National Ladder Safety Month: Ladder Accidents in the Home Are Preventable
500,000 injuries a year; don’t be a statistic
January 19, 2023—According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, every year 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries. Approximately 300 of these incidents prove to be fatal. National Ladder Safety Month, observed in March, is spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute (ALI) to help reduce those numbers and promote safe use of ladders in the home and on the job.
Weekend-warrior home improvement projects don’t have to end in catastrophe. ALI believes ladder accidents are preventable with thorough safety planning, training, and continuous innovation in product design. The more people, organizations, and businesses that get involved, the wider the message spreads, and the more people learn about proper ladder safety.
For example, did you know that the top 3 rungs of an extension ladder are NOT mean to be used for climbing? And that it is unsafe to stand on the top step or top cap of a stepladder, as it increases the likelihood of losing your balance?
This March will be the seventh year for National Ladder Safety Month and will focus on four key themes:
• Week One – Choosing Your Ladder
• Week Two – Safety Before the First Step (Inspection and Set Up)
• Week Three – Safety While Climbing
• Week Four – Safety at the Top
ALI offers a wide variety of training and tips to make ladder use safer. Visit the Ladder Safety Month website (https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/Safety-Resources/Flyers), ALI’s main website (https://www.americanladderinstitute.org/), and its dedicated ladder safety training site (https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/) for a host of ways to get trained on better ladder safety practices.
Take the goals of National Ladder Safety Month to heart, use these resources to bone up on safe ladder usage, and approach the next project with confidence.
About Ladder Safety Month
National Ladder Safety Month, observed each March and spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute (ALI), is the only program dedicated exclusively to promoting ladder safety, at home and work. https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/.
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