How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 284 severe cases involving utility poles and towers over the last decade. These incidents frequently result in fractures, which represent 46% of all reported injury types, often requiring extensive surgical intervention and long-term rehabilitation.
The severity of these injuries is compounded by the nature of the equipment. You often suffer from complex fractures and internal trauma when these heavy structures collapse or shift unexpectedly during maintenance or removal.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving poles and towers typically stem from structural instability or mechanical failure during handling. Falls to lower levels account for 26% of incidents, often occurring when you are positioned on or near unstable structures. Struck-by incidents are also common, where you are hit by falling poles or equipment during installation, removal, or when a pole is struck by a vehicle.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 71 |
| 2 | Struck by falling object | 51 |
| 3 | Fall to lower level from collapsing structure or equipment | 39 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 21 |
| 5 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 15 |
| 6 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 13 |
| 7 | Indirect exposure to electricity | 11 |
| 8 | Direct exposure to electricity | 10 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction leads with 46% of all reported incidents, followed by the utilities sector at 24%. These industries rely heavily on heavy machinery like digger derricks to manage large wooden or concrete poles. When safety protocols regarding load stability or site clearance are ignored, the risk of a catastrophic structural failure increases significantly.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents involve poles breaking during removal, equipment malfunctions during lifting, or secondary impacts when a pole is struck by a vehicle. These events often highlight failures in site safety, equipment maintenance, or proper DE-energization procedures. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ME | Utilities | "A crew of employees were working to replace a utility pole that was broken by a motor vehicle accident. As the crew was removing equipment from the broken pole, part of the pole broke, fell on the injured employee, and rolled over him. The employee sustained two broken shoulders, multiple broken ribs, and a damaged lung that required hospitalization and surgery." | |
| 2025 | FL | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was unloading a concrete utility pole from a log loader to place in a pole rack for storage at the delivery site. The employee raised the pole. The pole spun around and released from the grapple/boom and fell, striking the employee. The employee sustained fractures to their arm and pelvis." | |
| 2025 | TX | Utilities | "On July 2, 2025, the injured employee was installing new guide wraps while redoing a driveway. A truck struck a 40-foot wooden electrical pole while backing out of the driveway. The pole partially broke. Another guide pole across the street began cracking and a crew came to address it. While pulling the guide pole out, it broke and slid down the guidelines. It struck the injured employee on the head and back but did not land on top of the employee. The employee sustained a laceration to the head and compression fractures to the lower back." | |
| 2025 | GA | Construction | "On June 24, 2025, an employee and their crew were working in a deenergized power line right-of-way to retire an old line and wooden poles. The employee was operating a digger derrick and the two other crew members were assisting on the ground. The employee removed the 40-foot wooden pole from its hole and was putting it down when it came down at an angle and swung into an employee, striking the right side of his head and face. The employee suffered a head injury that required hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | TX | Public Administration | "An employee was painting in the middle section of a tower when she fell 70 feet through the hatch. The employee was hospitalized with arm fractures." | |
| 2025 | AL | Construction | "An employee climbed a pole approximately 22 feet above ground to install a fiber telecommunications cable. The pole broke approximately 1 foot below ground level while the employee was attached to it, resulting in him falling to the ground and landing on the pole. The employee suffered a fractured tibia." | |
| 2025 | WV | Construction | "An employee climbed a pole and was removing fiberoptic line from that pole and placing it on another pole. The pole the employee was climbing twisted and fell along with the employee. Their left leg struck a large rock, resulting in a fractured femur." | |
| 2025 | TX | Retail Trade | "An employee walked outside of the store and wind blew them into a pole, resulting in fractures to their right shoulder and arm that required surgery." | |
| 2024 | MO | Construction | "A distribution pole broke while a lineman was repositioning on the pole. The employee struck the cut-out bracket when they fell. The employee was hospitalized with a skull fracture, broken teeth, and lacerations to the back of the head and the chin." | |
| 2024 | OH | Construction | "An employee was up a power line pole structure when an existing cable was removed from the pole. The weight of the employee on the pole caused it to break off below ground level, and the employee fell 15-20 feet with the pole to the ground. The pole landed on the employee and they sustained a shattered right femur. Fall protection was in place at the time." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Fractures are the most frequent injury, occurring in 46% of all reported cases. These injuries often involve the fingers due to the immense weight of the poles and the force of impact. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your injuries to ensure your claim reflects the severity of your medical needs.
Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe work environment, which includes ensuring that poles are structurally sound and that equipment used to move them is properly maintained. If a collapse resulted from a failure to inspect the pole or improper handling techniques, you may have a valid Workers' Compensation claim. An attorney can investigate whether your employer followed necessary safety regulations.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover your medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of your lost wages while you recover. Because tower and pole injuries often require long-term care, it is essential to ensure your claim is filed correctly to include all future medical needs. An attorney can help you secure these benefits.
OSHA enforces strict regulations regarding the handling of heavy materials and work near electrical lines to prevent falls and struck-by incidents. Employers must provide adequate training and equipment to manage these hazards safely. If your injury was caused by a violation of these standards, an attorney can help you hold your employer accountable during the claims process.