual training and materials
Promote bilingual supervisors and culturally competent safety programs
Reframe Safety as Investment
Recognize safety as a high-ROI investment in people and productivity
Use data to build the business case for proactive measures
The construction industry is at a crossroads. Without scaling safety systems and addressing inequities, fatalities will continue to climb. But with proactive management, targeted enforcement, and modern tools like construction site safety software, companies can save lives, reduce costs, and build safer worksites in 2025 and beyond.
Table 1: 2023 U.S. Construction Industry Safety at a Glance
|
Metric |
Value |
|
Total Fatalities (Private Industry) |
1,075 |
|
Fatal Injury Rate (per 100,000 FTE workers) |
9.6 |
|
Total Recordable Non-Fatal Cases Rate (per 100 FTE workers) |
2.3 |
|
Non-Fatal Cases with Days Away from Work Rate (per 100 FTE workers) |
1.0 |
|
Total Economic Cost of U.S. Work Injuries (All Industries, 2023) |
$176.5 billion |
|
Average Cost per U.S. Workplace Fatality (All Industries, 2023) |
$1,460,000 |
The most definitive measure of jobsite risk is the number of lives lost. In 2023, the U.S. construction industry hit a 12-year high in worker fatalities, even as national workplace deaths declined overall. This troubling divergence points to deep systemic issues in how safety protocols scale with industry growth.
1,075 construction worker deaths highest since 2011
Construction accounts for 1 in 5 workplace deaths nationwide
Fatality rate remained flat at 9.6 per 100,000 FTEs
By absolute numbers, construction is the deadliest private sector in the U.S.
In 2023, the construction industry recorded 1,075 worker fatalities, a sharp increase that marks the sector's most dangerous year since 2011. While total U.S. workplace deaths declined (from 5,486 in 2022 to 5,283 in 2023), construction fatalities rose highlighting a sector-specific safety breakdown.
Construction led all private industries in total deaths, surpassing even transportation and warehousing when considered as a standalone sector.
Despite decades of regulatory efforts and safety campaigns, the fundamental hazards of building, excavation, and infrastructure work continue to exact a deadly toll.
The fatality rate for construction in 2023 was 9.6 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, unchanged from 2022.
But here’s the paradox:
While the rate stayed stable, the number of deaths increased.
This indicates that:
The construction workforce is expanding, and
Safety efforts are not scaling fast enough to protect new or growing teams.
A “stable” rate isn’t good enough when more people die, it’s still failure, even if per capita risk is unchanged.
This disconnect suggests that many construction firms:
Lack scalable safety systems
Rely too heavily on compliance checklists
Underestimate the risk of “routine” tasks
In 2023, construction was responsible for:
1,075 out of 5,283 total workplace fatalities
That’s 20.8% of all job-related deaths in the U.S.
Yet construction workers make up a much smaller share of the U.S. workforce.
This means:
Construction is grossly overrepresented in fatality statistics
It’s a critical focus area for OSHA, NIOSH, and CPWR
No real national improvement in worker safety can occur without fixing safety in construction
Construction site safety worsened in 2023 despite broader improvements nationwide
More workers are dying, especially in fast-growing sub-sectors
Flat fatality rates are misleading — the human toll is rising
The industry must scale safety programs to match employment growth
For decades, OSHA has tracked the “Fatal Four” hazards responsible for most construction worker deaths: falls, struck-by incidents, caught-in/between accidents, and electrocutions.
The 2023 data confirms these risks continue to dominate. Together, they account for the vast majority of construction site fatalities.
Table 2: Breakdown of Fatal Events in U.S. Construction (2023)
|
Event or Exposure |
Number of Fatalities |
Percentage of Total |
|
Total Fatalities |
1,075 |
100.0% |
|
Falls, Slips, and Trips |
421 |
39.2% |
|
Transportation Incidents |
240 |
22.3% |
|
Exposure to Harmful Substances or Environments |
200 |
18.6% |
|
Contact with Objects and Equipment (Struck-by, Caught-in/between) |
148 |
13.8% |
|
Violent Acts |
46 |
4.3% |
|
Fires and Explosions |
17 |
1.6% |
In 2023, falls, slips, and trips caused 421 deaths.
This represents 39.2% of all construction deaths, meaning that roughly two out of every five workers who died on a construction site did so as the result of a fall.
Most Deadly Falls Happen From Routine Heights
260 deaths (64%) were from just 6–30 feet
Only 67 deaths came from falls over 30 feet
Common culprits: ladders, scaffolds, low-slope roofs
This shows that complacency around “everyday” tasks like ladder work is just as deadly as high-rise work.
The data shows that gravity does not discriminate by height, and the industry's safety culture must reflect this reality.
The risk of a fatal fall is not evenly distributed across the construction industry. Certain trades and tasks carry a much higher burden.
Roofing contractors: 110 deaths (26% of fatal falls)
Residential builders: 62 deaths (15%)
Ladders and stairs: 109 deaths
OSHA’s Fall Protection Standard (1926.501) remains the most-cited violation for 14 years running.
240 worker deaths (22%) in 2023 were caused by transportation-related incidents, including:
Roadway collisions in highway work zones
Workers struck by construction vehicles on site
Crane and earth-moving equipment accidents
Key takeaway: Safety programs must cover not only structures being built but also the flow of vehicles, equipment, and people around the site.
148 deaths (13.8%) in 2023 were caused by being:
Struck by objects or equipment (e.g., crane loads, falling tools, flying debris)
Caught in/between equipment, walls, or trench collapses
This category serves as an umbrella for two of the "Fatal Four" hazards: struck-by incidents and caught-in/between incidents.
These incidents stem from:
Equipment malfunctions
Improper material handling
Lack of situational awareness
Prevention requires strict rigging protocols, safe material handling, and trench safety enforcement.
Though they account for a smaller portion of total fatalities than falls or transportation incidents, electrocutions represent a uniquely insidious hazard.
Electrocutions killed 52 workers in 2023 accounting for 37% of all electrical fatalities across industries.
Common causes:
Overhead power line contact
Poorly maintained tools
Exposed wiring
Lack of lockout/tagout procedures
Key takeaway: Construction is the most dangerous industry for electrical hazards, surpassing maintenance and installation.
Falls = nearly 2 in 5 deaths, mostly from everyday tasks at modest heights
Transportation incidents highlight risks beyond building activities
Struck-by and caught-in/between hazards remain deadly in congested sites
Electrocutions disproportionately affect construction workers
These four hazards are not just statistics they define the daily risks workers face and highlight where proactive interventions (training, inspections, and safety software) can save lives.
Fatalities get the headlines, but non-fatal construction site injuries are far more common and just as costly. They disrupt projects, reduce productivity, and add billions in medical and workers’ compensation expenses each year.
In 2023, the construction industry reported a non-fatal injury rate of 2.3 per 100 full-time workers, slightly below the U.S. private industry average. But this number is misleading, data suggests that injuries are vastly underreported.
In 2023, private industry employers in the construction sector reported a rate of 2.3 total recordable non-fatal injury and illness cases per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers.
1.0 cases per 100 workers resulted in days away from work (DAFW)
The DART rate (days away, restricted, or transferred) was 1.5 per 100 workers
Key takeaway: At least 1 in every 67 construction workers lost productive time due to injury in 2023.
Despite having a fatality rate nearly 3x higher than average, the construction industry reports fewer non-fatal injuries than the U.S. average.
This discrepancy strongly suggests the presence of significant underreporting of non-fatal incidents within the construction sector.
Several factors could contribute to this potential underreporting.
A “tough guy” culture discouraging minor injury reports
Temporary/contract workers excluded from reporting systems
Fear of retaliation or job loss among vulnerable workers
The true burden of non-fatal construction injuries is almost certainly much higher than official data shows
When injuries are serious enough to require days away from work, the business impact is immediate:
Lost productivity and project delays
Cost of replacement or retraining
Higher insurance premiums
In 2023, 1.5% of construction workers experienced injuries severe enough to disrupt work schedules.
These cases drive the majority of workers’ compensation claims and create ripple effects across project budgets.
2.3 injuries per 100 workers were officially reported in 2023
Data underestimates the problem, many injuries go unreported
Lost time injuries are the most expensive, driving comp claims and project delays
Non-fatal injuries may not make headlines, but they’re a silent crisis that drains profits
Non-fatal injuries don’t just impact workers they cost construction firms time, money, and reputation. The problem is clear: traditional safety programs aren’t scaling with today’s risks.
That’s where FTQ360 construction site safety software comes in.
With FTQ360, construction professionals can:
Run mobile inspections directly on site
Track safety performance in real time with dashboards
Standardize safety checklists for falls, equipment, and PPE
Identify and fix hazards before incidents happen
Document compliance for OSHA and client requirements
Fewer incidents. Lower costs. Safer projects.
See how FTQ360 can help reduce injuries and improve safety.
Construction risks are not shared equally across the workforce. The 2023 data reveals significant safety inequities based on ethnicity, immigration status, and age. These disparities highlight systemic failures in how safety is communicated, enforced, and adapted for different worker groups.
Table 3: Fatal Injury Rates by Selected Demographics (All Industries, 2023)
|
Demographic Group |
Fatal Injury Rate (per 100,000 FTEs) |
|
All Worker Average |
3.5 |
|
Hispanic or Latino Workers |
4.4 |
|
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) Workers |
3.6 |
|
Workers Ages 55-64 |
Highest raw number of fatalities (1,089) |
In 2023, Hispanic or Latino workers suffered 410 construction fatalities, making construction the deadliest industry for this demographic.
Key stats:
Fatality rate for Hispanic workers: 4.4 per 100,000 FTEs (25% higher than national average of 3.5)
Foreign-born Hispanic workers: 315 of the 839 deaths across all industries happened in construction (37.5%)
Many worked in high-risk trades like roofing and general labor
Causes of the disparity:
Language barriers in English-only training and signage
Cultural differences that discourage speaking up about unsafe conditions
Fear of retaliation, job loss, or immigration-related repercussions
Higher likelihood of being assigned the most dangerous tasks
Key takeaway: Standardized, English-only safety programs are failing a large segment of the construction workforce.
Construction’s aging workforce also faces elevated risks.
Workers 55–64 years old experienced 1,089 fatalities across all industries in 2023, the highest of any age group
In construction, older workers consistently record higher fatality rates (13.6 per 100,000 FTEs in 2022 for ages 55+)
That’s nearly 2x the fatality rate of workers aged 16–34
Why older workers are more vulnerable:
Reduced agility, balance, and reaction times
Cumulative wear and tear from years of physical labor
Supervisory roles that still require exposure to jobsite hazards
Key takeaway: The loss of experienced workers not only affects safety but also drains the industry of mentorship and institutional knowledge.
Hispanic and foreign-born workers face disproportionate fatality rates due to cultural, linguistic, and systemic gaps
Older construction workers are at greater risk of fatal injuries, particularly falls
Safety programs must evolve with the workforce by:
Delivering multilingual training and signage
Promoting bilingual supervisors
Adapting work practices to the needs of an aging workforce
Beyond the human toll, construction injuries and fatalities impose a multi-billion-dollar financial burden on employers, workers, and society.
From lost productivity to insurance claims, the costs underscore why construction site safety is not just compliance, it’s an investment with measurable ROI.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the total economic cost of all U.S. workplace injuries in 2023 was $176.5 billion.
Breakdown of these costs:
$53.1 billion in lost wages and productivity
$36.8 billion in medical expenses
$59.5 billion in administrative expenses (workers’ comp, investigations, reporting)
$15.7 billion in uninsured employer costs (supervisor time, equipment damage, lost output)
$5.9 billion in motor vehicle damages related to incidents
$5.6 billion in fire losses
Per-worker impact: In 2023, the average U.S. worker had to generate $1,080 of output just to offset the cost of workplace injuries.
The cost of individual events makes the case even clearer:
$43,000 average cost per medically consulted injury
$1.46 million average cost per workplace fatality
For construction leaders, that means:
Preventing just one fatality can offset the cost of an entire safety program
Avoiding a handful of serious injuries can fund new PPE, advanced training, or adoption of construction site safety software
ROI insight: Studies show companies save $4–$6 for every $1 invested in workplace safety programs
U.S. workplace injuries cost $176.5 billion in 2023
Construction fatalities average $1.46M each, while serious injuries average $43,000 each
Safety programs deliver a 4–6x ROI, making them a high-return investment
Doing nothing costs more than prevention — both financially and reputationally
Amid sobering statistics, there are signs of progress. In 2024, targeted OSHA enforcement and industry innovations showed measurable impact, proving that focused interventions can save lives. The future of construction site safety depends on combining regulatory pressure, research, and technology adoption.
Preliminary OSHA data for fiscal year 2024 shows:
826 worker deaths investigated an 11% drop from 2023
Fatal falls dropped nearly 20% (234 ➝ 189)
Trench collapse deaths fell by almost 70% since 2022
Why? OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs (NEPs) targeted these high-risk hazards with:
Zero-tolerance enforcement
Immediate inspections
Heavier penalties
Key takeaway: Broad safety messaging is less effective than targeted, high-intensity enforcement of the most dangerous hazards.
Organizations like CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training are advancing safety with data-driven insights and practical solutions.
Emerging innovations include:
Drones to detect fall hazards automatically
Proximity sensors that alert workers to moving equipment
Interactive fatality maps that pinpoint jobsite risks
These tools, combined with real-time safety inspection platforms, are shaping the future of construction site safety management.
The data and analysis presented in this report converge on a set of clear, actionable recommendations for industry leaders, safety professionals, and policymakers seeking to reverse the negative trends of 2023 and build a more resilient safety culture.
Scale Safety With Growth
Move beyond compliance checklists
Track leading indicators (audits, training completion, hazard resolution)
Target Routine Dangers
Enforce 100% tie-off policies at 6–30 feet
Train rigorously on ladder and scaffold safety
Bridge Cultural and Language Gaps
Deliver multilingual training and signage
Hire and promote bilingual supervisors
Foster a culture where all workers can raise safety concerns
Treat Safety as a Business Investment
Reframe safety from “cost” to ROI driver
Use the $1.46M average fatality cost as a financial case for investing
Key takeaway: Safety is no longer optional compliance it’s a strategic advantage that protects people and profits.
By presenting safety as a direct contributor to financial stability, operational efficiency, and brand reputation, safety professionals can secure the resources needed to drive transformative change.
OSHA’s targeted programs show measurable reductions in falls and trenching deaths
Research and technology (drones, sensors, safety software) are reshaping safety strategies
Companies must scale programs, focus on routine hazards, embrace inclusivity, and invest in safety as ROI
The statistics make one thing clear: traditional safety programs aren’t enough to protect today’s growing construction workforce. To reduce fatalities, injuries, and costly incidents, companies need tools that scale with complexity, improve inspections, and provide real-time visibility.
That’s where FTQ360 construction site safety software comes in.
With FTQ360, construction managers and safety leaders can:
Conduct mobile inspections in the field with standardized checklists for falls, equipment, and PPE
Track compliance and risk data in real time, reducing errors and oversights
Use the Safety Performance Dashboard to visualize site trends and prioritize hazards
Share inspection results instantly across teams and stakeholders via the cloud
Integrate safety with quality management, reducing defects and boosting efficiency
Instead of relying on outdated spreadsheets or paper forms, FTQ360 helps companies move toward first-time quality and proactive safety management. The result: fewer incidents, better compliance, and safer job sites.
Ready to move beyond minimum compliance?
Book your free demo of FTQ360 today and see how smarter inspections drive safer outcomes.