Fall Protection Resources for Insurance Professionals

The Human and Financial Cost of Workplace Falls

The consequences of a fall extend beyond the initial incident. An injured worker may face lasting physical limitations, while the employer manages lost work time, disrupted operations, and the circumstances that allowed the incident to occur.

$54,499 Average Workers’ Compensation Claim Cost

Falls or slips averaged $54,499 per lost-time workers’ compensation claim for injuries occurring in 2022–2023, according to National Council on Compensation Insurance data published by the National Safety Council.

This figure reflects claims in states where NCCI collects data. It includes the broader falls-or-slips category and should not be interpreted as the average cost of a fall from height, a settlement amount, or a total of insurance payouts nationwide.

600+ Fatal Falls to a Lower Level

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 666 workplace deaths from falls to a lower level in 2024 across U.S. industries. These incidents illustrate why elevated work deserves attention wherever it occurs, including maintenance and servicing activities.

Approximately 38% of Construction Fatalities

Falls to a lower level accounted for 389 of 1,034 construction fatalities in 2024. OSHA identifies falls as the leading cause of death in construction.

Together, these figures demonstrate the severity of fall-related incidents. They measure different outcomes and populations; the claim-cost average should not be multiplied by the fatality counts to estimate total losses.

Fall Exposure Extends Beyond Construction

A client does not need to employ roofers or steelworkers to have fall hazards. Routine building maintenance, equipment servicing, and loading activities can place workers at height.

Consider both frequent work and occasional tasks. Asking how a worker reaches an elevated area can reveal exposures that a review of the task alone may miss.

Understanding How Fall Protection Controls Risk

Different approaches address fall exposure in different ways. Understanding these distinctions can help insurance professionals ask more useful questions about the protection a client has selected.

Hazard elimination: Changing the task or relocating service points may remove the need to work at height.

Passive protection: Guardrails, suitable covers, and skylight screens provide physical protection without requiring workers to connect to an anchorage each time they enter the protected area.

Travel restraint: A properly configured system limits movement so the worker cannot reach a fall edge.

Fall arrest: A system stops a fall after it begins. Its suitability depends on factors including anchorage, compatible equipment, available clearance, swing-fall exposure, and rescue arrangements.

The hierarchy of fall protection prioritizes preventing exposure and preventing falls before relying on equipment to arrest them. The appropriate approach must account for the task and site conditions.

Documentation That Supports a Meaningful Review

Documentation helps connect a client’s stated safety practices to the conditions and procedures in place. Depending on the work and systems involved, useful information may include:

• A current fall hazard assessment identifying locations and tasks.
• System drawings, installation records, and manufacturer instructions.
• Applicable equipment and system inspection records.
• Training records describing the instruction provided.
• Rescue procedures for work involving fall arrest.
• Corrective-action records showing how identified deficiencies were addressed.

The objective is to understand whether the client has identified its exposures, selected appropriate controls, and established a process for keeping those controls effective.

Fall Protection Guides and Further Reading

Use these resources to strengthen your understanding or support educational conversations with clients.