More than 40% of construction worker deaths stem from falls

On Behalf of | Jan 7, 2021 | Workers' Compensation |

When you make your living working in construction, you face numerous work-related hazards every day. Your job is one of the nation’s more dangerous occupations, and one of the most notable risks you face in your line of work is that of a fall.

According to Safety + Health, more than 40% of American construction worker deaths involve falls. While this percentage is alarming, so, too, is the fact that many construction worker falls that do not lead to death cause serious, debilitating injuries.

Construction fall statistics

A study of construction worker falls over a 33-year span revealed that 42% of all construction worker fatalities resulted from falls. About a third of those fatal falls involved workers falling from 30 feet or higher off the ground. Also, 20% of them involved workers who had only been on the job for two months or less, suggesting that experience goes a long way in terms of preventing construction site falls.

Safety protocols

Research shows that many people who fell on construction sites and either died or injured themselves as a result either lacked a personal fall arrest system or had one but failed to use it. Of those who died due to construction site falls within that 33-year span, more than half, or 54%, lacked access to a personal fall arrest system. Another 23% of those killed had access to such a system but did not use it.

The use of personal fall arrest systems is essential anytime you work from heights. Many fall-related injuries and fatalities could have been avoidable if construction workers had used these protective systems.

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