When using a ladder at your place of employment, it’s a must that your safety takes priority over everything else. Without this approach, there’s a greater chance you’ll make a costly mistake that causes an accident and subsequent injuries.
There are many causes of workplace ladder accidents, including the following:
- Inclement weather. For example, if you’re using a ladder outdoors to reach the top of a structure, doing so in strong wind or wet conditions increases the risk of an accident.
- Improper set-up. Your safety starts with how you set up your ladder. Inspect it before use and then place it on firm and level ground.
- Failure to maintain three points of contact. Make sure you have two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand on the ladder at all times. Without this, you’re more likely to lose your balance when climbing or descending.
- Carrying too heavy of a load. You should never attempt to carry a heavy load like shingles up or down a ladder. The extra weight increases the risk of your falling off the ladder.
- Placing the ladder too close to pedestrian or vehicular traffic. If a person or vehicle bumps your ladder while in use, you’ll find it difficult to keep your balance.
If you’re injured in any type of ladder accident at work, report the incident and seek immediate attention from your doctor or at a local hospital.
Should the injury cause you to miss work in the future, you’ll want to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. This will provide some financial stability during your recovery.
