Roofing accidents stem from the pressure to work safely at height while performing demanding physical tasks. Across the page, you’ll see which workers face the greatest risk, including higher injury rates for roofers aged 45–54. We also break down common mechanisms—like improper ladder use and falls to a lower level—plus nonfatal injury patterns and the wider human and economic impact on the industry.
Key Takeaways
- Falls are leading cause of roofer injuries at 52%
- Improper ladder use causes 27% of roofing accidents
- No harness/guardrails in 65% of fall incidents
- In 2022, falls from roofs accounted for 34% of all construction fatalities
- Roofers had a fatality rate of 51.9 per 100,000 full-time workers in 2021
- Between 2011-2021, 1,056 roofers died from falls to a lower level
- In 2022, roofers experienced 4,200 nonfatal injuries with days away from work
- Overexertion caused 25% of roofer nonfatal injuries in 2021
- Sprains/strains: 1,100 cases among roofers in 2022
- Roofing costs US total: $55 billion annually
- Fall protection saves $2.5B in costs yearly if used
- Average cost per roofer fatality: $1.2 million
- Roofers aged 45-54 have highest injury rate
- Males comprise 98% of roofing workforce
- Hispanic/Latino roofers: 47% of total workforce 2022
Falls drive most roofer injuries, and better fall protection could prevent thousands of costly accidents.
Related reading
01 · Category
Common Causes25 stats
01
Falls are leading cause of roofer injuries at 52%
02
Improper ladder use causes 27% of roofing accidents
03
No harness/guardrails in 65% of fall incidents
04
Overexertion from lifting shingles: 22% of injuries
05
Wet/slippery surfaces cause 18% of slips on roofs
06
Struck-by falling tools: 15% of incidents
07
Unsecured ladders slip 30% of ladder accidents
08
Working near roof edges without warning lines: 25%
09
Skylight falls: 16% of roof penetrations accidents
10
Heat stress contributes to 12% of incidents
11
Power tool kickback: 8% of hand injuries
12
Fatigue from long hours: 20% factor in accidents
13
Inadequate training: 35% of violations leading to accidents
14
Poor housekeeping on roof: 14% of trips
15
Electrical contact with wires: 10% of shocks
16
Heavy material handling errors: 28%
17
Wind gusts dislodge workers: 9% on steep roofs
18
Scaffold failures in roofing: 7%
19
Nail gun misfires: 11% of puncture wounds
20
No personal flotation on low-slope near water: 5%
21
Drug/alcohol impairment: 4% of accidents
22
Inexperienced workers: 40% higher accident rate
23
Defective equipment: 13% of tool-related
24
Overhead power lines: 6% electrocutions
25
Rushing to complete job: 22% self-reported cause
Interpretation
Common Causes Interpretation
Under the Common Causes category, falls drive 52% of roofer injuries and they are often made worse by missing fall protection, since 65% of fall incidents involve no harness or guardrails.
02 · Category
Fatalities30 stats
01
In 2022, falls from roofs accounted for 34% of all construction fatalities
02
Roofers had a fatality rate of 51.9 per 100,000 full-time workers in 2021
03
Between 2011-2021, 1,056 roofers died from falls to a lower level
04
In 2020, 98 roofing workers were killed in falls
05
Roofing fatalities increased by 12% from 2019 to 2020
06
79% of roofer fatalities involve falls from roofs
07
Average age of fatal roofing falls victims is 42 years
08
Hispanic roofers accounted for 45% of roofing fatalities in 2021
09
22 roofers died from struck-by objects in 2022
10
Electrocutions caused 8 roofer deaths annually on average 2016-2022
11
In 2019, 112 fatalities among roofers from all causes
12
Falls from ladders used in roofing caused 15% of roofer deaths 2015-2021
13
Small roofing contractors (<11 workers) had 60% of fatalities
14
65 roofer fatalities in the South region in 2022
15
Roof collapse led to 5 fatalities in 2021
16
Nighttime roofing work contributed to 10% of fatalities 2018-2022
17
28% of roofer fatalities involved no fall protection
18
From 2011-2015, 298 roofer fall deaths
19
Roofing fatality rate 5x higher than all construction average
20
41 roofer deaths from falls in Texas 2021
21
2023 preliminary data shows 105 roofer fatalities
22
Heat-related fatalities among roofers: 3 in 2022
23
17% of roofing fatalities from falls through skylights
24
Roofers under 25 had 12 fatalities in 2021
25
76% of fatal falls from roofs >25 feet
26
Caught-in-between caused 9 roofer deaths 2020-2022
27
Female roofers: 2 fatalities in 2021 (rare)
28
Winter months see 20% fewer roofing fatalities
29
Union roofers have 50% lower fatality rate
30
2022 saw peak of 115 roofer fatalities
Interpretation
Fatalities Interpretation
For the Fatalities category, falls from roofs are the standout driver, making up 34% of all construction fatalities in 2022 and accounting for 79% of roofer deaths, with roofing fatalities rising 12% from 2019 to 2020.
03 · Category
Non Fatal Injuries28 stats
01
In 2022, roofers experienced 4,200 nonfatal injuries with days away from work
02
Overexertion caused 25% of roofer nonfatal injuries in 2021
03
Sprains/strains: 1,100 cases among roofers in 2022
04
Falls to lower level: 1,500 nonfatal roofer injuries 2021
05
Roofing injury incidence rate: 5.2 per 100 workers 2022
06
62% of roofer injuries involve extremities
07
Ladder-related injuries: 450 per year average 2018-2022
08
Cuts/lacerations: 800 roofer cases in 2021
09
Heat illness hospitalized 120 roofers in 2022
10
Back injuries: 35% of total roofer nonfatal cases
11
Struck by tool/object: 600 injuries 2022
12
Shoulder injuries from roofing: 550 cases annually
13
2,100 roofer injuries required >31 days away 2021
14
Eye injuries: 15% of roofer nonfatal incidents
15
Slips/trips (not falls): 300 roofer injuries 2022
16
Amputations: 12 roofer cases in 2021
17
Hearing loss claims: 45 among roofers 2022
18
78% of roofer injuries occur on low-slope roofs
19
Knee injuries: 400 cases from kneeling on roofs
20
Electrical burns: 50 nonfatal roofer injuries yearly
21
Fractures from falls: 900 roofer cases 2019-2022 avg
22
Hand injuries: 1,200 annually
23
1,800 restricted work cases for roofers 2022
24
Skin disorders: 120 cases from sun exposure
25
Respiratory issues: 200 from dust/silicates 2021
26
Hernias: 250 roofer overexertion injuries
27
3,500 total nonfatal roofing injuries 2022
28
Lack of fall protection caused 40% of nonfatal falls
Interpretation
Non Fatal Injuries Interpretation
For the non fatal injuries category, roofers recorded 4,200 cases with days away from work in 2022 and overexertion drove 25% of injuries in 2021, showing that preventable strain and physical stress are major contributors even when injuries do not result in fatalities.
More related reading
04 · Category
Prevention And Costs26 stats
01
Roofing costs US total: $55 billion annually
02
Fall protection saves $2.5B in costs yearly if used
03
Average cost per roofer fatality: $1.2 million
04
OSHA fines for roofing violations avg $15,000
05
Training reduces accidents by 30%, cost $500/worker
06
Harness systems: $300investment prevents $10k injury
07
Insurance premiums drop 20% with safety programs
08
Lost time costs: $50k per serious injury
09
Warning lines cost $200/100ft, prevent 40% edge falls
10
Ladder safety training: ROI 4:1
11
Netting on roofs: $5k saves $100k+ claims
12
Annual safety audits reduce claims 25%
13
PPE compliance: 95% cuts hand injuries 50%
14
Heat acclimatization program: prevents 70% heat cases
15
Tool lanyards: $10each, prevent 80% dropped objects
16
Medical costs per fall injury: $40,000avg
17
Safety tech drones: $2k/year, spot 90% hazards
18
Union training programs: 50% lower costs
19
Workers comp claims roofing: $3.5B yearly
20
Guardrail install: $50/ft, prevents $200k falls
21
Post-incident analysis saves 15% future costs
22
Fatigue management apps: reduce 20% errors
23
Silica controls: $1k/setup, avoid $50k fines
24
Trends: Roofing injuries down 10% 2018-2022 with regs
25
Incentive programs: 25% participation boosts safety
26
Total societal cost of roofing accidents: $10B+
Interpretation
Prevention And Costs Interpretation
Investing in fall protection and training can sharply cut roofing accident costs, since using fall protection saves about $2.5 billion per year while training reduces accidents by 30 percent at $500 per worker, far outweighing the $15,000 OSHA fines for violations and the $1.2 million average cost per roofer fatality.
05 · Category
Worker Demographics25 stats
01
Roofers aged 45-54 have highest injury rate
02
Males comprise 98% of roofing workforce
03
Hispanic/Latino roofers: 47% of total workforce 2022
04
Average roofer age: 41.2 years
05
25% of roofers have less than 1 year experience
06
Union roofers: 15% of workforce but safer
07
Self-employed roofers: 22% of injuries occur here
08
Roofers with high school education: 60%
09
Northeast region: 20% of roofing employment
10
Under 25 roofers: 12% of workforce, higher risk
11
55+ roofers: 18% of workforce
12
Immigrants: 35% of roofers
13
Average wage: $24.50/hour for roofers 2022
14
Turnover rate in roofing: 40% annually
15
72% white non-Hispanic roofers
16
Female roofers: 1.5% of total
17
Veterans in roofing: 8%
18
Full-time roofers: 85% of employment
19
Seasonal workers peak summer: 30% increase
20
10% roofers bilingual Spanish-English
21
Disability rate post-injury: 15% long-term
22
Roofers with OSHA 10 cert: 45%
23
Average height of roofers: 5'10", affects reach
24
28% roofers from South states
25
Apprentices: 5% of workforce
Interpretation
Worker Demographics Interpretation
From a worker demographics perspective, roofers aged 45 to 54 face the highest injury rate and with the workforce made up of 98% males and 47% Hispanic or Latino roofers, the combination of age concentrated risk and a largely male, diverse workforce underscores where targeted safety efforts should focus.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Priyanka Sharma. (2026, February 13). Roofing Accidents Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/roofing-accidents-statistics
MLA
Priyanka Sharma. "Roofing Accidents Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/roofing-accidents-statistics.
Chicago
Priyanka Sharma. 2026. "Roofing Accidents Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/roofing-accidents-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level