OK FELLAS, you know climbing and working off a ladder can be a risky business – but let’s face it, for most it’s a risk they’re willing to take.
But what you might not know is that ladders are associated with more deaths and injuries than any other household product.
And this is particularly true for men aged over 60, who represent the majority of people injured or killed after falling from a ladder. Even a fall of less than a metre can be fatal.
At the less severe end of the scale, you might suffer from back pain that slows you down and stops you from doing physical work for as long as you used to.
Or you might completely lose your independence and rely on family to care for you.
At the most severe end of the scale, you could die.
Research undertaken in Victoria, Queensland and NSW indicates that, on average, more than 4000 people in these states are hospitalised each year as the result of a domestic ladder fall. About three-quarters of these patients are men.
With that in mind, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has joined a national community awareness campaign to prevent serious injury from domestic ladder falls.
- Visit the campaign webpage for more information and to hear real-life stories from older men who fell from a ladder while working in and around the home – www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/laddersafety
Mick lucky to be alive to tell his tale
“IT STILL plays in my head: what if...? Mick found himself lying in bed for eight or 10 weeks and it drove him crazy.
“What if I’d been bedridden or confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life?”
Mick fell from a ladder while trimming a tall hedge. He’d set up a couple of ladders with a plank between them so he could move along the hedge without going up and down. He put a few bits of wood under the feet of the ladders to stabilise them.
He was leaning his back against the side of the house, electric hedge-trimmer in hand, when the ladders gave way. He fell more than two metres, hitting his head on a brick windowsill.
These days Mick still tries to help around the house but he has trouble lifting and struggles to mow the lawn. He can’t sit for long periods and has trouble sleeping because of the pain he suffers more than a year after the accident.
He has bought a new ladder with a platform and safety rails, but he’s not keen to climb it.
“I would say to anyone 50 years or older: think twice about going up the ladder,” he said.
Steps to safety
- Use a Standards-approved ladder (Australian Standard AS/NZS 1892), read the manufacturer’s advice and follow safety warnings.
- Check the ladder is in good working order (free of rust, non-slip safety feet and that safety locks and braces are in place).
- Make sure it is rated for the weight you need it to carry (your weight, the weight of tools and supplies, and any objects placed on the ladder).
- Ensure the ladder is right for the task.
- Work in suitable weather conditions (a hot day may cause you to get dizzy and lose balance; a wet day may cause you or the ladder to slip; high winds could cause the ladder to fall).
- Do not place ladder in front of outward-opening doors or windows.
- Take the time to set up safely – place the ladder on dry, firm and level ground; ensure it is locked firmly into place and is the right height for the job. If working on an extension ladder, ensure it reaches about a metre above the surface it rests against and secure it at the top.
- Work safely up the ladder – wear non-slip footwear; work within your arm’s reach and avoid leaning out; maintain three points of contact at all times while on the ladder and use two hands while climbing; only climb as far as the second step from the top of a step ladder or the third step/rung from the top of an extension ladder.
- Work within your limits and make sure another person is at home in case you need assistance; if you are on medication or have a medical condition that could affect strength or balance, or if you don’t feel well, leave the task for another day.
- If you are 65 or over and you need assistance, the Home and Community Care Program may be able to help. Contact your local council to get an assessment of your eligibility for support.