LANSING - On-the-job construction industry fatalities in Michigan took a remarkable drop last year, from 26 in 2006 to 11 in 2007. The 11 fatalities marked the lowest number of construction industry deaths in a year ever recorded by MIOSHA.

In recent years in Michigan the single-year high was 37 construction fatalities in 1997, and the lows were 17 (both in 1995 and 2005).

Falls are the perennial leader in causing worker deaths, and last year was no different. Five Hardhats were killed by falls, three were "struck-by," two were electrocuted, and one was "crushed by."

"We're just very pleased to see the drop in fatalities," said Patty Meyer, safety manager for the MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Division. "The injury and illness rate is declining, too - a lot."

Figures released by MIOSHA found that in 2000, there were 9.2 construction workers per 100,000 who suffered a recordable on-the-job injury/illness. Those incidents have dropped every year during this decade, to 6.0 in 2005, to 4.7 in 2006. Last year's numbers have not been completed.

"These are phenomenal numbers," Meyer said. "I think a lot of good contractors are realizing that working with MIOSHA and the unions to make safety more of a priority is saving lives. And working with groups like MUST (Management and Unions Serving Together) is making for a more educated workforce. The whole industry is buying into safety, and that's very important to what's happening here."

Meyer said she doesn't think it's a coincidence that those numbers are dropping at the same time MIOSHA has been actively seeking safety partnerships with owners and large general contractors on major projects. Some of those contractors include Barton-Malow, Walbridge-Aldinger, and Skanksa.

On those projects, MIOSHA, owners, contractors and union representatives sign a pledge to work together on safety, moving away from traditional enforcement methods to collaborative agreements. The philosophy: zero tolerance for unsafe acts and conditions.

MIOSHA was started up in 1974, and it has saved lives in the construction industry. In the 1960s, an average of 44 Michigan construction workers were killed on the job every year.