A data analysis by CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Training shows COVID-19 claimed more construction worker lives in 2020 than any other cause, according to constructiondive.com.
Based on first-of-its-kind data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the research analyzed 224,400 construction worker deaths in 2020 that were on and off the job site and for current and retired workers.
COVID-19 was the cause of death for 14,900 workers 65 and older and 5,200 for workers 35 to 64; workers 16 to 34 largely died from other causes.
The CDC found the 2020 COVID-19 death rate was 57.3 per 100,000 construction workers ages 16 to 64, which was significantly higher than the nationwide average of 28.6; only the food preparation and protective services sectors had higher rates.
The year the pandemic started in the U.S. was the first time the CDC has broken out mortality data by industry. The research did not include information from Arizona, North Carolina, Rhode Island or Washington, D.C.
COVID-19 was the leading “detailed” cause of death for construction workers 35 and older.
Rick Reinhart, deputy director of CPWR, said the data did not clarify whether those who died were employed, seeking employment or retired—just that their “usual” profession was listed as construction.
More than half of workers ages 16 to 34 died as a result of an accident; 67% of workers 35 to 64 and 87% of workers 65 and older died from natural causes.
In 2020, 14,200 construction workers died from overdoses and 5,500 from suicide across all age groups. Falls, slips and trips caused 37% of job-site deaths, transportation incidents caused 27% and contact with equipment and exposure to harmful substances or environments each caused 15%.
