National Ladder Safety Month: Preventing Injury Through Education

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

March is National Ladder Safety Month. Spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute (ALI), this month is dedicated to promoting safe ladder use. 

Tens of thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths are caused by the improper use of ladders annually. The construction industry is particularly at risk for ladder injuries. Year after year, its one of the top 10 most common OSHA violations in the nation, so this is a good opportunity to evaluate your company’s ladder training and safety protocol. 

Rancho Mesa offers resources in the SafetyOne™ app with online training courses such as general Ladder Safety and Ladder Safety in Construction Environments.

The platform also has the following ladder safety toolbox talks that supervisors can administer to employees:

• Job Built Ladder Safety

• Ladder Types

• Ladder Usage

• Ladder Safety for Landscape Contractors

• Ladder Tips

• Five Ways to Prevent Electrocutions from Portable Ladders

• Ladders and Stairways

Rancho Mesa is also hosting an in-person Ladder Safety workshop on Friday, March 22, which will be recorded and available to view on our website in the coming weeks.

For questions about accessing the online resources in SafetyOne, clients can reach out to their Client Technology Coordinator.

The Billion-Dollar Cost of Working at Height: The Critical Questions to Ask Before Climbing a Ladder

Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Every year, OSHA publishes a “top 10 most frequently cited standards” list. Without question, ladders and fall protection consistently make the list. A Liberty Mutual 2023 workplace survey found that $6.26 billion was spent on falls as a result of working at height. Working at height is inherently dangerous but becomes more so when the incorrect ladders are used or improper setup for a job. Sending your employees to a jobsite without conducting a proper analysis to guarantee you have the proper equipment is setting yourself up to have preventable claims.

Before choosing a ladder at for a job, ask yourself:

• Will the ladders on site reach your desired height safely?

• Do the pads need to be replaced on the feet of the ladder?

• Do I have a faulty ladder?

• Should I be using fiberglass or metal?

• Is the ground level or should I have a ladder with adjustable outriggers?

• Do I need a guardrail system on my ladder?

• Am I able to get the proper angel needed for an extension ladder?

• Do my employees have the proper footwear?

All potential claims from ladders are theoretically preventable if we take the time to prepare properly. Your employees can be working at height for long periods of time, sometimes on very hot or cold days and need to be alert both while at height and especially when getting down. A vast majority of claims we see from ladder falls come from slipping or missing the last rung on a ladder. Looking further into these accident investigations, we see that many employees are not getting enough breaks so they can stay mentally and physically alert.

Most contractors are equipped with step stools, step ladders and extension ladders but these might not be all that is needed to get the job done properly. Each of these serve a purpose and are the most common on job sites for a reason which is why most work can be completed using just these three types of ladders. However, just because we are able to reach our desired height does not mean that it is the most efficient way to get there. Having more intricate ladders available for certain projects has become increasingly more valuable.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fatal injuries from movable ladders has decreased by nearly 17% from 2019 to 2020 while non-fatal ladder injuries remained consistent (this is the newest data available published in April of 2022).  Things appear to be trending in the right direction with more information and safer ladders available. That said, ladder safety needs to be at the forefront of your safety program as those contractors working at height are always one slip away from a claim that can drastically change the live of an employee along with your insurance program.

If you have any questions on how to improve your ladder safety program or any other insurance questions, do not hesitate to reach out. You can contact me at ccraig@ranchomesa.com or call at (619) 438-6900.