Work-Related Fatal-Injury Risk of Construction Workers by Occupation and Cause of Death

Abstract

To assess cause- and occupation-specific risks of work related fatal injuries among U.S. construction workers, the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance system and Current Population Survey were used to obtain injury and employment data for the years 1990 through 1994. Risks were assessed by both rate and working lifetime risk. The occupation found to have the highest fatal-injury rate in construction was electrical-power installers and repairers (96.6 deaths/100,000 workers), followed by structural-metal workers (86.4) and operating engineers (41.0). The occupation found to have the largest numbers of fatalities was construction laborers (1133 deaths), followed by carpenters (408), and construction supervisors (392). The leading causes of death varied by occupation. Construction in general has experienced a decline in fatal-injury rates over the years; however, this decline did not occur equally across occupations and causes of death. The presentation of working lifetime injury risks provides a measure of risk for occupational injuries that can be compared with occupational illness risk assessments. This study is the first to provide a comprehensive national profile of work-related fatal-injury risks among United States construction workers by occupation and cause of death. The results will be useful in focusing research and prevention efforts on specific hazards in high-risk construction occupations.