Insights from the 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics report on fatal construction job-site injuries.

The annual release of the Bureau of Labor Statistics census of fatal occupational injuries is one of the best measurements of worker safety nationwide. The latest report shows that the number of fatal work injuries in 2020 was the lowest since 2013.

Unfortunately, the construction industry accounted for 23% of job-related deaths in 2020, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries — an amount larger than any other industry.

Of these construction worker deaths in 2020, the most were caused by falls, slips, or trips.*

*Data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries 

Trustworthy construction companies will enforce safety laws to prevent injury. However, there are other things that can be done to continue lowering these numbers for the industry. 

• Data collection

One method of injury prevention is by cataloging data about what led up to past job-site injuries. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics identified overexertion as the biggest cause of nonfatal injuries. By collecting data like this, companies can identify the largest risks to their builders and put case-specific protocols in place. Part of collecting data is also regularly scheduling safety meetings to hear from the team, review existing measures, and keep everyone up to date on any changes. 

• Enforcing breaks 

With overexertion being the culprit of many job-site injuries, it’s important to emphasize taking regular breaks. Though some people may want to work through lunch to get the job done faster, fatigue greatly increases the chance of an injury. Breaks also give workers more of an opportunity to hydrate. Not doing so opens up another world of problems, especially in Florida heat. 

• Always utilize safety equipment

Even with other safety protocols in place, the easiest way to prevent a job-site injury is to take advantage of safety equipment. One way to do this is by dressing according to your day. This could include hard hats, harnesses, hearing protection, steel-toed boots, gloves, or even masks. Safety equipment also includes proper signage to mark hazardous areas of a job site. These signs should be easy to read and paired with cones or ropes to clearly identify danger. Using and maintaining this equipment is key to protecting against injuries or death.

Compass Group is committed to safety. An aggressive in-house safety expert here stays current with OSHA requirements and rigorously enforces them. For more guidelines on securing safe work environments, check out our 5 most important safety laws.