How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 1,491 severe cases involving stairs and multi-level surfaces. Fractures account for 59% of these incidents, often requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
The impact of these falls is often severe, with ankles being the most frequently affected specific body part. You may suffer from traumatic brain injuries or spinal damage after falling from a height or down a flight of stairs.
How these injuries happen
The vast majority of these injuries occur when you fall to a lower level, accounting for 85% of all reported incidents. These accidents often happen when you lose your balance, miss a step, or encounter a surface that is wet, uneven, or poorly maintained. In some cases, the structure itself fails or collapses, leaving you with no way to catch yourself before hitting the ground.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 1,208 |
| 2 | Fall on same level | 143 |
| 3 | Fall to lower level from collapsing structure or equipment | 29 |
| 4 | Struck by falling object | 6 |
| 5 | Fall to lower level— caught self or curtailed | 4 |
| 6 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 4 |
| 7 | Fall to lower level— unspecified | 4 |
| 8 | Fall to lower level resulting in exposure or contact | 3 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing leads all sectors with 20% of these incidents, as you frequently navigate industrial pits, platforms, and stairways while carrying heavy equipment. Health care follows at 17%, where the fast-paced environment and constant movement between patient areas increase your risk of tripping or slipping on transitions between different floor levels.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you slipping on liquids, losing your footing while carrying items, or falling due to poorly lit or damaged stairways. These incidents often occur during routine tasks like moving between work stations or accessing storage areas. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specific details of your accident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NJ | Wholesale Trade | "An employee had clocked out and was waiting for a ride when he stepped off a curb and fell forward onto the ground. The employee sustained a fractured jaw, requiring hospitalization and surgery." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "An employee was walking up a set of three steps that lead out of a pit. Water that had leaked from a valve was on his boots and he slipped and fell backward to the floor. The employee sustained an injury to his L5 vertebra and a ruptured hamstring that required surgery." | |
| 2025 | TX | Retail Trade | "At approximately 21:00 CDT, on July 22, 2025, an employee was doing priority pulls in the backroom (storeroom). She ascended a track ladder attached to an aisle to retrieve an item of clothing. On her way down, she missed a step or two and fell to the concrete floor. The employee sustained a fractured left ankle." | |
| 2025 | OH | Retail Trade | "On July 22, 2025, at approximately 6:25 PM, an employee was was walking up the stairs to their work station. When the employee was about halfway up the stairs, they dropped their earplugs. The employee turned to pick up the earplugs, lost their balance, and fell approximately 10 feet to the ground below. The employee was hospitalized with head injuries and a laceration." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "On July 20, 2025, an employee was descending a fixed ladder when he fell approximately 7 feet to the floor below, landing on his left leg. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured left tibia and tears to the posterior cruciate and anterior cruciate ligaments in the left knee." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was walking down a flight of metal stairs inside a building when he fell down the stairs, resulting in injuries to his back, wrist, and ankle that required hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | FL | Real Estate | "On July 18, 2025, at approximately 12:55 p.m., an employee was walking out the door toward the wash bay when he missed the step down onto the lot and fell, landing on his right side. Both of his knees knees were scraped, and he sustained a laceration to his right arm that damaged blood vessels and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | NY | Information | "An employee was walking down a flight of stairs when they fell down the stairs and suffered a fractured hip." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was climbing an attic ladder in a customer's home to access an air conditioning unit. As he reached the top of the ladder, the ladder detached from the attic access opening, causing him to fall from the ground. He sustained broken ribs and a spinal fracture." | |
| 2025 | NC | Health Care | "An employee was descending the back stairwell to go to lunch when he missed a step. As he fell forward, his toes hit a step which pulled his right leg behind him. He landed on the concrete stairwell landing between floors. He sustained a partial rupture of the right quadriceps tendon and an avulsion fracture involving the right patella. The employee required surgery." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Immediately report the injury to your supervisor and seek medical attention to document your condition. Ensure that the incident is recorded in your employer's injury log, as this documentation is vital for any future Workers' Compensation claim. An attorney can help you ensure that your report is accurate and that your rights are protected.
Employers are required under OSHA regulations to maintain safe walking-working surfaces, including keeping stairs free of hazards and ensuring proper lighting. If your fall was caused by a spill, a broken step, or a lack of handrails, your employer may be liable for your injuries. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer failed to meet these safety standards.
Workers' Compensation typically covers your medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of your lost wages while you recover. If your injury results in a permanent impairment, you may also be entitled to additional disability benefits. An attorney can help you calculate the full value of your claim to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
In most cases, Workers' Compensation is the exclusive remedy for workplace injuries, meaning you cannot sue your employer directly. However, if a third party, such as a property owner or equipment manufacturer, contributed to the hazard, you might have a separate personal injury claim. An attorney can help you evaluate your situation to determine all available legal avenues.