Injuries to roofers and carpenters who fall from heights are among the costliest in the country, according to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration study cited by an insurance-industry website.
When roofers fell, claims average $106,000 between 2005 and 2007, Risk & Insurance said in citing the OSHA study. The average claim for a carpenter who fell from a height was $97,000 each, the report said.
Carpenters were more costly overall because of their numbers. Falls from ladders or scaffolds cost about $19 million a year for roofers, the report said. Carpenters' falls totaled about $64 million annually.
OSHA used data from 38 states that account for about a third of all workers compensation benefit payments.
