By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
North Carolina’s construction boom is reshaping the state’s economy. But behind the surge in billion-dollar projects and record growth, a more troubling trend is emerging: construction workers are dying at increasing rates.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 196 workers died on the job in North Carolina in 2024, a 10.7% increase from the previous year. The construction industry remains the most dangerous sector in the state, accounting for a disproportionate share of those deaths year after year.
In 2022 alone, construction-related fatalities made up roughly 21% of all workplace deaths in North Carolina, with falls, electrocutions, and workers being struck by equipment among the leading causes.
The demand for construction is reaching historic highs. In 2024, North Carolina recorded $16.1 billion in economic development investments across 166 projects, including massive commitments from pharmaceutical, technology, and manufacturing companies. From a $10 billion data center campus tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure to multi-billion-dollar biomanufacturing facilities, the scale and complexity of projects underway require highly specialized labor and accelerated timelines.
That pace is contributing to strain across the industry. More than 40% of contractors report significant backlogs and difficulty filling open positions, according to industry surveys. Labor shortages, combined with pressure to meet aggressive construction schedules, can create conditions where safety protocols are overlooked or inconsistently enforced.
Highway construction zones, where crews often work just feet from active traffic, have become increasingly hazardous.
A recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America found that 36% of North Carolina contractors reported experiencing five or more crashes involving moving vehicles in work zones over the past year. Another 20% reported at least one crash. Many contractors say distracted driving, speeding, and impaired driving are major contributors to the growing risks.
“Summer construction season means more crews working just feet away from active traffic,” said Jeffrey Shoaf, chief executive officer of the association. “Drivers who speed or use their phones put both motorists and roadway workers at serious risk.”
North Carolina added approximately 94,000 housing units in the past year—one of the largest increases in the country—as population growth drives demand for new development. Wake and Mecklenburg counties alone accounted for tens of thousands of those new units, placing even more strain on an already stretched construction workforce. At the same time, the nature of construction itself is changing. Today’s projects are more complex than those of previous decades, often involving advanced manufacturing facilities, data centers with massive energy demands, and highly regulated pharmaceutical plants that require precision building standards.
Despite the growing risks, enforcement and oversight remain ongoing concerns. Advocates have called for stronger penalties and increased staffing for workplace safety inspections, noting that North Carolina has historically issued fewer “willful” violations—cases where employers knowingly disregard safety rules—than the national average. State officials say more resources are needed to expand inspection capacity and improve compliance.
For workers and their families, the consequences of these gaps can be devastating. Construction jobs often provide stable, well-paying employment, particularly for workers without advanced degrees. But they also come with risks that, for some, prove fatal.
