According the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, every year 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries and approximately 300 of these incidents prove to be fatal. In 2007 alone, more than 400 people died as a result of falls on or from ladders or scaffolding. -Liberty Mutual - Research Institute for Safety

More alarming statistics:

• Fatal falls, by type of fall, 2009, over one-third involved falls from roofs or ladders. Out of 617 falls, 20 percent were from the ladder, 18 percent were from the roof.  -U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, 2010

• Work-related fatal falls, by type of fall, 2010, nearly two-fifths involved falls from roofs or ladders. Out of 646 falls, 20 percent were from the ladder, 18 percent were from the roof. -U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, 2011

• Ladder-related injuries per 100,000 people rose almost 27 percent during the 16-year study period -- 97.3 percent occurred in non-occupational settings, such as homes and farms. More than 2.1 million people needed to be hospitalized, about twice the overall admission rate for consumer-product related injuries. -PubliMed.gov

Study conclusion: Given the 50 percent increase in ladder-related injuries during the study period, the relatively high likelihood of hospital admission, and the predominance of injuries in non-occupational settings, increased efforts are needed to prevent ladder-related injuries.

Source: www.ezsmarttools.com