Breaking Ground on Solutions: Enhancing the Care and Support for Injured Workers in the Construction Industry

By: Jennifer Cogbill Greg Perruzzi

Dec 18, 2024 — The construction industry is one of the largest industry sectors in the U.S., valued at approximately $2.1 trillion, (Building Radar 2024) and accounts for more than eight million workers across more than 900 construction firms. (Associated General Contractors of America 2024)

With numbers this large, it's not surprising that the construction industry also represents one of the highest rates of fatalities, injuries, and mental health issues. This is due in part to the industry's inherent risk, from dangerous jobsites and labor-intensive job duties to accessing quality care and the abuse of treatment that can lead to addiction issues. Of the claims seen in construction, workers' compensation (WC) claims make up more than 70%, so pairing the right preventative measures with the right WC and managed care programs can make a significant difference for organizations and injured workers alike.

Understanding the Industry's Unique Risks

The construction industry has a higher propensity for injured workers given a series of unique needs and risks.

Dangerous Jobsites

A variety of factors contribute to a higher level of danger when working on jobsites. Here are a few examples:

• The use of heavy machinery and equipment can lead to accidents when workers aren't properly trained.
• Working at high heights increases the risk of falls, injuries, and even fatalities.
• Falling objects pose a risk to workers on the ground.
• Exposure to hazardous materials can lead to long-term health effects.

Labor-intensive Job Duties

The labor-intensive nature of construction work can have significant impacts on workers, both physically and mentally.

Physical impacts, such as musculoskeletal disorders from repetitive motions, heavy lifting, and awkward postures, can lead to back and joint pain and strain injuries. Fatigue, chronic health issues, heat stress and dehydration, and hearing loss are other possible physical side effects from intensive projects.

Mental and emotional impacts can include stress due to the demanding nature of the job, mental fatigue as a result of physical exertion, and a need for constant vigilance to avoid accidents. These factors can take a serious toll on mental health, and the number of workers facing these conditions appears to be increasing.

While exact causes for high rates of construction industry suicide are hard to pinpoint, possible causes include extended periods of overtime work, high-pressure deadlines, time spent away from family, drug and alcohol abuse, and other job pressures. (Pettypiece 2024) (Lorek 2024) Also, many construction workers are veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder that can lead to suicide. (Construction Industry Alliance 2024)

Lack of Awareness of Access to Quality Care

On top of providing high-quality care, construction companies need to ensure their employees are aware of and have access to treatment. Early intervention puts a claim and, more importantly, an injured worker's recovery on the right path at the outset.

Addiction Issues and Abuse of Palliative Care

The risk of addiction and abuse of palliative care increases without the proper treatment resources and/or as the treatment process continues without a clear plan to recovery and return to work.

Solutions for Supporting Injured Workers

Preventing incidents with appropriate safety and training is ideal, but when incidents occur, there must be an emphasis on effectively treating and triaging injured workers. The manner in which WC claims are handled directly affects the health and timely recovery of the employee as well as the total costs incurred by the employer. Comprehensive claims handling improves clinical outcomes, reduces lost workdays, decreases litigation, and lowers the overall TCOR.

Medical Case Management

In the construction industry, where the physical demands and risks are high, medical case management plays a vital role in ensuring that injured workers receive the care they need to recover and return to work. It helps manage costs, improve recovery outcomes, ensure compliance, and provide essential support to workers. By integrating medical case management into their WC strategy, construction companies can create a more effective and supportive system for managing workplace injuries.

Clinical Intervention Ecosystem

Clinical intervention ecosystems provide a coordinated approach to health care by ensuring all aspects of an injured worker's case are addressed, from their injury to their return to work. This approach could include continuity of care, specialized treatment, personalized rehabilitation programs, and supportive services. Effective intervention can reduce medical costs and help maintain the project's timeline and costs while supporting injured individuals.

Quality of Care for Injured Workers

With rates of mental health issues and opioid abuse continuing to prominently affect the construction industry, organizations need to prioritize quality care. This care encompasses timely, appropriate, and effective medical treatment as well as comprehensive support throughout the recovery process. Effective pain management strategies, identifying non-opioid options when possible, and access to mental health and stress management resources can improve injured workers' quality of life throughout the recovery process.

Conclusion

With the industry's numerous risks and resulting claims, construction organizations need to implement strategies that not only minimize incidents but provide effective and efficient resolution, specifically for WC claims. High-quality care enables injured workers to recover and return to work more quickly, reducing the impact of the injury on their physical, emotional and financial wellbeing. It also supports the project completion and companies' bottom lines.

Gallagher Bassett provides comprehensive, end-to-end risk management solutions designed specifically for the construction industry. Through claims management and risk control services, we support your projects from pre-construction through closeout, focusing on loss prevention, mitigation, remediation, and resolution.

Learn more about Gallagher Bassett's solutions:

Construction claims and risk management

Workers' compensation

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