%0 Journal Article
%T Occupational Injury Costs and Alternative Employment in Construction Trades
%J Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
%D 2007
%A Waehrer, Geetha M.
%A Dong, Xiuwen Sue
%A Miller, Tyler
%A Men, Yongxin
%A Haile, Elizabeth
%V 49
%N 11
%P 1218-1227
%X OBJECTIVE:: To present the costs of fatal and non-fatal days-away-from-work injuries in 50 construction occupations. Our results also provide indirect evidence on the cost exposure of alternative construction workers such as independent contractors, on-call or day labor, contract workers, and temporary workers. METHODS:: We combine data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on average annual incidence from 2000 to 2002 with updated per-case costs from an existing cost model for occupational injuries. The Current Population Survey provides data on the percentage of alternative construction workers. RESULTS:: Construction laborers and carpenters were the two costliest occupations, with 40% of the industry's injury costs. The 10 costliest construction occupations also have a high percentage of alternative workers. CONCLUSIONS:: The construction industry has both a high rate of alternative employment and high costs of work injury. Alternative workers, often lacking workers' compensation, are especially exposed to injury costs.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
%@ 1076-2752
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0b013e318156ed24