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.
While changing an overhead ballast in a light fixture, an employee of New Jersey Medical Center received an electrical shock that caused him to fall from a ladder. He was hospitalized and died several weeks later from the injuries he sustained in the fall.
Dorchester, Massachusetts-based contractor Roof Kings LLC exposed employees to life-threatening falls - more than 45 feet off the ground - over a three-day period as they worked at a Haverhill church, federal workplace safety and health inspectors found.
Falls remain a leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide, and 43% of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder.
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.
Factors contributing to falls from ladders include haste, sudden movement, lack of attention, the condition of the ladder (worn or damaged), the user's age or physical condition, or both, and the user's footwear.
Rolastair™ family of ladders; EdgeAlert™ Open Gate Alarm System helps improve safety
June 29, 2016
MHI member and safety equipment manufacturer, Ladder Industries (a subsidiary of Wildeck, Inc.), is showcasing an impressive array of standard access products and custom design capabilities in Booth #920 at the ASSE Safety 2016 Conference and Exposition, June 26-29 at Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta.
When it comes to ladder safety, avoiding fines and fatalities is a big concern. Three of OSHA’s top ten “serious” violations in 2015 were related to falls. Every day, one person dies in a ladder-related accident. Fall prevention is a focal point for safety leaders.
WernerCo conducted safety trainings that aligned with OSHA’s recent Stand Down to Safety Initiative, Over the course of safety week (May 2-6, 2016), the Werner End-User Specialist (EUS) team trained on the proper use of ladders and fall protection gear at jobsites all across the country.
Every day on the job a construction worker is killed by a fall and about 40 are seriously injured. You could easily be one of them. All it takes is a slip or trip and down you go.