March is recognized as “National Ladder Safety Month”, an initiative spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute. According to National Ladder Safety Month’s website, “over 100 people die in ladder-related accidents, and thousands suffer disabling injuries” ever year.
Key goals of the initiative 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
While the goals of “National Ladder Safety Month” are commendable, the unfortunate reality is that preventable ladder-related accidents resulting in serious injuries and death will still occur. Unsafe construction and workplace practices continue to put hardworking men and women at risk every day.
Ladder accidents are among the most common incidents we see in construction and workplace injury cases. In many situations, these injuries are not “accidents” at all as they are the result of avoidable safety failures. Common causes include:
- Broken or defective ladders
- Improper ladder placement or setup
- Failure to secure ladders properly
- Using a ladder for tasks that require safer equipment
- Unsafe jobsite conditions that expose workers to falls
Some common real work examples of cases that we have litigated or are litigating include:
- An improperly secured extension ladder that shifted, causing a 20-foot fall
- A worker knocked from a 30-foot ladder when building materials collapsed
- A worker struck and knocked off a ladder by a door opened without warning
- A fall caused by a ladder that had been previously damaged and improperly repaired
- A job-built wooden ladder that failed when its fasteners gave way under load
Each of these incidents could, and should, have been prevented
Determining responsibility in ladder accident cases requires a detailed analysis of:
- OSHA regulations
- Industry safety standards
- Jobsite control and supervision
- Equipment condition and maintenance
Too often, injured workers are unfairly blamed for incidents caused by unsafe conditions beyond their control. These cases demand a thorough investigation and experienced legal representation to uncover the truth.
The attorneys at DiSandro and Malloy, P.C. have the experience necessary to handle ladder-related cases and hold companies accountable when they fail to protect workers. If you or a loved one has been involved in a ladder-related accident, please contact us today for a free consultation.
