WRITTEN BY GARY SMITH, APARTMENT BUILDING MANAGEMENT WORKERS COMPENSATION SELF INSURED FUND
How can falls from ladders, and the serious injuries that result, be prevented in the workplace?
Consider the facts: Falls remain a leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide, and 43 percent of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, ladder falls accounted for 30 percent of disabling workplace falls from height in 2011. The National Safety Council reports that each year more than 135,000 people are treated in US emergency departments for ladder-related injuries.
How can we prevent ourselves and our co-workers from becoming one of these injury statistics? We can do it through education, training, and application of knowledge and skill. Here are three specific, preventive actions that can be taken:
Educate and train. Make use of the Ladder Safety Training from the American Ladder Institute (ALI), which is free and highly-rated by its users. In this training, students are provided the proper techniques to select, inspect, set-up, use and care for articulated, extension, mobile and step ladders. Pre and post-tests help retain the knowledge learned and objectively document the level of improvement. Once each online module is successfully completed, training certificates are generated and available to print. This free product is a model training tool at its finest!
Perform ladder inspections. Safety standards require that a ladder shall be inspected before its use and after it has fallen or been involved in an accident to determine its condition. Ensure that the person inspecting understands what to look for, and if repairs or replacement are necessary.
A ladder inspection checklist is a great tool to ensure thoroughness and to prove that inspections are being performed as required. If defects are found, place a “Do Not Use” tag on it until proper repairs or replacement are completed. Inspections commonly include:
Splinter free side rails and legs
Joints tight between the side rail and steps
Metal hardware is secure
Splits in side rails
Gouges, dents greater than 10 percent of thickness
Worn, crushed, cracked, split, splintered, missing, rungs, steps, tops or platforms
Play of ¾ inch in the rails due to loose rungs or steps
Broken or bent guide irons, spreader or locks
Rusted or corroded spots
Damaged or worn non-slip bases
Rivets sheared, pulled through, uncurled, loosened
Stepladders
Loose or bent hinge spreaders
Stop on hinge spreaders broken
Loose hinges
Damage to the pail shelf
Extension ladders
Loose, broken, missing extension locks
Defective locks that do not seat properly
Deterioration of rope
Fixed ladders
Loose worn or damaged rungs or side rails
Damaged or corroded parts of the cage
Corroded bolts and rivet heads on inside of metal stacks
Damaged or corroded handrails or brackets on platforms
Weakened or damaged rungs on brick or concrete slabs
Base of ladder obstructed
Use Three-Point-Contact to minimize the chances of falling from ladders. At all times during the ascent and descent, face the ladder, and have two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand in contact with the ladder steps, rungs and/or side rails. The climber is not likely to become unstable in the event one limb slips during climbing. Avoid carrying any objects in either hand that can interfere with a firm grip on the ladder. Otherwise, proper contact with the ladder cannot be properly maintained and the potential for falls increase.
Take these three actions today and prevent falls from ladders in your workplace!
Should you require assistance with implementing a ladder safety program, please contact Gary Smith, CRM, at (517) 338-3367 or Gary.Smith@cmi-yorkrsg.com.
References:
Rockett IR, Regier MD, Kapusta ND, et al. Leading causes of unintentional and intentional injury mortality: United States, 2000–2009. Am J Public Health 2012; 102:e84–92.
ALI Ladder Safety Training at www.laddersafetytraining.org
MIOSHA General Industry Safety Standards, MIOSHA Construction Industry Safety Standard