Construction Firms Have Mixed Outlook For 2024 As Expectations For Demand Remain Mostly Positive, But Less Upbeat Than Last Year Amid New Challenges

On December 19, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its annual report on occupational injuries for 2022. The report reveals 1,069 construction fatalities occurred in 2022, a 7.7% increase from 986 construction fatalities in 2021. The leading causes of construction industry fatalities remains what OSHA considers to be the “construction focus four hazards” which are falls (38%), struck by object or equipment (8%), electrocutions (6%), struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material (5%).

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) final rule that expands the current recordkeeping requirements went into effect on January 1, 2024, and mandates the submission of Form 300-Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses and Form 301-Injury and Illness Incident Report in addition to Form 300A-Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses data from construction establishments with 100 or more employees. Establishments with 20 to 99 employees continue to be required to submit only Form 300A-Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses data. AGC communicated our concerns with the rule to OSHA during the rulemaking process.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in response to the release today of a new Biden administration rule imposing government-mandated project labor agreements on federal construction projects valued at $35 million or more:

Texas and Kentucky Top Rankings of Year-over-Year Increases, While New York and North Dakota Lag; Texas and Oklahoma Lead in Monthly Gains, While New York, Ohio, New Jersey Experience Largest Declines

On Dec. 22, AGC again pushed back on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) effort to establish a one-sized-fits-all national standard for heat injury and illness prevention in outdoor and indoor settings.

On Dec. 18, the Biden administration announced its government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) final rule that requires PLAs on direct federal construction projects of $35 million or more, with limited exceptions. AGC has long prepared to and will fight this executive overreach in court.