Construction accidents accounted for 1 in 5 worker deaths in 2017.

The primary causes were:

1. A lack of appropriate fall protection
2. A worker being struck by an object
3. A worker being electrocuted
4. A worker being caught between two objects

Additional construction site hazards include the collapse of trenching, the use of ladders instead of scaffolding, tools dropped from overhead, a lack of safety training, and employees of other contractors on a worksite failing to follow safety rules. In 2019, OSHA (the federal agency responsible for worksite safety), employed only one compliance officer for every 59,000 workers. This lack of oversight allows negligent contractors to cut corners when it comes to safety.