Ladders · #17 of 45 by ER visits

Stepladders: injury statistics

Self-supporting folding ladders. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 15,446 emergency room visits in the US.

Photo: jilburr / Unsplash

15,446

ER visits in 2025

17%

admitted or transferred

+8%

change since 2016

50%

aged 65 or over

ER visits per year

2016–2025 · 325 sampled cases in 2025

Calculator

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How it works →

Injury type

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Fracture36%

Other16%

Internal injury13%

Contusion or abrasion12%

Strain or sprain9.6%

Laceration8.1%

Body part injured

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Head20%

Lower trunk16%

Upper trunk12%

Knee8.1%

Wrist6.2%

Ankle5.9%

Age of injured people

48% male · 2021–2025

0-42.0%

5-141.3%

15-242.1%

25-4414%

45-6431%

65-7427%

75+23%

Real cases

From NEISS case narratives, 2024–2025. Abbreviations expanded.

45-year-old male fell off a two step stepladder landing onto buttocks — diagnosis: Contusion to buttocks.

61-year-old male presents after slip and fall from third step of step ladder. Isolated injury to the left ankle — diagnosis:; closed displaced fracture of left calcaneus.

77-year-old male states that he had to fall about 3 feet off of a stepladder landing onto left side — diagnosis: Hematoma of left kidney.

78-year-old female for eval after a fall. She tripped getting out of bed this morning and struck her head on a step ladder which was sitting near the bed. No loss of consciousness. Mild pain in her head. — diagnosis: Closed head injury.

Recalls

Recalls of stepladders

2 since 2010

Wing Enterprises Recalls Switch-it Stepladder/Stepstools Due to Fall Hazard; Sold exclusively at Home Depot2012-12-11 · FallStepladders

Frontgate Recalls Step Ladders Due to Fall Hazard2011-01-20 · FallStepladders

Questions

How many people are injured by stepladders each year?

About 15,446 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving stepladders in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 14,533 a year.

What are the most common injuries from stepladders?

Fracture is the most common diagnosis (36% of cases 2021–2025), and the head is the most often injured body part (20%).

How often do injuries from stepladders need hospital admission?

17.2% of ER visits ended with the patient admitted or transferred to another hospital in 2021–2025.

About these numbers

National estimates from the CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), product code 618. A case is counted if the tool appears in any of its three product fields. Estimates under 1,200 or based on fewer than 20 cases are flagged. Methodology · CSV

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