A job in the construction industry is one of the most dangerous jobs you can have in California. In fact, despite a dramatic reduction in construction injuries in recent years, there are still more injuries in construction than in any other industry.
The statistics on construction injuries
A report from the Center for Construction Training and Research found that there was a 57% reduction in nonfatal construction injuries between 2003 and 2019. However, the injury rate in construction is still so high that it exceeds the injury rate in all other industries combined by 29.2%.
While the overall nonfatal injury rate decreased over the long period, it actually got higher between 2011 and 2019. During that shorter time period, overall nonfatal injury numbers in construction rose by 8% while falls to a lower level rose by 41%.
Common accidents and risk factors
There are some types of construction site accidents that are more common than others as well as risk factors that are important to be aware of. According to the study, the No. 1 cause of nonfatal construction injuries from 2013 to 2019 was contact with equipment or objects. The second leading cause of nonfatal construction injuries was slip, trip and fall accidents.
The specific industries with the highest number of construction injuries between 2017 and 2019 were flooring, poured concrete and framing. Workers between the ages of 20 and 24 are the age group that is the most at risk of missing work because of a nonfatal construction injury.
