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Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities
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Construction laborers, 2016-2020
Background
Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.
As of May 2020, there were 971,330 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $20.67, and the average annual wage was $43,000.
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses
In private industry for construction laborers, there were 16,590 nonfatal injury and illness cases involving days away from work in 2020. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 207.1.
| Case characteristic[1] | Number of cases |
|---|---|
Nature of injury or illness | |
Sprains, strains, tears | 4,290 |
All other natures | 3,230 |
Soreness, pain | 2,830 |
Fractures | 2,580 |
Cuts, lacerations | 2,040 |
Part of body affected | |
Hand | 2,630 |
Back | 1,850 |
Foot | 1,580 |
Shoulder | 1,370 |
Knee | 1,220 |
Source of injury or illness | |
Parts and materials | 4,240 |
All other sources | 3,270 |
Handtools | 1,560 |
Worker motion or position | 1,410 |
Vehicles | 1,390 |
Event or exposure leading to injury or illness | |
Struck by object or equipment | 3,600 |
Fall to lower level | 2,050 |
Fall on same level | 1,410 |
Overexertion in lifting or lowering | 1,370 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments | 1,350 |
[1] Data shown correspond to Nature, Part, Source, and Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses | |
Fatal occupational injuries
Fatal work injuries totaled 308 for construction laborers during 2020, compared to 293 during 2019.
| Event or exposure[1][2] | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total fatal injuries (number) | 254 | 259 | 259 | 293 | 308 |
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | -- |
Transportation incidents | 52 | 69 | 47 | 73 | 75 |
Fires and explosions | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Falls, slips, trips | 89 | 85 | 83 | 98 | 96 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments | 27 | 34 | 38 | 49 | 60 |
Contact with objects and equipment | 64 | 54 | 74 | 55 | 65 |
[1] CFOI data by event are only provided if there are fatal case counts in three or more of the six event categories. [2] Data shown correspond to Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Note: Dashes indicate data do not meet BLS publication guidelines. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries | |||||
Sources
Wage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. Injury and illness information come from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). For more information on SOII program concepts, see the definitions page and the SOII Handbook of Methods. For more information on CFOI program concepts, see the definitions page and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.
Last Modified Date: February 11, 2022