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

Walton SM; Conrad KM; Furner SE; Samo DG

Am J Ind Med 2003 Apr; 43(4):454-458

https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.10200

20039381

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.

Fire-fighting; Fire-fighters; Traumatic-injuries; Hazards; Mortality-rates; Morbidity-rates; Physical-capacity; Physical-stress; Physiological-effects; Physiological-factors; Physiological-function; Injuries; Author Keywords: Injury; Worker's compensation; Costs; Cause; Overexertion

Surrey M.Walton, Department of Pharmacy Administration (M/C 871), College of Pharmacy, 833 SouthWood St., Room 241, Chicago, IL 60612-7231

AJIMD8

20030401

Journal Article

walton@uic.edu

Grant

2003

Grant-Number-T42-OH-008672

4

0271-3586

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

IL

University of Illinois at Chicago