Dislocations at Work — Injury Statistics and Claims Information
Dislocations at Work
Dislocation incidents are trending upward annually
Across the last decade, 577 severe dislocation incidents required federal reporting under 29 CFR 1904.39. These injuries most frequently affect the shoulder, which account for 20% of all reported cases.
Dislocations often result in significant functional impairment, requiring surgery or extensive physical therapy to restore range of motion. Workers frequently face prolonged recovery periods that impact their ability to perform essential job duties or return to their previous earning capacity.
What's Driving the Trend?
While 5-year data shows a 15.6% decrease, the year-over-year trend indicates a sharp 28.9% increase in reported cases. This volatility suggests that safety protocols regarding fall prevention and material handling are not consistently applied across high-risk environments.
Construction and manufacturing sectors lead in incident frequency, representing nearly 40% of all reported dislocations. These environments involve complex machinery and elevated work surfaces that create high-energy mechanisms for joint displacement.
How Dislocations Happen at Work
Top causes based on OSHA incident reports
Falls remain the primary driver of joint dislocations, accounting for nearly 50% of all reported incidents. Whether falling from a ladder or tripping on the same level, the sudden impact forces often exceed the structural integrity of the shoulder or knee joint.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall on same level | 138 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 136 |
| 3 | Overexertion while materials moving by hand | 61 |
| 4 | Struck by falling object | 29 |
| 5 | Twisting, reaching, bending | 25 |
| 6 | Slip, trip, stumble on same level— without fall | 16 |
| 7 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 15 |
| 8 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 15 |
Why This Matters for Your Case
Employers are required to mitigate these risks through strict adherence to 29 CFR 1926.501 for fall protection and 29 CFR 1910.22 for walking-working surfaces. When these standards are ignored, such as failing to secure manhole covers or providing unstable ladders, the resulting injury may be a direct consequence of a regulatory violation.
Industries with Most Dislocations
Where these injuries occur most frequently
Construction and manufacturing industries account for 40% of all severe dislocation cases. These sectors rely on heavy material handling and frequent use of portable ladders, which creates a high probability of slips, trips, and falls that force joints out of their sockets.
High-Risk Industries and Your Rights
Employers in these sectors must comply with 29 CFR 1910.176 for safe material handling and 29 CFR 1926.1053 for ladder safety. These regulations mandate that workplaces be kept free of hazards that lead to the sudden, violent movements responsible for joint dislocations.
Real Incident Reports
From actual OSHA investigation files
Incident reports reveal a recurring pattern of workers suffering dislocations while navigating uneven surfaces or performing manual material handling. Inadequate floor maintenance, missing floor tiles, and the failure to secure heavy objects on upper levels are common factors that lead to these severe joint injuries.
"An employee was working on pipes in the ceiling. He was climbing down a ladder when he slipped and fell, twisting his ankle. The employee's ankle was dislocated."
"An employee was preparing the aft cargo door of an aircraft for painting, while standing on a ladder. The employee was using a grinder and wearing a half-mask respirator when he fell to the hangar floor. The employee sustained a dislocated elbow requiring surgery."
"An employee's leg went through a part of the floor that was missing a floor tile and he sustained a dislocated shoulder while catching himself."
"An employee had been spotting for a mini-excavator. The employee was working to relocate a water pump to give the mini-excavator an adequate area for the spoil pile. The employee retrieved the water pump located beside a 24'' metal manhole cover. As he started walking, his right foot stepped on the edge of the manhole cover and his right leg went into the opening up to his knee. His left leg and foot remained on the ground and twisted as he lost balance and fell to the ground. The employee sustained a closed dislocation of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the left foot and required surgery."
"An employee was stacking cases of product, each weighing approximately 10 - 20 pounds, onto a pallet inside a railcar. A pallet that was stored on an upper level dislodged and fell, striking the employee from behind. The employee sustained a dislocated left hip."
"An employee dropped a piece of clothing on the sales floor. She bent over to pick it up and her hip dislocated. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery."
"An employee was climbing down from a roof using a 20-foot fixed ladder. He was about 14 to 16 feet up the ladder, closing the roof hatch, when the hatch failed and he slipped and fell. He landed on the concrete floor, dislocated his left shoulder, and suffered injuries to his left elbow and right wrist."
"An employee was working on a cutting line that utilized a machine to pull material through the line. The employee was turning a roller to feed material into the machine when their left hand was caught between the rollers, resulting in abrasions and a dislocated thumb. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery on the thumb."
"An employee was setting a water pump to dewater in a small trench when a piece of clay broke off and struck him in the side. The employee sustained a hip dislocation."
"An employee walked to their work truck to put a delivery receipt in it. While walking back to the jobsite area, the employee was walking over a sandy area and tripped, putting their right hand out to catch themself. Their right little finger was dislocated. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery."
Common Questions About Dislocations Claims
The ClaimsBoost Research Team aggregates official government data to help workers understand workplace injury trends and their coverage options.
ClaimsBoost is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. ClaimsBoost is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any government agency. Performance scores, rankings, and statistics displayed on this site are calculated by ClaimsBoost using publicly available government data from OSHA severe injury reports. Individual results may vary. Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice or a guarantee of benefits. If you need legal help, we can connect you with licensed attorneys in your area.Some written content on this page was created with the assistance of AI to help interpret and explain the data. AI can make mistakes — all content has been reviewed for accuracy, but we encourage you to verify any information that is important to your situation.