Ongoing risks in construction and transportation show there's 'still a long road ahead'
“We’re seeing progress, but there’s still a long road ahead,” says Duane Duhamel, director of health, safety, security, and sustainability at ISN, reflecting on the company's latest Serious Injury & Fatality (SIF) Insights report. The report offers a deep dive into serious injury and fatality trends across industries from 2017 to 2023. While the findings show a promising 16% decrease in SIF incidents year-over-year, the report underscores persistent hazards in sectors like construction and transportation.
ISN's analysis, based on data submitted by more than 3,300 contracting companies through its ISNetworld platform, identified nearly 20,000 serious injury and fatality cases. Contractors are required to submit detailed safety records—including OSHA logs and incident reports—as part of their prequalification to work with ISN’s 850 hiring clients globally. ISN’s data science team leverages machine learning, cross-referencing multiple definitions, including OSHA's criteria and ASTM’s Level One injury classification, to provide a clear picture of workplace risks.
Not surprisingly, construction emerges again as the industry with the highest number of serious injuries and fatalities. “Struck-by incidents, particularly involving heavy equipment and working at heights, continue to be a major concern,” says Duhamel. But the standout revelation in this year’s report is transportation, now the second-highest industry for SIF rates and the leading cause of workplace fatalities in 2023—accounting for 43% of all reported deaths.
Duhamel points to several contributing factors behind transportation’s alarming statistics: “Fatigue, distracted driving, and poor vehicle maintenance are key drivers,” he says. “We’re seeing more trucks on the road post-pandemic, more pressure on drivers, and unfortunately, more risky behaviours like texting behind the wheel.”
Another consistent trend across all industries is the prevalence of upper extremity injuries. The data shows that 90% of amputations reported in 2023 involved hands, fingers, or wrists—mirroring findings from OSHA’s severe injury data. Fractures and dislocations also dominate incident types, reinforcing the need for targeted preventive measures.
Despite these challenges, ISN’s findings offer reason for optimism. The 16% decrease in SIFs between 2022 and 2023 suggests that focused safety efforts may be taking hold. Duhamel credits this improvement to a broader shift in how companies approach high-risk work. “Organizations are zeroing in on energy-based safety and precursor events—focusing on the things that can kill or seriously harm workers,” he explains. “There’s more emphasis now on verified controls, competency checks, and pre-task risk assessments.”
Integral to this shift is the adoption of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) principles. Duhamel stresses the importance of building systems that allow workers to fail safely. “We all make mistakes—that’s inevitable,” he says. “But if someone working at heights makes an error, they should have fall protection in place so it doesn’t cost them their life.”
The HOP philosophy also encourages moving away from a blame-focused culture. “Years ago, when an incident happened, it was about finding fault,” Duhamel recalls. “Now, it’s about understanding the system failures that led to the incident and fixing them.”
Leading indicators play a crucial role in this proactive approach. Duhamel notes that forward-thinking organizations are shifting away from relying solely on lagging metrics like injury rates. Instead, they’re investing in frontline engagement, regular hazard hunts, equipment inspections, and verification of worker training—all measures designed to identify risks before they result in harm.
Looking ahead, Duhamel remains cautiously optimistic. “The data shows we’re making progress, but industries can’t afford to be complacent,” he says. “Continued focus on safety culture, leadership engagement, and predictive strategies will be key to driving serious injury and fatality numbers even lower.”
