Ladder is one of the most important tool humans have ever invented. This seemingly simple and cheap device is ubiquitous in construction sites everywhere in the world. Not only that – pretty much every house owner has a ladder or two. And many people fall off of them, suffering life-long consequences as a result.
A wrong step might lead to months of mental and physical suffering.
Ladder is a relatively straightforward device. You put your feet on steps at the bottom, grab the steps above with your hands and hoist yourself up. You don’t have to be particularly strong to use the ladder. Nor does it require any kind of skill. However, this kind of simplicity yields disrespect to this tool, resulting in thousands of ladder falls every year. Scientists from the University of Queensland followed 134 Queenslanders who came to emergency rooms between October 2015 and October 2016 as a result of a fall from a ladder. They found that these people spent an average of five days in hospital because of their injuries and that wasn’t the end of their suffering.
The most common injuries sustained from falling off the ladder were spinal fractures, rib fractures, tibia or fibula fractures, radius or ulna fractures, pelvic fractures, and traumatic pneumothorax. 80 % of injured people required at least 4 weeks off work, while 16 % weren’t able to return to work fully even after six months after the fall. This kind of an accident inevitably affects people’s mental wellbeing and puts a lot of stress on the families. Those who fell experienced sleeping problems, anxiety, depression months after checking out from the hospital. And, of course, it can have a tremendous effect on family finances, especially if the injured person was the only breadwinner for the family.
Men over 55 years old are at most risk when it comes to ladder falls. They may not be as physically fit as younger people or simply not as careful. They also suffer more serious injuries. Dr Rob Eley, one of the authors of the study, said: “We suggest that at the place of purchase, older men are targeted to reinforce safety instructions, and perhaps are provided with mandatory stabilising features. The community also needs to do more to educate people that it’s OK to request help or employ home service contractors to complete tasks around the home that require a ladder”. This is because most ladder falls actually don’t happen in professional setting – it is people at home who are falling more often.
Ladder falls are particularly frustrating, because they are easily preventable. You just have to be careful, use appropriate safety measures and simply ask someone younger to do the job if you are not feeling strong and confident.
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