How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 79 severe incidents involving extension ladders over the past year and a half. Fractures are the most common injury, representing 62% of all reported cases, often resulting from the sudden loss of stability while working at height.
These injuries frequently involve the trunk, lower extremities, and head. The high rate of severe trauma highlights the physical toll these falls take on you, often requiring extensive hospitalization and long-term recovery.
How these injuries happen
Most extension ladder injuries occur when your equipment slips or collapses, causing you to fall to a lower level. These incidents often stem from improper ladder placement, lack of secure footing, or failure to properly anchor the ladder to a stable structure. When a ladder gives way, you are frequently struck by the equipment itself during the fall, compounding the severity of your impact.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 47 |
| 2 | Fall to lower level from collapsing structure or equipment | 29 |
| 3 | Fall to lower level resulting from exposure or contact | 2 |
| 4 | Fall to lower level resulting in exposure or contact | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 51% of all reported extension ladder injuries, as the nature of your work requires frequent, high-altitude access on uneven surfaces. Your employer is required to ensure that ladders are inspected for defects and that you are trained in proper setup and stabilization techniques to prevent these common fall hazards.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve ladders slipping on slick surfaces, collapsing under weight, or failing during descent. You may be struck by the ladder or nearby objects while falling, leading to complex fractures and internal injuries. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if employer negligence contributed to your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | IL | Agriculture | "An employee was on an extension ladder putting up a net on top of a greenhouse. The ladder slipped and the employee was struck by a metal pipe while falling 6-8 feet to the ground, striking their head. The employee hospitalized with a skull fracture/internal bleeding and a spine fracture." | |
| 2025 | CO | Finance & Insurance | "An employee was on an extension ladder at a site to inspect roof damage. The ladder slipped out from under him and the employee fell to the ground and landed on the ladder. The employee was hospitalized for fractured shoulders. " | |
| 2025 | CO | Construction | "A subcontractor employee was on an aluminum extension ladder painting in the auditorium on a new carpet with a layer of protective film. The ladder slipped out and he fell approximately 10 feet. The employee struck his chin and chest on the ladder during the fall and sustained a laceration to the chin that required stitches, a bruise on the chest, and a swollen elbow. The employee was hospitalized for elbow surgery." | |
| 2025 | GA | Construction | "On June 23, 2025, an employee was climbing down an extension ladder when they slipped and fell approximately 12 feet down the ladder. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to their scapula, clavicle, ribs, and a facial bone and a laceration to the back of their head and ear. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was on an extension ladder when it slipped, causing him to fall to the ground. The employee was hospitalized with a compound fracture to the wrist." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Administrative Services | "An employee was descending an extension ladder after cleaning the gutters on a residential building. The rung locks on the ladder unlatched, caused the extension to slide down, and the employee fell approximately 4-5 feet off the ladder and onto the driveway below. His head and neck then struck garden pavers that were 4 inches high, resulting in a fractured C6 vertebra." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was on an extension ladder, pumping concrete inside a block wall. A stone plugged the concrete hose, causing a pressure increase. As the stone was released, the hose whipped against the employee, who fell from the ladder to the ground 6 feet below. He suffered a leg injury and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | WV | Construction | "An employee was on a cable ladder attached to a utility pole. The pole gave way, causing the employee to fall from the ladder into a creek next to the pole. The employee suffered a broken right leg." | |
| 2025 | OH | Construction | "An employee was climbing an extension ladder to access a condensate pump that was leaking when the ladder slid on the concrete floor. The employee fell with the ladder to the floor, resulting in a fractured hip." | |
| 2025 | TX | Other Services | "An employee was on an extension ladder cleaning an outdoor dryer duct when he fell to the concrete ground. The employee sustained two brain bleeds, punctured lungs, fractures to their hip, tibia, face, vertebrae, left wrist, shoulder, and upper arm, as well as an open fracture to the arm." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, fractures sustained during a fall from a ladder while performing your work duties are generally covered by Workers' Compensation. This insurance is designed to pay for your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages regardless of who was at fault for the accident. An attorney can help you ensure your claim is filed correctly to maximize these benefits.
Your employer is responsible for providing safe equipment and ensuring that ladders are used according to OSHA standards, such as maintaining a three-point contact rule and securing the ladder at the top and bottom. If your employer failed to provide stable equipment or required you to work in unsafe conditions, they may be liable for your injuries. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety regulations.
Recovery times for fractures and internal injuries sustained in a fall vary significantly depending on the severity of your trauma and the body parts affected. You may require surgery, physical therapy, and extended time away from your job to heal properly. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your medical needs to ensure your claim accounts for your long-term recovery.
In most cases, Workers' Compensation is the exclusive remedy for your workplace injuries, meaning you cannot sue your employer directly for negligence. However, if a third party, such as a ladder manufacturer, provided defective equipment, you may have grounds for a separate personal injury claim. An attorney can help you evaluate your case to identify all potential sources of compensation.