New Data Shows Workplace Deaths are Down in Construction
According to Bloomberg’s BNA Labor Report: Posted Dec. 18, 2018, 10:39 AM
While the construction industry again had the most fatalities of the large industry groups tracked by the bureau, the overall number and rate declined for 2017.
There were 971 fatalities, compared to 991 in 2016, and the fatality rate dropped to 9.5, down from 2016’s 10.1.
Kevin Cannon, senior director for safety and health services for the Associated General Contractors of America in Arlington, Va., told Bloomberg Law the numbers improved even though the overall experience levels among construction workers decreased.
“In the face of a skilled labor shortage, it shows contractors have really stepped up to show they are operating safer job sites,” Cannon said.
The 2017 rate for manufacturing was 1.9, a slight improvement from 2 in 2016.
The transportation and warehousing industry rate was worse for 2017—15.1, up from 2016’s 14.3.
Much of the increase was attributed by the bureau to more deaths among trucking workers, such as drivers. There were 1,084 operator deaths in 2017, a 7 percent increase from the year before.
(Adds union and industry comments, and details from the report.)
To contact the reporter on this story: Bruce Rolfsen in Washington at brolfsen@bloombergenvironment.com
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Cathleen O’Connor Schoultz at cschoultz@bloomberglaw.com; Martha Mueller Neff at mmuellerneff@bloomberglaw.com
