By Jim Poage, Director of Safety, Formetco

Operations employees, sign erectors, service technicians, and anyone else that works on creating installing, maintaining, or servicing outdoor advertising structures use a variety of ladders during their normal workday.  These can be portable extension ladders, portable A-Frame ladders, special duty hook ladders, and fixed ladders to name a few.

About 20% of all fall injuries are the result of a fall from a ladder.  Falls from ladders are also the leading cause of fatalities and unintentional injuries in all industries.  With almost 500,000 injuries associated with a ladder fall each year, and close to 300 fatalities each year associated with ladder falls, it is critical that employers have a ladder safety program and train employees on the safe usage of these pieces of equipment.  The estimated employer cost for a non-fatal ladder injury is around $40,000 and the approximate cost for a fatal unintentional injury is close to $1,200,000, not including any associated OSHA penalties or citations.

Because of these risk factors, the ladder manufacturing industry has deemed March to be National Ladder Safety Month.  This is to increase attention and awareness on the potential hazards associated with using a ladder incorrectly and provide information on how to properly train employees in safe ladder practices.  Here are some places where you can get free ladder training to supplement your ladder safety program.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has prepared a fantastic tool for ladder safety.  Their smartphone application provides a checklist for selecting and inspecting ladders.  It walks you through all the necessary considerations for the type of ladder to use and it shows the user how to inspect each part of the ladder before putting it into service.  The app also has an angle dial that will show when a portable ladder is set up to the correct angle before climbing, just by resting the smartphone against the siderail of the portable ladder.

American Ladder Institute

The American Ladder Institute is a non-profit group dedicated to safe ladder usage.  They develop ladder safety standards, technical specifications, and testing requirements for all types of ladders.  On their site you can watch training videos, download information sheets, and take online training classes that will conclude with an online exam and generate a certificate of completion for the employee’s file.

Formetco Ladder Stabilizer

While not free, the Formetco Ladder Stabilizer is an economical way to prevent unexpected shifting in a portable ladder during climbing activities.  The unique design allows for mounting in conjunction with the Formetco Ladder Grab System, on to the side of catwalks, and even onto flat surfaces like walls for changing copy on building mounted advertising.

For more information on the Formetco Ladder Stabilizer click here.

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