A ladder seems like a simple enough tool. Just place it in a secure location and climb. Unfortunately not everyone understands the risks of using a ladderand the importance of placing it safely.
Need proof? The website Reddit, which features new, popular, and trending stories on the internet, contains an entire subreddit devoted to men on unstable ladders,in which users submit and link to images of some of the most unsafe uses of ladders imaginable.
According to a study released in the May 2013 issue of the Journal of Preventative Medicine,ladder accident injuries increased by approximately 50 percent in the decade and a half between 1990 and 2005. According to the report, during thattime span, approximately 2.1 million people sought emergency medical treatment for ladder injuries--an average of 136,000 people per year.
Of those injuries, 10 percent were serious enough to require hospitalization.
Unfortunately, most people do not fully understand the risks associated with ladder use. Injuries include fractures--particularly to the feet, legs, andback--back injuries, and head trauma or traumatic brain injury.
According to Dr. Gary Smith, co-author of the study and director of Columbus Children's Hospital's Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP), "Laddersshould be treated with the same respect and caution as any potentially dangerous tool, such as a power saw." A fall from a ladder or a scaffold canbe fatal.
Obviously, workplaces should require specific safety protocols when dealing with ladder use. However, as is evidenced by the photos included in this blogpost, not every employer encourages safe ladder use.
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), ladder accidents have three main causes:
Construction sites, contractors, and any other employer should ensure that employees using ladders at work have the proper ladder, properly maintained,and should make certain that it is used in the appropriate manner.
While ladder accidents certainly comprise a large number of workplace injuries, the majority of ladder accidents--as many as 97 percent--occur at homesor other non-occupational locations.
Fall injuries are prevalent during the holiday season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of nearly 6,000 people eachyear suffer fall injuries related to holiday decorating.
In 2011, a 54-year-old woman died after falling from a ladder while she was retrieving Christmas decorations from the attic. In the incident, one rungon the attic latter had a single crack, which caused the rung to break as the woman used the ladder. Homeowners are encouraged to thoroughly inspectattic ladders prior to use, as age and extreme attic temperatures can cause ladders to deteriorated.
If you are injured in a ladder accident caused by an employer's negligence or through faulty manufacture of the ladder, you may be entitled to compensationfor your injuries.Contact an attorney to learn more.
