Construction Safety: Statistics, Supplies and Products

We live our daily lives around skyscrapers, malls, and factories, most times clueless of the significant buildings in front of us.  The construction industry is responsible for shaping those many different shaped buildings.  And, as of March 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 7,605,000 people were employed in the construction industry. Roughly 4% of total employment in the United States is found in the construction industry.

The Construction industry employs over seven million people every year.

Plus, work is growing too!  In 2019, the total number of people  employed was 7,492,000 people.  That means the industry has grown roughly 10% in three years. Yet, not all is sunshine in paradise.  The BLS also reports that the number of fatal work injuries in 2015, the latest available data, was 937 in the construction industry, which amounted to just over 21% of all worker deaths. 

The below article deals with some alarming industry statistics, construction safety, and construction PPE. 

Five Shocking Construction Statistics

21% of Deaths

Construction Accounts for Only 4% of Workers but 21% of Deaths.Now that’s a shocking statistic. But there’s more.

Fatal Four Causes

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 64% of construction worker deaths in 2015 had just four causes:

1. Falls: 364 deaths or 38.8% of total deaths.
   
   
2. Struck by Object: 90 deaths or 9.5% of total.
   
   
3. Electrocutions: 81 deaths or 8.6% of total.
   
   
4. Caught-in or Between: 67 deaths or 7.2% of total.

Fatal Injuries Reached All Time Highs

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that fatal injuries for construction laborers hit the highest rate since 2008, carpenters the highest rate since 2009, electricians since 2009, with plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters since 2003.

199,100 Total Nonfatal Injuries

Reported by the BLS in 2018, back injuries were at the top with 11,690 injuries and hand injuries not far behind at 11,200. Providing protection from hand injuries is one of our specialties. It's discussed more below.

All Will Suffer Injuries

Nearly All Construction Workers Will Have at Least One Work-Related Injury in Their Lifetime.  Based on information reported in Safety + Health researchers found not only this statistic but also that over a 45-year career a construction worker has a 75% chance of a disabling injury and a 1-in-200 chance of a fatal injury. 

For construction industry veterans, those stats probably aren’t news. You’ve no doubt observed them along the way in your career. But, hopefully, they provide a renewed sense of purpose around implementing safety procedures in your workplace. 

Construction Safety

Construction workers operate in harsh working conditions and where numerous hazards are always present.  The safety challenges begin at the preparatory stage and continue until the construction project finishes completion. At each step, different obstacles appear, many times catching workers by surprise do to the ever-changing work environment.   

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is a construction company's best resource for construction safety.  Here is one of their best resources:  Worker Safety Series Construction.   It highlights the specific Top 10 hazards the construction industry faces and solutions to consider for each one.  Here are some additional safety resources:

Construction Safety Topics

As we mentioned above, the construction work environment changes from day-to-day.  So, managers need to incorporate different safety topics into daily and weekly meetings.  By do this, workers are regularly updated on hazards they may be facing, thus reducing the risk of work injuries.  Here is a link to OSHA's construction safety topics.   One that they list that pertains to MCR Safety construction gear is on Construction PPE.

 Construction Safety Plans

Working safety is just important today as working efficiently.  When you think about it, they both deal with costs.  Only safety deals with the cost from a workmen's compensation standpoint. To work safely, you must be prepared.  A construction safety plan highlights safety hazards workers will potentially face.  Layton Construction has assembled an excellent construction safety plan; all can view and pick up on best planning practices for their site. From who is responsible for training to the site's specific hazards, the construction safety plan is a road-map to a safe job site. 

Additional OSHA Construction Resources

OSHA Construction
Construction Safety Regulations
Recommended Construction Practices

Construction Supplies

We recognize the importance of construction safety gear needed across the industry, and have developed a Construction Industry page, broken up by different sub-industries.  You can click the image below to be taken directly there. 

MCR Safety's Construction Industry Page

Across our construction industry page, we highlight the unique hazards each sub-industry faces, along with lots of exciting information pertaining to each sub-industry.  

Construction Safety Products

N9691

The industry page is an excellent resource for anyone working in construction.  However, we know many of you want to jump directly to specific construction safety products.  Here are some quick links to get you in the right place:

Construction Safety Vests

• MCR Safety has a vast selection of construction safety vests, from general-purpose styles to Class 2, and Class 3 safety vests.  In total,we have over 100 vests to choose from, allowing construction workers to say seen. Here is a link to our online garment catalog, which will allow you to zone in on the style, color, and reflective material you prefer. 
  

RXCL2ML

Construction Safety Glasses

You'll want to check out our new Swagger® 4 safety glasses. You can view our entire eyewear styles in our online safety glasses catalog.

SR44R

Construction Safety Shirts

You can access our construction safety shirts in the same place as our construction safety vests. However, you might want to read up more on our new Triple Vented Workshirt for heat stress. Check out our online garment catalog.

We offer a wide selection of construction safety shirts too!

Construction Gloves

Nobody even comes close to offering the same assortment of construction work gloves as MCR Safety. From impact gloves to cut-resistant gloves, and general-purpose gloves, MCR Safety has an extensive glove selection. Check out our online glove catalog.

PD2908

Winter Construction Gloves

Have you heard of the Ninja Ice® work gloves? It's been a top-selling winter construction glove for over a decade now. Check out our Ninja® Gloves page.

N9690FCO

Common Questions

We work with many construction companies throughout the year.  Our 360 hazard assessment puts us face-to-face with some of the largest industrial companies.  It involves MCR Safety representatives completing a full review of a company's operations and then offering PPE solutions to fit the company's needs.  In addition to PPE, our team is certified with OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 certifications. Here are some of the common questions we hear from construction companies, specific to construction safety.  

• How to become a safety inspector in construction? 

• A safety inspector evaluates and reviews workplace practices.  There are the guys performing 360 hazard assessments every day.  Study.com has laid out the entire path one needs to embark on to be a safety inspector.   Keep in mind that if you want to be a construction site safety manager, it requires many years of experience and is a little different from a safety inspector. 

• What safety supervisors need to look out for on construction worksites? 

• As we highlighted above, the construction safety plan should be the roadmap for any safety supervisor.  Check out the Layton construction plan above, which highlights numerous hazards to be on the lookout for on a construction worksite.  Also, here are some other useful resources: 8 best practices and What do Safety Supervisors do.

• What is a construction safety policy? 

• A safety policy is a written statement that clearly states a  construction company's commitment to protecting the health and safety of its employees.   It's intended to drive immediate behavior and action.  The policy commits the organization to a safer working environment. 

• How to create a construction safety culture? 

• The company's safety culture is more than just a safety policy.  It is the company's overall attitude and mindset around creating a safe work environment.  Here are six tips to get your company there. 

• Where can I get custom construction safety shirts? 

• You're already here!  MCR Safety can logo any of its 100+ construction safety vests, construction safety shirts, or construction safety Hi-Vis jackets.  Leave us a comment below if you're interested, and we will have someone be in touch with you. 

• How to create a construction safety manual? 

• The world of safety is sometimes complicated, so you're going to need some help here.  Check out this How to Create a Safety Manual article for some helpful guidance. Also, here is a construction safety manual to get you started with some ideas: Ohio Construction Safety Manual  Lastly, as we've stated above, nothing is better than following the guidance of OSHA.  We listed it above and it's an essential document for anyone in construction safety: OSHA's link to recommend practices for construction. 

Please let us know if you're interested in an MCR Safety representative visiting to discuss PPE designed to protect workers from hazards in the construction industry.  We're all in this together, protecting people and making construction safety a top priority at any job site. 

MCR Safety Gear for Construction

When it comes to personal protective equipment, we've got you covered. Whether it's gloves, glasses, garments, or all three, you can find them at MCR Safety.

Please leave us a comment here if you have any questions about our product or are looking for a specific construction safety product.

We welcome any comments, feedback, or suggestions for how we can best protect people at work.

For over 45 years, MCR Safety has proven to be a world leader in gloves, glasses, and garments. Whether it’s on the shop floor, an oil rig, or a construction site, we are there providing solutions to workplace hazards. It’s all part of our commitment to protect people. 

No matter your industry, we have the personal protective equipment you need.

Learn more about MCR Safety by checking out our most recent video. For more information, browse our website, request a catalog, find a distributor, or give us a call at 800-955-6887.