Construction workplace deaths and the construction fatality rate both declined in 2017, according to the latest annual report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on fatal accidents.
Fatal occupational injuries in the construction industry ticked down to 971 in 2017 from 991. This decreased the 2017 construction fatality rate to 9.5 per 100,000 full-time workers from 10.1 per 100,000 in the two previous years. For specialty trade contractors, the number of fatalities decreased by 3% to 152.
However, the BLS finds that some construction-related jobs had a much higher fatality rate than the industry average. Roofers' 2017 fatal-accident rate was 45.2 per 100,000 full-time works, much higher than the industry average.
Overall, the BLS found that total fatal U.S. workplace accidents decreased by less than 1 and the fatality rate ticked down to 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time workers from a rate of 3.6 per 100,000 workers the year before.
“While today’s report shows a decline in the number of workplace fatalities, the loss of even one worker is too many,” Loren Sweatt, acting assistant secretary for OSHA said in a release from the organization on the BLS report. “Through comprehensive enforcement and compliance assistance that includes educating job creators about their responsibilities under the law, and providing robust education opportunities to workers, OSHA is committed to ensuring the health and safety of the American workforce.”