Not long ago, a cable installer in Texas was climbing a ladder to work on some overhead lines. To waterproof the cable splices, he and his colleague used a silicone-based product, which left residue on the gloves, and the ladder rungs. As the worker descended the ladder, he slipped on the slick rungs and fell more than 13 feet, hitting the concrete below headfirst – a fatal injury.
About 300 people die each year in the United States in falls from ladders, and many of them are on the job when it happens. As the director OSHA’s area office in Fort Worth, Texas, I’ve witnessed the aftermath of countless workplace deaths like this one, and each leaves a painful memory.