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Today is Workers Memorial Day, when we honor workers killed on the job and those who experience occupational injuries and illnesses.
In construction, the number of workplace fatalities and injuries remains unacceptably high. Around 1,000 workers die on job sites each year and many thousands more die from exposures to chemicals over their working lives. Pain from musculoskeletal disorders and injuries leads to opioid prescriptions, dependencies, and overdoses, and is also associated with death by suicide.
As we remember those who have died because of work in our industry, we also need to strengthen our commitment to making sure every worker comes home safely every day. Owners, contractors, managers, government officials, unions, workers, and many others must continue to commit to making jobsites safe and healthy.
Workers Memorial Day comes in between two powerful efforts to improve safety:
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Last week was the National Work Zone Awareness Week, including the National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-by Incidents. Struck-by incidents continue to be the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of nonfatal injuries among construction workers. CPWR offers a wide range of free materials to help address this hazard, including Toolbox Talks, infographics, and webinar recordings.
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Next week is the annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, which focuses on the cause of one-third of on-the-job deaths in the industry. It is part of the national Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction, a broad industry effort to raise awareness of this hazard and to show the many ways falls are preventable.
Progress on the hazards construction workers face is possible. Earlier this year we shared that between 2023 and 2024, construction worker deaths from overdoses fell nearly 30%, and suicides also declined. The number of fatalities from these causes also remain far too high, but resources like the ones CPWR offers to prevent opioid dependency and suicide are helping the industry respond. A great way to learn more is our quarterly REASON newsletter, which features comprehensive solutions, important research, and free resources that highlight positive steps.
I hope you and your colleagues will join in remembering those who have been lost and in protecting today’s workers.
Chris Trahan Cain
Executive Director
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