Cause, type, and workers' compensation costs of injury to fire fighters

Abstract

Background Work-related injury rates in the fire service industry exceed those for most other industries, however little is known about the cost of injury to firefighters. Methods This is a preliminary investigation of detailed worker's compensation records of firefighter injuries, 1,343 claims in all, collected from 1992–1999. Summary statistics and regression analysis regarding the cause, nature, and cost of injury to firefighters are presented. Results Overexertion accounted for a significant portion (over 1/3) of injuries to firefighters, typically involved injuries to the back, and was associated with significantly higher costs than other types of injuries. The per-claim average worker's compensation cost of injury to firefighters was $5,168 and the average for injuries caused by overexertion was $9,715. Conclusions Overexertion is a costly source of injury to firefighters that can likely be reduced through policy intervention. Am. J. Ind. Med. 43:454–458, 2003.