Every Step Matters

March is National Ladder Safety Month

Each year in the United States, more than 500,000 people are seriously injured and over 300 die from ladder accidents.

Common injuries

Head injuries, including concussions and skull fractures Bone fractures, including those of the shoulder, wrist, and hip Traumatic brain injuries, which can cause changes in a person’s personality, abilities, and lifestyle

Causes of ladder accidents

Overreaching

Carrying items while climbing

Using a ladder for an unintended purpose Using an unstable ladder Using a ladder in windy conditions Using a ladder while not fully alert

Prevention

Maintain three points of contact with the ladder Stay near the middle of the ladder and face the ladder while climbing Use a barricade to keep traffic away from the ladder Put ladders away when not in use.

What is National Ladder Safety Month?

National Ladder Safety Month, observed in March and spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute (ALI), is the only program dedicated exclusively to promoting ladder safety, at home and work. Each year, tens of thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths are caused by ladder misuse. By providing critical guidelines and raising awareness on safe use, we can help decrease these numbers.

ALI, the only approved developer of safety standards for the U.S. ladder industry, is the presenting sponsor for National Ladder Safety Month.

ALI believes ladder accidents are preventable with thorough safety planning, training, and continuous innovation in product design. The more people, organizations, and businesses get involved, the wider the message spreads, and the more people learn about proper ladder safety.

The “why”: Every life saved is precious

The goals of National Ladder Safety Month are to:

• Decrease number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities
• Increase the number of ladder safety training certificates issued by ALI
• Increase the frequency that ladder safety training modules are viewed on www.laddersafetytraining.org.
• Lower the rankings of ladder-related safety citations on OSHA’s yearly “Top 10 Citations List”
• Increase the number of in-person ladder trainings
• Increase the number of companies and individuals that inspect and properly dispose of old, damaged or obsolete ladders

It’s a good time to share this with your community through your agencies Community Risk Reduction Program!

Editor’s note: California State Firefighters Association is honored to help your agency with Community Risk Reduction articles for you to use for your agency’s social media, press releases to local media, cable tv, or presentations to community organizations etc. These articles are intended to reduce fires, accidents, and injuries by sharing these within your community. This week’s article is designated for Wildfire Preparedness Day which is May 4th . This article and its content can be used at your discretion at any time you feel is appropriate for your community. Do you need other resources for Community Risk Reduction, or do you have questions on how to best use these resources? Feel free to contact [email protected]

Sam DiGiovanna is a 40-year fire service veteran. He started with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, served as Fire Chief at the Monrovia Fire Department, and currently serves as Chief at the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale and Associate Director for the Calif Training Officers Assoc. He also is a consultant for Lexipol www.Lexipol.com