24 Ladder Safety Statistics for Ontario Homes (2026)
Cited data on how many people fall from ladders in Ontario, who gets hurt, why ladders slip and why home jobs at height carry real risk.
Ontario had 8,678 emergency department visits and 1,112 hospital stays for falls from ladders in a single year (2014/15), according to a Parachute Ontario Injury Compass report. A ladder fall is any injury where a person falls from a stepladder, extension ladder or fixed ladder. Most of these falls happen at home, during chores like painting, roof and eavestrough work. The 24 statistics below cover who gets hurt, why ladders slip and what the data says about doing jobs at height yourself. For high or awkward jobs, book a vetted local handyman instead.
Ontario injury figures come from Parachute's Ontario Injury Compass (December 2015, using 2014/15 hospital data), the most recent province-wide ladder report we found. Work-site figures come from the Ontario Ministry of Labour. US figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), NIOSH and the CDC. Canadian DIY data comes from the Public Health Agency of Canada's CHIRPP hospital network. All sources were checked on October 30, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- 8,678 ER visits and 1,112 hospital stays for ladder falls in Ontario in 2014/15 (Parachute).
- 67% of ladder falls among Ontario adults aged 45 to 64 happened at home (Parachute).
- 61% of Ontario ladder-fall ER visits happened from July through December (Parachute).
- 13% of critical work injuries reported to Ontario's Ministry of Labour from 2006 to 2017 were falls from ladders (Ontario Ministry of Labour).
- About 40% of ladder injuries start with a ladder sliding out at the base (NIOSH).
- 161 US workers died in falls where a ladder was the main cause in 2020 (BLS).
How many people fall from ladders in Ontario?
Thousands every year. Ontario recorded 8,678 emergency department visits and 1,112 hospital stays for ladder falls in 2014/15, across all ages. The numbers held steady over five years of data, so ladder falls are a lasting risk, not a one-year spike. Most happen at home, and most happen in the second half of the year.
1. 8,678 Ontario ER visits for ladder falls in one year
Ontario hospitals recorded 8,678 emergency department visits related to falls from ladders in 2014/15, for all ages (Parachute). That works out to about 24 visits a day across the province.
2. 1,112 Ontarians were admitted to hospital
The same year, 1,112 people were hospitalized after a ladder fall in Ontario (Parachute). These are falls serious enough to need a hospital bed, not just a check and a bandage.
3. 67% of falls happened at home
For Ontario adults aged 45 to 64, 67% of ladder-fall ER visits with a recorded location had taken place at home (Parachute). Home jobs, not work sites, are where most of these injuries start.
4. 61% of ER visits came from July through December
In 2014/15, 61% of Ontario ladder-fall ER visits and 62% of hospital stays happened between July and December (Parachute). That window covers fall chores like eavestrough clean-outs, exterior painting and putting up holiday lights.
5. Hospital stays stayed between 486 and 533 a year
Over five years of data, hospital stays for ladder falls among Ontario adults aged 45 to 64 ranged from a low of 486 (2014/15) to a high of 533 (2010/11). ER visit trends stayed relatively stable over the same years (Parachute).
Who gets hurt most in ladder falls?
Middle-aged men. Over 80% of the Ontarians hurt in ladder falls in 2014/15 were male, and over 40% were adults aged 45 to 64. Legs and feet took the most injuries, followed by arms and the trunk. Older homeowners doing their own repairs are the group the data flags most often.
6. Over 80% of people hurt were men
Men accounted for over 80% of Ontario ladder-fall cases in 2014/15. Among adults aged 45 to 64, 81% of ER visits (3,153 of 3,913) and 82% of hospital stays (399 of 486) were men (Parachute).
7. Over 40% were aged 45 to 64
Adults aged 45 to 64 made up over 40% of Ontario's ladder-fall ER visits and hospital stays. The most ER visits came from people aged 50 to 59, and the most hospital stays from people aged 60 to 64 (Parachute).
8. Legs and feet take the most injuries
Among Ontario adults aged 45 to 64, 30% of ladder-fall ER injuries were to the lower body and 28% to the upper body. Another 24% hit the back, abdomen or pelvis, and 14% the head or neck (Parachute).
Source: Parachute, Ontario Injury Compass (December 2015). The 4% remainder is derived from the report's 30%, 28%, 24% and 14% figures.
How common are ladder falls on Ontario work sites?
Common enough to drive inspection blitzes. Falls from ladders caused 13% of the critical work injuries reported to Ontario's Ministry of Labour from 2006 to April 2017. Single-family home construction has the most fall injuries and deaths of any building subsector, so the province now targets it with inspections.
9. 13% of critical work injuries were ladder falls
From January 1, 2006 to April 30, 2017, 13% of critical incidents reported to Ontario's Ministry of Labour (279 of 2,075) were falls from ladders (Ontario Ministry of Labour).
10. 8% of fatal work incidents were ladder falls
Over the same period, 8% of fatal incidents reported to the ministry (17 of 208) were falls from ladders (Ontario Ministry of Labour). In 2015, ladder falls caused 17% of reported fatalities (3 of 18).
11. 224 critical injuries in single-family home building
From 2015 to 2023, falls from heights in Ontario's single-family residential construction subsector caused 224 critical injuries and 19 deaths. The ministry says this subsector has the most fall injuries and deaths by a wide margin (Ontario Ministry of Labour).
12. 15,556 orders issued in one fall campaign
In a 2023 to 2024 campaign on falls in single-family home construction, Ontario inspectors visited 2,910 workplaces and issued 15,556 orders and requirements (Ontario Ministry of Labour). Workers who use fall protection on construction projects must complete approved working-at-heights training.
How many workers are killed or hurt in ladder falls?
In the US, 161 workers died in 2020 in incidents where a ladder was the main cause, and 22,710 more were hurt badly enough to miss work. Repair and construction trades carry most of that risk. The same jobs homeowners hire out, like repairs and exterior work, are where trained workers get hurt most.
13. 161 US workplace ladder deaths in 2020
There were 161 fatal work injuries where a ladder was the primary source in 2020, a 5.8% drop from 171 in 2019. Of those, 105 deaths involved movable ladders (BLS).
14. 22,710 workers missed work after ladder injuries
US employers reported 22,710 injuries in 2020 where a ladder was the primary source and the worker missed at least one day, up from 22,330 in 2019 (BLS).
15. Repair workers had the most ladder injuries
Installation, maintenance and repair workers had 5,790 ladder injuries in 2020, the most of any job group. Construction workers had 5,370 and service workers had 3,160 (BLS).
16. 57% of ladder deaths happen in construction
NIOSH says 57% of deaths from ladders occur in the construction industry, and ladder falls killed 104 construction workers in 2016 (NIOSH).
17. Ladders are in 43% of fatal falls
A CDC report says 43% of fatal falls in the previous decade involved a ladder. Among workers, about 20% of fall injuries involve ladders (CDC MMWR).
18. 81% of construction fall injuries involve a ladder
Among US construction workers, an estimated 81% of fall injuries treated in emergency departments involve a ladder (CDC MMWR).
Why do people fall from ladders?
Mostly from setup mistakes. NIOSH says about 40% of ladder injuries start with the base sliding out because the ladder was set at the wrong angle. Other causes are the wrong ladder for the job, skipped inspections, overreaching and carrying things while climbing. Short falls cause most injuries, and head injuries drive the deaths.
19. About 40% of injuries start with a sliding base
In about 40% of cases, a ladder injury happens because the ladder slid out at the base from an incorrect setup angle. NIOSH advises setting extension ladders at about a 75-degree angle (NIOSH).
20. Nearly 90% of injury falls are from under 16 feet
In a CDC study of 2011 work injuries, nearly 90% of ER-treated ladder falls were from heights under 16 feet. Falls of 6 to 10 feet were the most common, at 50% of cases (CDC MMWR). A one-storey eavestrough is high enough to cause a serious injury.
21. Head injuries are involved in 49% of ladder deaths
Head injuries were implicated in about half (49%) of fatal ladder falls at work in 2011. Most nonfatal injuries hit the arms and legs (CDC MMWR).
22. Self-employed workers die at 5 times the rate
The ladder-fall death rate was 0.30 per 100,000 full-time workers for the self-employed, against 0.06 for salaried workers. The smallest firms had the highest death rates (CDC MMWR). NIOSH says small companies and individual ladder users rarely get ladder safety training (NIOSH).
How risky are ladders on DIY home projects?
Ladder falls are the top cause of injury on small home maintenance jobs. In the Public Health Agency of Canada's CHIRPP hospital data, falls from ladders caused 22.6% of home maintenance injuries, more than any other cause. On bigger renovation projects, ladder falls caused 11.0% of injuries.
23. Ladder falls cause 22.6% of home maintenance injuries
In CHIRPP data from 2003, falls from ladders caused 23 of 102 injuries (22.6%) on home maintenance tasks such as odd jobs, repairs and painting, the largest share of any cause (Public Health Agency of Canada).
24. 11.0% of renovation injuries were ladder falls
On larger home renovation projects, falls from ladders caused 56 of 513 injuries (11.0%). Power tools caused the most, at 29.6% (Public Health Agency of Canada). CHIRPP covers 14 hospitals, so these shares show patterns, not national totals.
What this means for homeowners
- Treat short climbs as real risk. Most injury falls are from under 16 feet, so a stepladder job deserves the same care as a roof.
- Watch the fall season. 61% of Ontario ladder-fall ER visits come from July through December. Book eavestrough, painting and light jobs early, and see our handyman cost guide for what a visit costs.
- Weigh DIY honestly. Our DIY vs hiring a pro statistics and handyman statistics show what homeowners do themselves and what they hire out, and our table saw injury statistics cover the power tool side.
- Plan for later years. Adults 45 to 64 make up over 40% of Ontario ladder falls. Our aging in place statistics cover safety upgrades for older homes.
- Pro House Maintenance is free for homeowners and matches you with local pros who have passed WSIB, insurance, reference and background checks. Compare the best handymen in Toronto or request free written quotes for jobs at height.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are hurt falling from ladders in Ontario each year?
Ontario had 8,678 emergency department visits and 1,112 hospital stays for falls from ladders in 2014/15, says a Parachute Ontario Injury Compass report. Over 80% of the people hurt were men, and over 40% were adults aged 45 to 64.
Where do most ladder falls happen?
Most happen at home. For Ontario adults aged 45 to 64, 67% of ladder-fall ER visits with a recorded location happened at home in 2014/15. Home chores like cleaning eavestroughs, painting and hanging lights all start with a ladder.
What is the most common cause of ladder falls?
A ladder sliding out at the base. NIOSH says that in about 40% of ladder injury cases, the ladder slid out because it was set at the wrong angle. NIOSH advises setting extension ladders at about 75 degrees and keeping three points of contact.
Can a short fall from a ladder be serious?
Yes. A CDC study of 2011 work injuries found nearly 90% of ER-treated ladder falls were from under 16 feet, and falls of 6 to 10 feet were the most common. Head injuries were involved in about half (49%) of fatal ladder falls.
When are ladder falls most common in Ontario?
In the second half of the year. In 2014/15, 61% of Ontario ER visits and 62% of hospital stays for ladder falls happened from July through December, the season for roof, eavestrough, painting and holiday light jobs.
Should I hire a handyman for jobs that need a ladder?
For high or awkward jobs, it is the safer choice. Ontario construction workers using fall protection must complete approved working-at-heights training. Pro House Maintenance is free for homeowners and matches you with local pros who have passed WSIB, insurance, reference and background checks.