In recent released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1,035 workers were killed in 2024 on a construction sites, of which roughly 14.7% of those deaths occur on residential jobsites. But what about injuries or fatalities to civilians such as homebuyers, neighbors or real estate agents that come on to residential jobsites?
I am aware of two such incidents. While that may seem like a small number, it is enough to reinforce that this is a real hazard among the roughly 1.36 million new homes built last year. Based on my research, there does not appear to be a comprehensive published dataset that tracks civilian injuries and fatalities on residential construction sites.
Having built three homes over the course of my lifetime, I understand the temptation to visit after hours once the subcontractors have left the jobsite to see the day’s progress. During those visits, I remember climbing unprotected stairwells, stood near open edges overlooking vaulted rooms, and encountered areas without guardrails, or other similar hazards. I remember we convinced ourselves a little common sense would keep us safe, because, apparently, nothing says “good judgment” like tiptoeing around open edges in an unfinished house.
A newly framed home stirs excitement and represents progress and possibility, but for an eager buyer or a real estate agent leading clients through an unfinished property, those same signs of progress can also conceal serious dangers. In the most recent case, a homebuyer brought friends into their new home to tour a house under construction. During the visit, one of the guests suffered a fatal fall from an elevated platform where guardrails had not yet been installed.
Common sense says that it’s an active construction jobsite, with countless hazards from falling through holes in the floor, live electrical hazards, open excavations, overhead falling objects not secured, sharp and exposed nails or leaning objects, among others. But the fatality still occurred, so who is at fault or is the fault shared?
Homebuilders have a responsibility to control access to their job sites and manage the hazards those sites create. Whether viewed as a legal duty, an ethical obligation, or sound business practice, failing to do so can have devastating consequences. Short of building a 10-foot fence with razor wire around every new home under construction, this is a difficult hazard to control — and one that requires more than a “watch your step” sign and wishful thinking.
Here are five hazard scenarios that reflect the types of incidents routinely that are occurring in the construction industry. Each represents a real model of injury and death that will someday play out on active residential job sites across the country to civilians walking a new home being built.
Keven Moore works in risk management services. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, a master’s from Eastern Kentucky University and 25-plus years of experience in the safety and insurance profession. He is also an expert witness. He lives in Lexington with his family and works out of both Lexington and Northern Kentucky. Keven can be reached at kmoore@higusa.com• Unguarded floor openings: During a walkthrough, a homebuyer stepped back for a photo and fell through an unprotected stairwell opening. Open stairwells remain one of the most common, serious, and preventable fall hazards.
• Live temporary electrical wiring: A homeowner reached for what looked like a light switch in a dark basement, but the temporary wiring was improperly grounded and energized, causing a serious electrical shock. Temporary power can be just as deadly as permanent wiring, with far less protection.
• Unsecured scaffolding: A prospective buyer climbed a scaffold to view second-story framing, but the scaffold had not been properly braced. When the buyer leaned against it, the structure shifted and partially collapsed. Scaffolds left between shifts can quickly become unstable.
• Struck-by: moving equipment: During a subdivision tour, a couple entered an adjacent lot and a backing concrete truck without a spotter struck the husband. Visitor routes must be clearly separated from moving equipment.
• Trench and excavation cave-in: During a tour, a buyer’s child stepped onto the edge of an open utility trench, causing the wall to collapse and partially bury the child. Even shallow trenches can fail quickly and require effective barricades.
A builder’s responsibility for site safety does not pause during buyer visits, and the following controls reflect industry best practices and recognized risk management standards that all home builders should put in place:
• Set a policy and use a waiver: Home builders should formalize a visitor access policy requiring all visitors — buyers, agents, and inspectors — to sign a waiver acknowledging site hazards and agreeing to escort protocols; no one should ever tour unaccompanied.
• Suit up for safety: Personal protective equipment must be available and required at every site entry point. Hard hats, high-visibility vests, and safety glasses are the minimum, and closed-toe footwear requirements should be communicated before visitors arrive.
• Protect all fall hazards: All floor openings, stairwells, mechanical chases, and subfloor cut-outs must be covered with secured, load-rated covers or always protected with standard-strength guardrails, not merely during active work. So that means that the site superintendent conveys this message to his/her subs and even if its temporary and then inspect for completion before leaving.
• Temporary electrical systems demand daily audits: GFCI protection, cover plates, and grounded distribution panels must be verified, and power should be isolated in any area accessible to non-workers during a tour. It’s a good idea to even shut the power off at the temporary or permanent power supply & then lock it out.
• Clearly marked pedestrian walkways: Physical separation from equipment traffic must be established before any buyer is granted access, and the boundaries of adjacent active lots must factor into those plans.
• Escort all visitors: Builders should assign a trained safety escort, not a sales representative, to lead tours. The escort must know current site hazards, explain them clearly, and have authority to delay, redirect, or stop any tour when conditions are unsafe.
• Secure for safety: When a new home is framed and under roof with doors installed, all jobsites should be locked.
• Document, document, document: To help support risk transfer to subcontractors for serious site hazards, superintendents should conduct periodic safety inspections, maintain daily reports, document safety-related conversations (verbal email or tex) with subcontractors, and take progress photos throughout the project.
It’s hard to “idiot-proof” the worksite, but home buyers and other visitors also have skin in the game in protecting themselves during construction site visits. While the builder should manage site safety, visitors should not check their common sense at the curb next to the lumber pile.
Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes, not sandals or dress shoes. Ask for a builder-provided escort and avoid any walkthrough led by someone unfamiliar with current site hazards. Keep children close and supervised. Do not touch switches, breakers, valves, or equipment, since temporary systems may be energized, pressurized, or incomplete. Remain on designated routes and stay clear of trenches, excavations, scaffolds, stacked materials, and other active work areas.
Stay aware of moving equipment throughout the site and confirm machinery is stopped before entering exterior areas. Point out uncovered openings, unstable scaffolds, or visible hazards to the escort immediately, but do not inspect them yourself. If conditions appear unsafe or concerns are brushed aside, leave and schedule another visit.
For builders already operating on thin margins, a six or seven-figure fatality claim can do far more than increase insurance premiums, it can threaten the company’s financial survival.
That risk is compounded by the lack of a clear public record. These incidents do happen, yet civilian injuries and fatalities on residential construction sites often remain largely invisible because OSHA primarily tracks worker injuries, many legal settlements are confidential, and no federal system consistently captures these events. If these incidents are not being systematically tracked, prevention becomes even more critical.
As a homebuyer or curious neighbor walking through a new neighborhood on a weekend, it is important to remember that a residential construction site is not a finished home, no matter how tempting it may be to start mentally arranging the furniture. It is an active worksite where serious injuries can happen. Builders must make visitor safety a priority to protect buyers, workers, and their company. Buyers must also use caution to protect themselves and their families. Everyone has a part to play.
Be safe my friends.