As we mentioned in a previous piece, climbing down a flight of stairs is one of the most mundane activities that carries inherent dangers that we often overlook. We also mentioned reports from law firms, which reveal that over one million people sustain stairway injuries in the United States each year.
A well-designed staircase should minimize the likelihood of bodily harm, but the photos you’re about to see are the exact opposite. We lifted these from a growing subreddit where 15,000 people share images of the worst stairs you likely wouldn’t want to set foot on.
Feel free to scroll through, and hopefully, you won’t develop a bad case of vertigo after you’re done.
#1 In Peru
Image credits: rampzn
#2 Hope This One Will Count For The Sub
Image credits: Adorable-Ear-4338
#3 I'm Not Even Sure How I Will [Get Hurt]
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
Let’s shed more light on the cases of stairway injuries, this time in the UK. According to a September report by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), nearly half of adults, or 43%, have either slipped, tripped, or fallen down the stairs in the last 12 months.
Sixty percent of people who had experienced a staircase accident stated that it happened on their own property.
#4 This Belongs Here
Image credits: reddit.com
#5 Airbnb Insanity
Image credits: steezenskis
#6 No Room For A Staircase
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
The report also revealed that 32% of accidents were linked to broken safety features, such as poor maintenance. 40% were due to slippery surfaces, 32% were due to poor lighting, and 29% were because there were items along the stairs.
Then, there were the structure-related issues, with 26% of injuries occurring due to uneven steps and 26% due to the lack of handrails.
#7 For When You Want To Make Your Life Just That Much Harder
Image credits: Last_Pay_8447
#8 Stairs At The Local Gay Club That Lead Down From One Bar To Another Bar
Image credits: Lil-Mac-13
#9 A Quick Slip To The Beach
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
However, not all staircase accidents were due to poor design. According to BWF chief executive Helen Hewitt, people are also at fault and are putting themselves at risk by using their phones while on the stairs, carrying something heavy, or rushing up or down.
“While a clear reflection of today’s busy lifestyles, these behaviours increase the risk of a slip, trip or fall, which could result in serious or potentially fatal injuries,” Hewitt said.
#10 This Occurs Every Winter At My Hometown.. The Sing Says No Winter Upkeep And Yes They Lead Strait To River Bank
Image credits: jokke420
#11 I Was Helping A Family Friend Move And Found These
Image credits: Perrywaaz
#12 High Heels? Or Barefoot?
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
Reports indicate that stairway accidents result in an average of 12,000 fatalities per year. There are several ways to reduce this risk, and according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), one of them is to design handrails that are easy to grasp.
Specifically, you should be able to run your hand smoothly along the entire length without needing to adjust the grips.
#13 The Stupid Carpet On These Stairs!
Image credits: throwawaypatien
#14 My Sisters Landlord Wanted To Improve The Accessibility, So Added These Planks
Image credits: kim_jong-ginge
#15 Stairs At My Hostel
Image credits: Full-Platypus-8062
The CCOHS also urges improving visibility on staircases. This can be achieved by utilizing angular lighting and color contrasts to enhance depth perception and incorporating matte finishes to minimize glare.
Patterned carpeting isn’t advisable because it can create a visual deception and hide the differences in depth of each step.
#16 High Turnover Apartments
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
#17 Stairs In My Friend's Flat
The colour and lighting make them blend into each other on the way down. Absolute nightmare while carrying a suitcase.
And now I'm thinking while posting this - what on earth was the point? You're not saving any space by doing this
Image credits: WestLondonIsOursFFC
#18 Wet 'N Wild
Image credits: rampzn
#19 Tower Of Babel
Image credits: trepanned_and_proud
#20 The Stairs Up To The Kids Loft In My Beach Rental For The Week. They Shake When I Walk On Them. Fun!
Image credits: BaconQuiche74
#21 Smooth As A Pebble
Image credits: rampzn
#22 By Windex
Image credits: Last_Pay_8447
#23 I Hate Going To The Theater
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
#24 Sure, They Look Nice
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
#25 Should There Be Two Railings?
Image credits: Last_Pay_8447
#26 New Floors At My Job
Image credits: drillenisse
#27 The What?
Image credits: evidentementelargo
#28 Just Saw This
Image credits: bierbottle
#29 They Look Normal Far Away
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
#30 Stairs In A Century House I Toured!
Image credits: whitefox094
#31 Do These Count?
Image credits: 1SmartBlueJay
#32 At Least They're Colorful
Image credits: TheDabitch
#33 The Closer You Look The Worse It Gets
Image credits: rampzn
#34 Seriously?
Image credits: Last_Pay_8447
#35 "Beatiful And Sturdy Stair" It Says In The Listing
Image credits: tohardtochoose
#36 The Last Step
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
#37 Camouflage Stairs From Above
Image credits: NeedsMoreTeapots
#38 Combo
Image credits: Last_Pay_8447
#39 I Guess We're Gonna Have To Feel Our Way Down These Stairs
Image credits: Ardentpikachu1
#40 Curved, Yet Rhomboidal
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
#41 Looks Like A Trap
Image credits: bigtony423
#42 Head Trauma
Image credits: Ok_Knee1216
#43 For Design
Image credits: Last_Pay_8447
#44 Nearly 90° Stairs Leading To The Backstage Area Of My Latest Stand-Up Performance
Image credits: Royalbluegooner
#45 Stairs With Handholds
Image credits: rampzn
#46 Rippling Ribbon Staircase
Image credits: inlw
#47 One Wrong Move And You’ll End Up In The Hospital
Image credits: evamarclen
#48 One Misstep Is All It Takes
Image credits: rampzn
#49 Even Fell Down These Stairs Once
Image credits: whackerneusohnone
#50 These Stairs In This Flipped House
Image credits: AloytheAndroid
