ABSTRACT
Seven million workers are employed in the US construction industry. As identified in many other countries (Holmstrom et al. 1995), the construction industry in the USA accounts for some of the highest rates of workplace injuries and deaths. High rates of work-related injuries and illnesses have traditionally been accepted as being part of the construction worker’s job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (BLS 1998), construction workers experienced 189 900 illnesses and injuries causing lost work days in 1997. The actual number occupational injuries and illnesses in construction is probably under reported. For instance, the annual survey does not include companies with 10 employees or self-employed workers, which combined account for ~80% of the construction establishments. Additionally, injury or illness underreporting in construction may be associated with injured workers’ concerns about losing work and contractors concerns about their impact on workers’ compensation premiums.
