New Jersey Construction Accidents Overview
Approximately 20% of all fatal workplace injuries occur on construction sites.
Construction Accident Trends Affecting New Jersey Workplaces
Construction sites are among the most dangerous for workers. Injuries in construction accidents can cause serious injuries, and in some cases, they claim lives.
Construction accidents remain a consistent source of risk for workers in New Jersey. While the total number of deaths and injuries have dropped in recent years, the decrease has not been consistent. 2021’s numbers demonstrate a spike in construction accident injuries.
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Our New Jersey construction accident attorneys have over 35 years of experience fighting for seriously injured clients. We’ve represented our clients in workers’ compensation claims and in personal injury claims.
Construction Accidents in New Jersey and Nationwide
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides key construction accident data for the US and New Jersey. Recent reports reveal that
- The construction industry saw 1,075 fatalities in 2023, the highest among all industry sectors.
- The construction industry has seen the highest rate of on-the-job fatalities going back to 2011.
- Approximately 20% of all fatal workplace injuries occur on construction sites.
- Specialty trade contractors have the highest rates of fatal injuries on US construction sites.
- In 2023, falls, slips, and trips accounted for 39.2 percent (421) of all construction fatalities.
While New Jersey’s construction death and injury rates tend to be lower than the national average, the state still presents some concerning trends in construction accidents.
New Jersey Construction Site Fatalities in 2023
Concerning Trends in New Jersey Construction Accidents
Both construction deaths and serious injuries have decreased over the past few decades. However, this decrease has not been consistent. As recently as 2021, deaths and injuries on New Jersey construction sites spiked again.
Fatal Construction Accident Trends in New Jersey
Fatal workplace injuries are increasing in New Jersey. In 2023, 81 people died in New Jersey workplace accidents, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is a noteworthy decrease from 116 deaths in 2022.
Construction jobs accounted for 18 of the 81 workplace deaths in New Jersey in 2023, or 22 percent of all workplace deaths. This represents a decrease from 2022, in which 25 construction workers lost their lives on New Jersey worksites.
The deadliest year for New Jersey workers in terms of total deaths was 1993, in which 143 workers lost their lives on the job. However, the percentage of construction workers suffering fatal injuries on the job is increasing. In 2021, construction workers suffered fatal job injuries at a rate of 9.3 deaths per 100,000 workers - the fourth-highest death rate since 2008.
Nationwide, the BLS recorded 5,486 on-the-job deaths in 2022, an increase of 5.7 percent from 2021. While New Jersey’s construction accident death rates are trending lower than the nation as a whole, deaths and serious injuries are still too common on New Jersey construction sites.
The specialty trade contractors subsector accounted for 11 of the construction sector’s fatal workplace injuries.
In 2022, there were 5,486 on-the-job deaths nationwide.
Males accounted for 95 percent of the work-related fatalities in New Jersey.
Injury-Causing Construction Accident Trends in New Jersey
Serious injuries also occur on New Jersey construction sites. According to the BLS, in 2022:
- 3,500 construction workers suffered injuries on the job,
- 2,000 construction workers required time off work to recover from their injuries, and
- 300 construction workers required a job transfer or restriction, often with a reduction in pay.
As with deaths, injury trends from year to year are not consistent. For example, 2021 presented a rise in construction injuries. 2022’s numbers decreased from 2021, but are still higher than some previous years. Efforts to reduce the number of serious injuries on New Jersey construction sites have not produced consistent improvements in safety for workers.
3,500 New Jersey construction workers suffered injuries on the job.
2,000 New Jersey construction workers required time off work to recover from their injuries.
300 New Jersey construction workers required a job transfer or restriction.
Common Types of Construction Accidents in New Jersey
Four types of accidents are so common on construction sites that OSHA calls them the “Big Four.” These four accident categories are the most common causes of death and serious injury on construction sites in New Jersey and nationwide. Between 2011 and 2021, 65 percent of fatal injuries and 40 percent of non-fatal injuries resulted from one of these four causes.
The Big Four Construction Site Injuries
Slip, trip, and fall injuries caused 37 percent of construction workplace deaths in 2021, according to the BLS. Falls also caused 47 percent of all construction site injuries. These accidents include falls on the same level, such as falls caused by slipping on a spill or tripping on debris. They also include falls from a height, such as a fall off scaffolding or a fall into an open ditch or pit.
While OSHA and the State of New Jersey both require construction sites to use fall protection equipment, many falls occur when this equipment is not used. Injuries from falls can often be prevented.
Falls
Construction Site Fall Injuries and Fatalities
Struck By an Object
Approximately eight percent of construction deaths in 2021 resulted from a worker being struck by an object. Objects ranged from fully loaded tractor-trailers to tools, equipment, and building materials.
Several situations can cause a construction worker to be struck by an object. These include:
- Rigging failures,
- Loose or shifting materials,
- Equipment malfunctions,
- Falling objects,
- Driver error causing a vehicle or equipment strike,
- Dropped tools or flying objects.
The most common cause of fatal struck-by accidents was vehicles. In 48 percent of fatal struck-by situations, injuries resulted from a person being hit by a vehicle. By contrast, over half (56 percent) of all non-fatal struck-by injuries were caused by objects other than vehicles.
Caught In or Between Objects
Being caught in or between machines, devices, tools, equipment, or trenches accounted for about 5 percent of all deaths on construction sites in 2021. These accidents also include situations in which workers are caught in collapsing structures or pinned by collapsing materials. Workers are also susceptible to crush injuries when they are caught in between two compressing objects.
Electrocution
Approximately eight percent of construction site worker deaths in 2021 resulted from electrocution. Electrocution accidents were more likely when:
- Wiring is exposed,
- Conditions are wet from rain, snow, or other sources, especially near outlets,
- People or equipment came in contact with overhead power lines, energized conductors, or circuit parts,
- Hidden defects in tools or other electrical parts,
- Power tools or cords were poorly maintained, or
- Workers were working during lightning storms.
Other electrocution situations can occur in other types of construction accidents, which can usually be prevented by strictly following OSHA electrical standards.
Electrocution in Construction Accidents
Electrocution accidents are more likely when any of the following occur:
Common Injuries Suffered in New Jersey Construction Accidents
New Jersey construction accidents can cause a wide range of injuries. Common injuries experienced by construction workers in New Jersey include:
- Head, neck, and back injuries,
- Brain and spinal cord injuries,
- Broken bones,
- Tissue and nerve damage,
- Amputations and degloving injuries,
- Crush injuries, and
- Thermal, chemical, and electrical burns.
Other types of injuries can occur as well. For construction workers, certain types of injuries are more common than in the general population. Injuries sustained due to chemical exposure or noise exposure, for example, can cause serious harm.
Harmful chemical exposure caused approximately 174 construction workplace injuries in 2020. In 84 percent of injury reports, a bodily reaction to a chemical or other substance is listed as the cause of at least one injury.
Overexposure to noise is a common cause of injury as well. OSHA estimates that about 51 percent of construction workers have suffered overexposure to noise on a construction site. Approximately 6 percent of construction workers are believed to have tinnitus, an ear condition linked to noise exposure.
Construction Accident Liability
When a construction worker is injured, their first step for compensation is typically to file a workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation in New Jersey provides coverage for medical costs, temporary and permanent disability, and death benefits if an on-the-job accident proves fatal.
Workers’ compensation in New Jersey only applies to employees, however. If you are an independent contractor, you may not qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
Third-Party Claims
Some construction accidents are the fault of a third-party - not the injured person or their employer. For example:
- A construction worker is hit in a work zone by a motorist may have a third-party claim against the motorist who hit them; i.e. a pedestrian accident.
- A construction worker is injured because chemicals used on the job were mislabeled may have a claim against the company that packaged and sold the chemicals.
- A construction worker is injured when a hidden defect causes a power tool to malfunction may have a product liability claim against the manufacturer or designer of the power tool.
In these cases, you may have a claim in addition to your workers’ compensation claim. If a third-party’s negligent actions contributed to your injury, you may have legal options beyond workers’ compensation. A third-party lawsuit could allow you to recover damages for pain and suffering, lost future earnings, and ongoing medical expenses. Third-party liability claims allow workers to recover personal injury compensation beyond the financial support workers’ compensation offers, including damages for pain and suffering. At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, we thoroughly investigate your injury claim to identify all responsible parties and secure the maximum compensation available for your recovery.
Contact an Experienced New Jersey Construction Accident Attorney at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm Today
If you, or someone you love, has been seriously injured by any type of construction site injury, or sadly passed away due to an accident, you should immediately seek the help of an experienced Construction Accident Injury lawyer right away. Whether you suffered an injury on a construction site, or in a public setting, our lawyers are dedicated to protecting your rights. Construction site injuries are often the result of negligence, and our experienced attorneys will work aggressively to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our New Jersey workers’ compensation attorneys have over 35 years of experience aggressively representing construction, manufacturing, and warehouse workers seriously injured while on-the-job. Our personal injury lawyers have also assisted workers in their third-party claims involved in all types of accident claims, including slip and fall accidents, dog bite attacks, car accidents, etc. We have successfully handled thousands of claims involving injured New Jersey workers, recovering over $100 million for our clients.
Whether it be through a workers’ comp claim and/or a third-party personal injury case, our worker’s compensation and personal injury lawyers will help you navigate the complexities of the process, so you can focus on your recovery. To learn more about how we can help you pursue a workers’ compensation claim, give us a call today at (973) 920-7900 to request a FREE and confidential consultation. You can also connect with us through our online form. There is never a fee unless we win. We have two conveniently located offices in Denville and Morristown, New Jersey.
Data Sources for Our New Jersey Construction Accident Report
Data presented in this New Jersey Construction Accident Report was collected from several sources, including the Center for Construction Research and Training, the New Jersey Department of Health, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).