March 21, 2019
Hundreds of workers sustain fatal injuries, and thousands suffer disabling injuries every year in ladder-related incidents. That has prompted the American Ladder Institute to sponsor the National Ladder Safety Month in March to promote safety at home and work. The initiative intends to reduce ladder-related fatalities and injuries and raise awareness of ladder safety either at home or work.
Using the Wrong Ladder. Many injuries result from companies providing their employees with A-frame ladders that look like this:
Because the employee has to carry items up or down from heights, the proper ladder would be a platform-style ladder like this:
Providing an employee with the wrong ladder is unsafe, and negligent. An employer may be liable for damages for providing the wrong ladder (if the employer is a Nonsubscriber).
The American Ladder Institute (ALI) is the approved developer of ladder safety policies in the United States, and it provides training on ladder safety in a variety of industries, such as manufacturing, custodial services, painting, construction, chemical and petrochemical, gas and oil, power, and warehousing, and also at home.
Whether a painter or builder uses a ladder daily or needs it on an occasional basis, it’s worth noting that anything involving working at height can be dangerous. Of course, it is imperative to understand the risks of working at heights and be as careful as possible while using a ladder. The National Ladder Safety Month in March presents an opportunity for people who use ladders often to learn how severe it can be when improper ladder use or selection causes an accident. For example, improper ladder selection has been the cause of several serious injuries in the past year in Houston, Tx as the city recovers from Harvey. Workers are asked to climb up to high shelves to stack or retrieve large boxes, and the only ladder provided is an A-frame ladder. As a result, they have to use both hands to hold the box and then descend a ladder in which one must hold onto to with at least one hand in order to decent safely.
In short, accidental ladder falls cause a range of injuries ranging from minor to severe – even death. However, with a Houston work accident attorney, it is possible to file a ladder fall accident claim if someone else causes the accident.
The American Ladder Institute highlights ladder safety tips that mark the Ladder Safety Month held every March. Recent research has found ladder falls as one of the top disabling injuries at workplaces. Most of these falls are caused by substituting a ladder with a less safe alternative like a table or chair, or the improper use of ladders. However, the American Ladder Institute takes Ladder Safety Month as an opportunity to educate ladder users on ladder safety principles. The Institute encourages ladder users always to secure the ladder base to prevent accidental movements. It is also wise to lock all metal braces tight when opening a stepladder. Your hands should also hold on the rungs firmly before stepping onto the ladder. Another safety principle is not to skip steps and always face the ladder when climbing up or down.
Reasons to Participate in National Ladder Safety Month
Perhaps you and your workers are wondering how you can participate in the annual National Ladder Safety Month. The yearly National Ladder Safety Month is an opportunity for ladder users to brush up on ladder safety measures. Unfortunately, thousands of people get injured, and hundreds die in ladder-related accidents. With the right education and training, these injuries are avoidable, and the goal of this special event is to raise awareness among homeowners and professionals about caring and using their ladders safely. The annual Ladder Safety Month is an open opportunity for anyone who would want to enroll for a free ALI’s ladder safety training program, which covers everything about this life-saving topic.
National Ladder Safety Month participants have an array of ladder safety resources on their fingertips and are allowed to either print or share them electronically. Some of the things participants expect in this special event are plenty of videos that educate builders and homeowners about ladder safety engagingly and quickly. There is also an array of flyers that participants can print and display in their home or work.
Employer’s Core Responsibilities on Ladder Users
Workers should first know whether their employer was negligent in any way or not before claiming compensation for a ladder-related accident at workplace. The responsibility of an employer towards workers should go beyond simple safety guidelines to include aspects such as ensuring all equipment and tools are appropriate for their job. Another way to ensure the safety of your workers and avoid lawsuits is to maintain their tools, including ladders, to the highest standards. It might also be prudent to have ongoing training for every worker that would need to use a ladder. Unfortunately, a Texas non-subscriber can sometimes ignore ladder safety guidelines, and employees may have a negligence claim against their employer. Hiring a professional Houston work accident attorney is the best thing a worker can do after falling off a ladder. However, workers might first have to consider several factors related to their situation to prove negligence for their fall before filing a case against their employer.
