How common are slip-and-fall incidents?

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Updated on Thursday, Sep 7, 2023

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) data shows that slips, trips and falls account for 15 percent of all accidental deaths. Only car crashes claim more lives. Being able to prevent these types of incidents requires us to identify where and how these slips, trips and falls are most likely to occur.

Data compiled by OSHA reflects that slips, trips and falls can occur virtually anywhere. An individual may slip on a wet or oily floor, trip on ripped carpet, raised nails or on uneven concrete. Stairs and ladders may also put people at risk for slipping, tripping or falling.

Information compiled by both the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that at least one million cases of slips, trips and falls are reported in the United States annually.

Of those, as many as 30 percent of victims will end up head trauma or hip fractures and other moderate to severe injuries. The body parts most commonly fractured in these types of incidents include the ankle, forearm, spine, hand, pelvis, hip, upper arm and leg. At least 46 percent of all Americans living with brain injuries suffered them during a slip-and-fall incident.

With falls, there are same-level or elevated ones. Data shows that at least 65 percent of these types of incidents occur on a single plain. As far as elevated falls are concerned, at least 60 percent occur from a distance of fewer than 10 feet.

Slips and falls account for at least 20 percent of worker injuries. The most vulnerable employees are those who work in warehouses, the services industry and retail. The average worker misses as many as 11 days from work after becoming involved in a slip-and-fall incident. These types of workplace accidents account for as much as 15 percent of all workers’ compensation claims.

OSHA is responsible for investigating slips, trips and falls that occur in the workplace and recommending safety initiatives to help avoid them in the future. There’s no agency appointed to address ordinary individuals’ slips, trips and falls though.

Individuals who have been hurt walking into a place of business, while out shopping at the grocery store or anywhere else in public should consult a New York slip-and-fall accident attorney to learn what their rights are and whether they may be eligible for compensation in their case.

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