According to a recent study, workers using ladders in Pennsylvania and other parts of the country face a significant risk of falling. Approximately 20 percent of all fall injuries in the U.S. can be attributed to falls from ladders. That number has grown to 81 percent of all fall injuries treated in emergency rooms. In addition, falls from ladders account for 43 percent of the fatal falls occurring in the last decade.
The new study was conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who analyzed national data from the year 2011. During that year, 113 deaths resulted from work-related ladder falls and more than 15,000 workers suffered nonfatal injuries that kept them away from work for at least one day. The amount of fall injuries treated in emergency rooms in 2011 was about 34,000.
The study also reports that the workers most at risk for ladder falls include those in construction, installation, mining and maintenance and repair. The risk of a ladder fall is also statistically higher for older employees, men and Hispanics. The study points out that many of the ladder falls could have been prevented and researchers are urging employers and safety experts to properly train employees.
Most workers injured on the job in Pennsylvania are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits, which will pay for such things as medical expenses and lost wages. However, claims must be filed in a precise manner and benefits are sometimes denied. Anyone injured on the job may want to consider consulting an experienced attorney to file a claim or discuss representation.
Source: Philly.com, “Workplace Ladder Falls a Major Cause of Deaths, Injuries: CDC “, April 24, 2014