New Study Examines Construction Worker Safety, Mental Health

Research findings indicate construction contractors continue to make progress responding to issues affecting worker safety and health, such as heat and mental health, but many areas for improvement remain.

The new study, Safety Management in the Construction Industry 2023 SmartMarket Report, examines occupational safety and health challenges across the industry and shines a light where more effort is needed. It was conducted by Dodge Construction Network and CPWR.

Key findings include:

Working in extreme heat is increasingly common in construction, posing significant safety and health risks to workers. To combat this problem:

• 52% of contractors in the study report making changes at their company in the last three years to prevent heat-related illnesses onsite.
• 66% of contractors implemented a heat-safety policy at their company.

The most common practices to address heat-related issues are providing water, rest and shade and worker training. Less common practices are monitoring the environment for heat hazards and administrative controls such as pausing work in the hottest parts of the day.

But while the data indicate progress, there are large disparities by company size. Only 21% of employers with less than 20 employees made changes to address heat in the last three years, and another 21% of the small contractors do not consider heat stress an issue at all.

When asked about topics about which they want additional training and information, such as through webinars, factsheets, infographics and toolbox talks, the study revealed a high level of interest on worker wellbeing. Fifty-two percent of contractors wanted more resources for managing mental health, suicide and opioid use.

To read the full report, click here.