Are facilities safer? The question is critical for maintenance and engineering managers who are responsible for the safety of institutional and commercial facilities, especially their in-house staffs and outside contractors doing work in their buildings. Now, one new set of data offers hope that, in fact, facilities are getting safer in key risk areas.
Fewer workers are dying from hazards where the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has focused its enforcement resources. Preliminary agency data show a decrease in fatalities the agency is mandated to investigate, including significant reductions in fatal injuries from trench collapses and falls — two of the leading causes of death among construction industry workers.
In fiscal year 2024, federal OSHA investigated 826 worker deaths — an 11 percent reduction from 928 in the previous year. Excluding COVID-related deaths, this is the lowest number of worker fatalities OSHA has been mandated to investigate since fiscal year 2017.
OSHA’s national emphasis program on falls, which are the leading cause of serious work-related injuries and fatalities in the construction industry, saw fatal falls investigated by federal OSHA drop from 234 to 189 — a decrease of almost 20 percent. Preliminary data from state OSHA programs indicates more than 15 percent fewer fatalities in state jurisdictions. Federal OSHA covers about 60 percent of private-sector employees, and approved state programs cover the remaining workers.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
