CPWR data show rising building construction fatalities despite mixed injury trends
CPWR reported that building construction fatalities rose 54.9% from 2012 to 2024, even as some nonfatal injury rates declined over the same period.
Key Facts
- Building construction fatalities increased from 142 in 2012 to 220 in 2024, according to CPWR data cited in the report.
- The building construction fatality rate rose to 11.9 per 100,000 workers from 11.4, a 4.4% increase.
- The nonfatal injury rate for building construction was 81.1 per 100,000 workers in 2023-2024, up from 71.7 in 2021-2022.
- Specialty trade contractors recorded 608 deaths in 2024, down from 658 in 2023, while their fatality rate fell to 11.7 per 100,000 workers in 2024 from 13.4 in 2012 and 2013.
- Heavy and civil engineering deaths fell to 186 in 2024 from 217 in 2012, and its fatality rate declined to 16.1 per 100,000 workers from 25.
What Happened
CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training published a data bulletin showing that deaths among building construction workers rose over a recent 13-year period. The report was based on Bureau of Labor Statistics and CPWR data.
According to the report, building construction fatalities climbed 54.9% from 142 in 2012 to 220 in 2024. The fatality rate also increased, reaching 11.9 deaths per 100,000 workers from 11.4.
Why It Matters
For chemical buyers, lab managers, EHS leads, and industrial operators that use contractors or run mixed industrial sites, the data underscore a continuing elevation in life-safety risk in building construction work. The report also shows that lower nonfatal injury rates do not necessarily track with lower fatality risk.
The bulletin said it is essential to examine injury trends across subsectors to identify differences that can guide tailored intervention and prevention efforts.
Key Details
Nonfatal injury rates for building construction were 81.1 per 100,000 workers in 2023-2024, up from 71.7 in 2021-2022, but still below 119.7 in 2011-2012. CPWR’s data also showed differences across subsectors:
- Specialty trade contractors: 608 deaths in 2024, down from 658 in 2023; fatality rate of 11.7 per 100,000 workers in 2024.
- Heavy and civil engineering: 186 deaths in 2024, down from 217 in 2012; fatality rate of 16.1 per 100,000 workers in 2024.
- Specialty trade contractor nonfatal injury rate: 96.5 per 100,000 workers in 2023-2024, down from 142.7 in 2011-2012.
- Heavy and civil engineering nonfatal injury rate: 60 per 100,000 workers in 2023-2024, down from 113 in 2011-2012.
What To Watch Next
The report points to the need for subsector-specific controls, so buyers and site managers should expect continued emphasis on task-level prevention measures, contractor oversight, and incident review by work type rather than by industry alone.
For organizations that specify or manage materials, equipment, or contractor services on active construction projects, the practical takeaway is to align procurement and work-planning decisions with the highest-risk activities and crews identified in internal safety data.
Alliance's Take
For sites that rely on outside construction crews, these findings reinforce the need to tighten contractor qualification, pre-job planning, and task-specific hazard reviews before work starts.
Procurement and EHS teams should treat workscope, crew type, and site conditions as part of supplier and contractor selection, not just price or schedule.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did building construction fatalities increase in the CPWR report?
Yes. CPWR said building construction fatalities rose from 142 in 2012 to 220 in 2024.
Did nonfatal injuries move in the same direction as fatalities?
No. The building construction nonfatal injury rate was 81.1 per 100,000 workers in 2023-2024, up from 71.7 in 2021-2022, but still below 119.7 in 2011-2012.
Which subsectors were highlighted in the bulletin?
The report provided separate data for specialty trade contractors and heavy and civil engineering, showing different patterns in deaths and injury rates.
