How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 534 severe cases involving natural surfaces and structures over the last decade. Fractures account for 66 percent of these incidents, often requiring extensive medical intervention and long-term recovery.
These injuries frequently impact your lower legs and ankles, causing significant mobility issues. The severity of these falls often leads to complex orthopedic damage that can permanently alter your ability to perform physical tasks.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when you lose your footing on uneven terrain, embankments, or loose gravel. Falls on the same level account for 85 percent of all reported incidents, often happening when a surface gives way or lacks proper stabilization. These accidents frequently occur during routine movement across outdoor work sites where the ground condition is not maintained or clearly marked.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall on same level | 441 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 68 |
| 3 | Slip, trip, stumble on same level— without fall | 5 |
| 4 | Fall to lower level resulting from exposure or contact | 2 |
| 5 | Fall to lower level from collapsing structure or equipment | 2 |
| 6 | Struck against stationary object | 1 |
| 7 | Indirect exposure to electricity | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 19 percent of these severe injuries, as you frequently navigate rough, unfinished terrain. The nature of site preparation and excavation often exposes you to unstable slopes and shifting ground that can lead to sudden, high-impact falls.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you navigating sloped embankments, loose gravel, or damp, uneven grass while performing daily tasks. Many incidents occur when you lose balance on an incline or trip over hidden obstructions, leading to severe fractures or crushing injuries. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you understand your legal options.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | AL | Professional Services | "An employee was walking on gravel next to railroad tracks to locate underground utility lines when he slipped on loose rocks and rolled down the incline/slope. The employee was hospitalized with a possible neck injury." | |
| 2025 | MO | Manufacturing | "An employee was walking from one chicken house to another when he slipped on tall, damp grass and fell to the sloped ground landing on his back and neck. The employee sustained a neck injury that required surgery." | |
| 2025 | AR | Arts & Entertainment | "An employee was cutting up a large tree that had blown down on a rocky ledge on a hill. He began cutting on the uphill side of the tree, but due to obstructions he had to move to the downhill side. The tree separated from its 7-foot root ball, which started sliding toward him. While attempting to get out of the way, he tripped and fell to the ground, striking his head on an unknown object. As the root ball continued to move toward the employee, he made it below the level of the rock ledge. The root ball rolled over when it reached the ledge and pinned the employee's lower leg, and broke his fibula. He also suffered scrapes and bruises from the fall." | |
| 2025 | WI | Health Care | "An employee was pushing a lawn mower on a slope when he slipped and his left foot went under the mower deck and contacted the blade. The employee sustained an amputation of the first toe." | |
| 2025 | IL | Construction | "An employee was pulling a 1-inch hose into position. He stepped down a small embankment (about 18 inches in height), lost his balance, and fell on the ground. The employee sustained two fractures to his left leg, requiring hospitalization and surgery." | |
| 2025 | CO | Other Services | "At 11:05 a.m., an employee was retrieving screws and a duct puller from their van at a jobsite. After getting the materials, they closed the side door and locked it, and then began to head back to the work area. They then stepped on a sprinkler pipe approximately 14 inches away from the side of their vehicle. The employee fell to the ground and suffered a broken right fibula and tibia, resulting in hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | GA | Administrative Services | "An employee was walking toward a lawn mower to supply fuel to the operator. The employee lost their footing on a slope and slipped. Their right foot slid under the mower deck and contacted the blade. The third, fourth, and fifth toes were surgically amputated." | |
| 2025 | OH | Construction | "An employee was walking down a steep embankment when they slipped and fell to the ground surface. The employee sustained a dislocated left shoulder and a fractured left humerus." | |
| 2025 | AL | Construction | "An employee was walking down a gravel path when he tripped and fell to the ground. He suffered a broken right ankle." | |
| 2025 | MA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee finished her afternoon shift and was walking to her car on the gravel/dirt/grass walking surface. As she approached the exit gate, she tripped/stumbled and fell onto a nearby fence and the ground. The employee sustained fractures to collarbones or rotator cuffs on each side of her shoulder(s)." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.