CDC Publishes Report on Ladder-Related Fatalities

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a new report on ladder fatalities and injuries in the workplace. The report reveals a disturbing trend of increased ladder-related injuries. According to the authors, approximately 43% of falls that resulted in fatality over the past decade involved a ladder.

“Falls remain a leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide, and 43% of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder, said Christina Socia. "Among workers, approximately 20% of fall injuries involve ladders. Among construction workers, an estimated 81% of fall injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) involve a ladder," she added.

The CDC's report is based on public work data that was taken in 2011. CDC researchers analyzed this data, checking to see how many nonfatal and fatal work-related ladder injuries occurred. In total, researchers discovered 113 fatalities, more than 15,000 "serious" but not fatal injuries, and some 34,000 minor injuries attributed to the use of ladders in 2011.

It should come as no surprise that construction workers have the highest risk of being injured while using a ladder. According to the report, roughly 81% of all fall-related injuries that require hospital emergency room treatment involved a ladder. it's not uncommon for construction workers to bypass key safety measures when using ladders simply to speed up their work. Subsequently, however, this places them at risk for serious injury or even death.

Regardless of industry, however, all workers who intend to use a ladder should follows some basic safety precautions to reduce their risk of injury. While falls from a ladder can prove fatal at times, the CDC report reaffirms that most ladder-related injuries and fatalities can be prevented. See below  for a list of essential ladder safety tips.

Ladder Safety Tips:

• Keep ladder on flat, even surface at all times.
• If a ladder won't reach to the desired height, use alternative means of accessibility.
• Inspect the ladder to ensure there's no visible damage.
• Employees should be trained on the proper use of ladders.
• A good rule of thumb is to maintain three points of contact when using a ladder at all time (e.g. two hands and one foot or two feet or one hand).
• Check for overhead powerlines before using a ladder.

For more safety tips on how to use a ladder, check out The Do's and Don'ts of Ladder Safety.