Construction workplace deaths declined in 2024, though the industry remains one of the most dangerous in the United States, according to newly released federal data.
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The latest Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows 1,034 construction workers died on the job in 2024 — 41 fewer than the previous year. The report, released Thursday, provides the most comprehensive look at fatal work injuries nationwide.
Construction accounted for roughly one in five U.S. workplace deaths last year. Among individual private industries, only the broader trade, transportation and utilities sector recorded more fatalities, with 1,298 deaths. That category includes retail workers, transportation employees and warehouse staff.
Beyond raw numbers, the BLS measures fatal work injury rates based on workforce size. In 2024, construction’s fatality rate fell to 9.2 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, down 0.4 from 2023.
The rate was the fourth highest among major industries tracked. While the figure represents the lowest rate for construction since 2011, the industry’s fatality rate has hovered between nine and 10 per 100,000 workers for more than a decade.
For comparison, the overall U.S. workplace fatality rate across all industries was 3.3 per 100,000 workers in 2024, down from 3.5 in 2023. Across the economy, 5,070 workers died on the job in 2024 — the lowest total since 2020.
Other high-risk sectors included agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, which posted a fatality rate of 20.9 per 100,000 workers, and mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction at 13.8.
Falls, slips and trips continued to dominate jobsite risks in construction, accounting for 389 deaths in 2024 — roughly 38% of all industry fatalities. The category has consistently ranked as the leading cause of death on construction sites for years.
Transportation incidents — which include injuries or fatalities involving vehicles or workers struck by vehicles — were the second deadliest cause, responsible for 244 deaths, or about 24% of total construction fatalities.
Other causes included exposure to harmful substances or environments (187 deaths), contact incidents such as being struck by equipment or materials (161 deaths), violent acts (46 deaths), and explosions or fires (five deaths).
The BLS report, typically released in December, was delayed this year by two months due to a government shutdown.
In addition to industry classifications, the agency reports fatalities by occupation. Construction and extraction occupations recorded 1,032 fatal injuries in 2024, down 23 from 2023. Of those, 788 were construction tradesworkers.
Industry stakeholders welcomed the downward trend but stressed that progress remains incremental.
Chris Trahan Cain, executive director of CPWR, said the decline in 2024 deaths occurred due to slightly fewer incidents with persistent jobsite hazards and a small decline in workplace suicides and overdoses.
“Although our industry needs to work harder to eliminate all construction worker deaths on the job, we are encouraged that the overall 2024 fatality numbers and rates decreased,” Cain told Construction Dive in an email. “People across the industry must continue to strive to make sure every worker goes home safely every day and to improve working conditions that contribute to disease, damage wellbeing, and cause early deaths for construction workers.”
Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America, noted that the decline came despite workforce growth.
“These are particularly encouraging trends in light of the increase in employment and the retirement of large numbers of experienced workers,” he said.
Joe Xavier, senior director of safety for Associated Builders and Contractors, also welcomed the drop but urged contractors to intensify safety efforts.
“We must see better gains for the health and safety of construction workers, bottom line,” Xavier said. “We must do better and now is the time for contractors to proactively assess their own safety culture.”
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Construction employment has expanded in recent years, fueled by infrastructure spending, manufacturing reshoring, data center development and population growth in Sun Belt states. A growing workforce can make maintaining safety standards more challenging, particularly as experienced workers retire and new entrants join jobsites.
Safety experts often point to fall protection compliance, enhanced training programs, stop-work authority policies and mental health initiatives as key strategies to further reduce fatalities. Industry groups have also emphasized addressing opioid misuse, heat stress and long-term occupational disease risks as part of a broader worker wellbeing approach.
While 2024’s numbers reflect measurable improvement, construction continues to carry a fatality rate nearly three times the national average. Leaders across the sector say sustained cultural change, investment in training and accountability at every level will be required to push the rate meaningfully lower in the years ahead.
Originally reported by Zachary Phillips, Editor in Construction Dive.
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