Factors contributing to falls from heights include faulty equipment, such as ladders and scaffold structures, and human factors, such as intoxication and inattention. The brain, spinal cord, and extremities are the most commonly injured systems. Falls from more than 20 feet have historically been triaged to trauma centers, but even low-level falls can cause serious head injuriesFalls remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. At most trauma centers falls are the cause of injury for children. Factors that determine the likelihood of serious injury in a fall are the distance of the fall, the landing surface, orientation on falling, and whether the fall was broken.
Children tend to fall from balconies, windows, and trees followed by school yards and playgrounds. Falls account for 5.9 percent of childhood deaths.
For adults, falls from ladders increase with age. For occupational fall injuries, heights and impact on concrete predict the severity of injuries. Non-union status and poor safety practices account for increase falling risks.
Unfortunately, falls in the elderly are part of daily living. Falls account for 29 percent of injury deaths among adults aged 65 and older. Older adults are fives times more likely to be hospitalized due to falls than to other injuries.
