Central Insurance Blog

Construction work comes with serious risks. Despite training and safety protocols, injuries and fatalities continue to occur on jobsites. According to Shawn Gentry, senior loss control construction manager at Central Insurance, the root causes aren’t always a lack of expertise, but often a combination of human error and a weak safety culture.

In this article, we explore the most common injuries in construction and offer active steps businesses and project teams can take to prevent them.

Common Jobsite Injuries 

Construction is full of potential hazards, but a few types of injuries consistently rise to the top. Below, we’ll explore the most common jobsite risks. 

1. Falls, Slips, and Trips 

Falls are the most common and deadly risk on construction sites. In 2022, nearly 1 in 5 workplace deaths occurred in construction, and more than 38% of those deaths involved falls, slips, or trips. In 2023 alone, 421 construction workers lost their lives to falls.

 “Falls should be the number one safety focus on construction jobsites,” Gentry says. “Everyone receives training and knows the rules, but injuries keep happening. It usually comes down to a split-second decision. Someone thinks, ‘I’ll just grab this hammer quickly without tying off, or I’ll lean a little farther on the ladder to get this task done,’ and that shortcut can have devastating results.”

Gentry notes that preventing injuries goes beyond annual safety training. It requires fostering a culture where supervisors, project managers, and employees reinforce safe habits daily. Consistent housekeeping—such as keeping walkways clear and properly storing tools—can also help reduce risks. 

“It’s not always big hazards that cause accidents and injuries,” Gentry says. “Sometimes it’s as simple as tripping over debris that should have been cleaned up.”

Gentry encourages leaders to reinforce safety lessons with real-world stories that make it clear that safety—not speed—takes priority. 

“Companies must communicate that it’s always better to stop, get the right equipment, and take the safe path forward.” – Shawn Gentry, Senior Loss Control Construction Manager at Central Insurance

2. Overexertion and Musculoskeletal Injuries

While falls make headlines, some of the most common injuries on construction sites stem from overexertion and musculoskeletal strain. Repetitive lifting, awkward postures, and long hours of physical labor can take a heavy toll. These injuries may not be as immediately visible as a fall, but they can sideline workers for weeks or even end careers.

In the U.S., the average cost per construction injury is about $27,000—nearly double that of other industries. For contractors, these aren’t just safety concerns, but also financial risks that can affect productivity, staffing, and even the ability to win new business.

Prevention often involves viewing construction workers as what Gentry calls “industrial athletes.” Just as athletes stretch and prepare before performance, crews benefit from structured warm-up routines. Daily stretch-and-flex programs have lowered injury rates and improved long-term mobility. Ergonomic planning can further reduce risk by rotating tasks to prevent repetitive strain, using mechanical lifting aids when possible, and ensuring workers take regular breaks.

Preventing musculoskeletal injuries is about balance: matching the job’s demands with the worker’s physical readiness. By fostering this proactive approach, businesses protect their teams while reducing claims and keeping projects on track.

Pro Tip: Introduce daily stretch-and-flex routines. Gentry notes, “Our crews aren’t typing at a desk—they’re industrial athletes. A simple warm-up can drastically lower injury risk.”

3. Falling or Being Struck by Objects

One of the most common injuries in construction, after falls and overexertion, is being struck by or caught between objects.

Materials, tools, and equipment are constantly in motion on busy jobsites. Even something as small as a wrench dropped from a scaffold can become deadly when falling several stories. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, being struck by objects consistently ranks among the top four causes of construction fatalities each year.

The risks aren’t limited to falling tools. Workers can also be injured by swinging cranes, moving vehicles, or unsecured loads. 

Preventing these types of injuries requires both discipline and vigilance. Workers should tether tools when working at height, properly secure loads, and feel comfortable flagging unsafe conditions before an accident occurs.

• Train crews to stay clear of suspended loads and maintain safe zones around heavy equipment.
• Promote a “see something, say something” mindset to help address hazards immediately.
• Mandate protective storage and secure tools above ground.
• Encourage team vigilance—anyone can flag a hazard.

Building a Stronger Safety Culture: Collective Responsibility and Accountability

Gentry emphasizes that a strong safety culture is the foundation of prevention. Safety is often regarded as the responsibility of a site safety manager, but that person may only be on site for a few hours a week. 

“When project managers and superintendents are evaluated on safety outcomes, the culture shifts. Safety stops being a checkbox and becomes part of the team’s daily decision-making.” – Shawn Gentry, Senior Loss Control Construction Manager at Central Insurance.

Building a strong safety culture goes beyond annual training. It’s important to share lessons learned from past incidents, encourage near-miss reporting, and make it clear that pausing to get the right equipment will never be penalized. 

Analyzing incidents for root causes is critical, too, not to assign blame, but to identify patterns and opportunities for improvement. Over time, this consistent accountability creates an environment where workers view safety as everyone’s job, not just management’s directive.

The Benefits of a Strong Return-to-Work Policy and Workers’ Comp Coverage

While the human case for safety is always most important, you can’t ignore the business impact of worker injuries. A contractor’s track record influences insurance premiums, workers’ compensation costs, and project eligibility. 

Did You Know: An Experience Modification Rate (MOD) is a score that compares a company’s actual workers’ comp losses to the expected losses for similar businesses. It weighs the frequency and severity of past claims, payroll size, and industry classification. A MOD above 1.0 suggests higher-than-average risk and can disqualify contractors from competitive bids, while a MOD below 1.0 signals stronger safety performance, lower costs, and more project opportunities.

Return-to-work programs are critical in helping employees quickly and safely get back to work. Employers can keep injured workers engaged by offering modified duty, like site cleanup, gate monitoring, or clerical support, and reduce costly lost-time claims. 

Central’s Workers’ Comp program makes this process seamless. With access to nurse hotlines, occupational health guidance, and proactive claims management, policyholders gain the support they need to keep employees connected to the workplace and help them recover safely. These resources minimize downtime, keep MOD in check, and protect the company’s reputation on future projects.

As Gentry sees it, “Being safe isn’t optional, it’s smarter business. A strong safety culture doesn’t just protect workers, it protects a company’s reputation, costs, and opportunities.”

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The Central Difference

At Central, we understand that common injuries in construction don’t just affect one contractor; they ripple through families, projects, and businesses. That’s why our approach to protection goes beyond compliance checklists. 

Our dedicated team of loss control consultants brings decades of on-site experience to help you identify risks before they become incidents, while our specialized team of construction underwriters can help you determine the types and scope of coverage that best fit your needs. 

Even as a leader in loss control, our team recognizes that prevention is only one part of the equation. Central supports policyholders with practical tools when injuries happen—from our 24/7 nurse hotline to guidance on occupational health providers and customized return-to-work programs. Our dedicated claims representatives work closely with you to navigate the process with speed and care, helping your employees recover safely, reducing the financial strain of claims, and protecting your MOD rating. Backed by an AM Best “A” Excellent rating, Central gives policyholders confidence they’re working with a financially strong carrier committed to their success. 

Our mission is simple: to help construction companies embed safety into daily culture, empower leaders to stay accountable, and keep workers protected. When you build safety into every decision, crews don’t just complete projects; they go home safe at the end of the day.

Ready to strengthen your safety program? Talk to a Central agent to learn how our coverages and specialized teams can help.