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Big drop for construction fatalities

Date Posted: September 11 2009

Workplace fatalities in the construction industry dropped significantly from 2007 to 2008 – 20 percent – but the building industry continues to lead all employment sectors in worker fatalities.

A report released Aug. 20 by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that construction had 969 fatalities in 2008, the smallest annual total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program was first conducted in 1992. Much of that drop could be due to the severe drop in construction employment. When the rate is matched (apples to apples) against the number of fatalities per 100,000 full-time workers, construction worker deaths dropped from 10.8 percent in 2007 to 9.6 percent in 2008.

In all industries, there were a total of 5,071 fatal work injuries recorded in the U.S. in 2008, down from a total of 5,657 fatal work injuries reported for 2007 – a 10.3 percent drop. In Michigan, in all industries, worker fatalities increased from 120 in 2007 to 123 in 2008.

The job sector with the second most fatalities was “transportation and warehousing,” with 762 deaths.

“Average hours worked at the national level fell by one percent in 2008, and some industries that have historically accounted for a significant share of worker fatalities, such as construction, experienced larger declines in employment or hours worked,” the report said. The numbers are preliminary, the report said, and could increase, because another factor in the lower numbers may be that some of the state government agencies that provide the data may be slowed by budget constraints.

The biggest decrease occurred in residential building construction, where fatalities dropped 28 percent.

“With every one of these fatalities, the lives of a worker’s family members were shattered and forever changed. We can’t forget that fact,” said Labor Department Secretary Hilda Solis. “While the decrease in the number of fatal work injuries represents change in the right direction, it does not lessen the need for strong enforcement to ensure that safety is a top priority in every workplace. In fact, today’s report prompts us to step up our vigilance, particularly as the economy regains momentum.”