Stay grounded when you climb the ladder
’Tis the season to fall off a ladder? Don’t let this happen to you while attempting to put up Christmas lights and decorations, either inside or out.
Just remember what happened to Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold character in the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
WorkSafeBC is issuing the warning to the public and workers because falls from ladders are more common than you think.
Plus, there’s going to be a lot of amateur ladder users this time of year try to get those holiday illuminations, wreaths and garlands just right. Between 2013 and 2017, seven people died, 4,985 missed work after a ladder fall and 1,667 were seriously hurt.
“Falls from ladders are a serious safety concern in B.C., particularly at this time of year when wind, rain and snow pose hazards,” said WorkSafeBC senior manager Jessica Berglund.
“Using a ladder safely can prevent serious injury or death. This includes choosing the right ladder, positioning it correctly and assessing hazards.”
The nine-point WorkSafeBC safety list looks and sounds like common sense, but it deserves repeating since so many people will put themselves in perilous ladder situations this holiday season. – Ensure the ladder is long enough and extends at least one meter above the upper landing point. – Place the foot of the ladder on a firm, level surface. Icy surfaces are a bad idea. – Ensure the ladder is in good working condition with no cracks or breaks in the frame or rungs. – Always maintain three points of contact while climbing: two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot. – Don’t work from the top two rungs. – Don’t have more than one worker on a ladder at a time. – Don’t carry heavy or bulky objects up or down a ladder. – Best not to climb a ladder in heavy wind, rain and/or snow. – Don’t work on a ladder within three metres of power lines.