March Is Ladder Safety Month

March 4, 2020

Experts have estimated that over 500,000 falls happen each year.  Surprisingly, the majority of the accidents occur right at your own home doing routine things such as cleaning out your gutters or looking at higher shelves to find something that you need in a cabinet.

I wanted to share just a few tips to keep us all a little safer on our ladders for Ladder Safety Month!

  1.  Create a solid foundation. Be sure the ground is not soft and muddy, as this could cause you to lose resistance. Also, make sure the feet of the ladder (the rubber on the bottom) is not torn or worn down. This could increase in slippage. Replace the bottom of the rubber before doing the task.
  2. Do not climb a ladder in a storm or even while it is windy outside. The ladder could sway, and you could fall.
  3. Make sure your ladder has all of the working parts, meaning the rungs are not missing. Make sure the ladder is not rusty, and that there are not any missing or loose screws.
  4. Make sure that you are feeling OK about climbing in the air and on a ladder, meaning if you have a cold, or if you feel lightheaded, do not get on a ladder. If you have had a injury:  arm injury, leg injury, foot surgery, etc…do not get on the ladder, or you could fall.