David Francis, national safety director for Little Giant Ladder Systems, has worked in the ladder industry for more than 30 years and travels all over the country performing free ladder safety training for all kinds of companies. He can be contacted via email at dave@ladders.com or www.laddersafetyhub.com.
Accidents happen for millions of reasons, but the truth is, they are all preventable. Three major causes are common in almost all accidents; not using the right tool for the job; using a damaged tool that hasn’t been inspected; and not following the basic safety guideline for that tool.
Even though ladders have been around for most of recorded history, they haven't changed much in function and design since their primitive origins. This simple design is so practical almost everyone uses it; on the other hand, it is so basic it is also easy to misuse and can be dangerous.
Every day 2,000 people are injured in a ladder-related accident. One hundred of those people suffer a long-term or permanent disability. And every day, one person dies; the numbers are continuing to rise.
