An official website of the United States government
United States Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information,
make sure you're on a federal government site.
The site is secure.
The
https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any
information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities
SHARE ON:
Construction laborers, 2015‐2019
Background
Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.
As of May 2019, there were 1,020,350 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage is $20.06 and the average annual wage is $41,730.
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses
In private industry for this occupation, there were 19,790 nonfatal injury and illness cases requiring days away from work during 2019. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 231.
| Case characteristic[1] | Number of cases |
|---|---|
Nature of injury or illness | |
Sprains, strains, tears | 5,220 |
Soreness, pain | 3,550 |
Fractures | 3,330 |
All other natures | 2,870 |
Cuts, lacerations | 2,390 |
Part of body affected | |
Hand | 3,590 |
Back | 2,850 |
Foot | 1,780 |
Shoulder | 1,650 |
Knee | 1,410 |
Source of injury or illness | |
Parts and materials | 5,100 |
All other sources | 3,300 |
Handtools | 2,600 |
Worker motion or position | 2,160 |
Floors, walkways, ground surfaces | 1,600 |
Event or exposure leading to injury or illness | |
Struck by object or equipment | 5,000 |
Fall to lower level | 1,860 |
Fall on same level | 1,840 |
Overexertion in lifting or lowering | 1,610 |
Caught in or compressed by object or equipment | 1,420 |
[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 293 for construction laborers during 2019, compared to 259 during 2018.
| Event or exposure[1][2] | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total fatal injuries (number) | 235 | 254 | 259 | 259 | 293 |
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals | -- | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
Transportation incidents | 51 | 52 | 69 | 47 | 73 |
Fires and explosions | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Falls, slips, trips | 90 | 89 | 85 | 83 | 98 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments | 22 | 27 | 34 | 38 | 49 |
Contact with objects and equipment | 66 | 64 | 54 | 74 | 55 |
Note: Dashes indicate data do not meet BLS publication guidelines. [1] CFOI data by event are only provided if there are fatal case counts in three or more of the six event categories. For more information visit: https://www.bls.gov/iif/overview/cfoi.htm. [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. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries | |||||
Sources
Wage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) 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 and CFOI program concepts and definitions see the SOII Handbook of Methods and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.
Last Modified Date: January 22, 2021