CPWR: 65% of construction deaths linked to ‘Focus Four’ hazards

Silver Spring, MD — Around two-thirds of construction worker deaths over a recent 11-year period were the result of “Focus Four”-related injuries, a new report says.

Falls and struck-by, caught-in/between and electrocution hazards make up the Focus Four hazards.

Researchers from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training looked at 2011-2021 data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, which included the rate of injuries by year and detailed event/exposure categories. They identified approximately 10,700 fatal workplace injuries in the construction industry. Overall, 65.5% resulted from a Focus Four injury, with falls to a lower level accounting for 53.5% of those.

Other findings:

• Focus Four injuries accounted for 40% of all nonfatal injuries.
• The number and rate of fatal falls to a lower level increased 46% and 13%, respectively.
• The number and rate of nonfatal struck-by injuries declined 4% and 24%, respectively.
• Other falls to a lower level were the most common type of falls to a lower level, accounting for 81% of fatal and 93% of nonfatal fall injuries in 2020.
• Transport vehicles were the most common cause of fatal struck-by injuries (48%), whereas other struck-by injuries were the most common for nonfatal struck-by injuries (56%) in 2020.

The report was published in the March edition of CPWR’s Data Bulletin.