Deaths and injuries in the highway and bridge construction sector are falling, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A new report from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, between 2011 and 2023 fatal injuries in the Highway, Street and Bridge (HSB) sector fell by 15 percent, while fatal injuries for the rest of the construction sector jumped 41 percent. Non-fatal injuries and illnesses for the HSB sector also fell with the number of cases per 1,000 workers falling to 46 percent.
“While the fatal injury rates for HSB – defined as the number of fatalities per 1,000 workers – remained higher than the rate for overall construction during the same period, the HSB fatality rate dropped by 33% while the overall construction rate remained stagnant,” ARTBA said in its report.
The association said the analysis shows that efforts by the transportation construction industry to improve jobsite safety are having a positive impact. However, the group said, the number of deaths and injuries is still high – 88 deaths in 2023 alone, but the downward trend is an indication of the organization’s partnerships with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to improve jobsite safety.
Officials with ARTBA said that as the industry gears up for the spring construction season, its members will continue to work to enhance internal safety programs.