How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 77 severe cases involving windows and structural openings over the past decade. Fractures are the most common injury type, appearing in 36% of all reported incidents and often requiring extensive surgical intervention and long-term rehabilitation.
These injuries are particularly severe because they frequently involve high-impact falls. Fingers are the most affected body part, appearing in 30% of incidents, often crushed or severed when you lose your balance or attempt to stabilize yourself during a fall through an opening.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving windows typically stem from falls to lower levels when you lose your footing near an unguarded opening or while attempting to pass materials through a window frame. In other cases, you are struck by falling glass or window components that shatter during maintenance, or you become compressed between heavy equipment and the window frame itself.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 26 |
| 2 | Struck by falling object | 24 |
| 3 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 12 |
| 4 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 5 |
| 5 | Struck against stationary object | 3 |
| 6 | Fall on same level | 2 |
| 7 | Injured by object handled by person | 2 |
| 8 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 45% of all reported incidents, as you frequently navigate unfinished structures with exposed window frames. Manufacturing and administrative services also see significant injury rates, often occurring during facility maintenance or when you attempt to access restricted areas through basement or service windows.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include falling while passing materials through openings, losing balance while framing or resealing glass systems, or falling through windows while attempting to access adjacent work areas. If these scenarios resemble your experience, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if employer safety failures contributed to your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | KS | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was putting a dolly on the crane forks. The employee fell 15 feet from a window to the ground and was hospitalized with fractures to a wrist and rib, and a possible head injury." | |
| 2024 | NY | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was entering a basement window when they fell to the basement floor, breaking their elbow." | |
| 2024 | PA | Construction | "An employee was throwing a trash box out of the window when they fell out of the window two stories to the ground below and fractured their ribs and tailbone." | |
| 2024 | GA | Construction | "On August 13, 2024, an employee was conducting framing activities inside of a new multifamily residential structure. He climbed out of a second-story window to gain access to the adjacent multifamily unit's window and fell approximately 11 feet to the ground below. Both of his legs were broken and he was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | NY | Construction | "An employee was using a corded portable grinder to cut off the top of bolts around the trim of a tempered glass window frame/pressure plate in order to reseal a sloped tempered glass system. He was on a piece of foam on the glass panel. The grinder nicked the glass causing it to shatter. The employee fell through the glass to the floor 10 feet below sustaining cuts and punctures from the glass, and a brain bleed/concussion. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2023 | PA | Health Care | "An employee had been cleaning windows inside an apartment. He went to step out onto a brick ledge to clean the exterior of the windows and lost balance. He fell from the third floor ledge to the patio/grass below and landed on his feet. The employee sustained vertebral compression fractures." | |
| 2023 | FL | Health Care | "Employees were working on scaffolding to remove a window that was open with the sash up. While maneuvering the window, the sash fell backward, rotated, and closed on the injured employee's hand. His right index fingertip was pinched and amputated by the sash and sill of the window." | |
| 2023 | ID | Construction | "An employee was emptying trash from the trash room on the second story of a building. As he was moving a bag of trash out of his way, the employee lost his balance and went to catch himself on the guardrail. The guardrail gave way and the employee fell out of the window to the ground below, sustaining two broken ankles." | |
| 2023 | FL | Construction | "An employee was taping an opening where a window was to be installed when they slipped and fell out of the window opening approximately 10 feet to the ground below. The employee suffered injuries to their L2 and T12 discs." | |
| 2023 | OH | Retail Trade | "An employee was loading windows into a trailer when the windows began to fall. As the employee went to stop the windows from falling with his right hand, he sustained a right wrist fracture that required hospitalization." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you were injured while performing your job duties, you are generally eligible for Workers' Compensation regardless of who was at fault. This coverage is designed to pay for your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages while you recover. An attorney can help you ensure your claim is filed correctly to maximize your benefits.
Employers are required to provide fall protection for any floor or wall opening that poses a risk of falling to a lower level. This includes installing guardrails, covers, or personal fall arrest systems to prevent you from falling through windows or openings. If your employer failed to provide these protections, an attorney can help you understand your legal options.
Fractures resulting from falls through windows are often complex and may require multiple surgeries or long-term physical therapy. Because these injuries often involve high-impact trauma, they frequently qualify for significant Workers' Compensation support. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your injuries to ensure your claim reflects your long-term needs.
Workers' Compensation is a no-fault system, meaning you are typically entitled to benefits even if you made a mistake. Employers often attempt to shift blame to avoid safety citations, but this does not disqualify you from receiving support for your medical care. An attorney can help you protect your rights and navigate any disputes regarding your claim.