A construction company has been fined after a worker fell from a ladder during the refurbishment of a shop. He was struck by a falling light fixture which knocked him off the ladder. He fell three metres and hit his head on the concrete floor. The blow caused serious head injuries and the worker was in a coma for two months following the accident. After the injury, he developed epilepsy and has been unable to return to work.

Upon investigation, it was found that the construction company had failed to provide the necessary information and instructions for the worker to be able to complete the task safely. They had completed a risk assessment, which is recommended by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), but the risk assessment failed to take into account the specifics of the work environment so the particular scenario that occurred was not taken into consideration.

In another accident, a school caretaker was injured at work. He was attempting to unlock a toilet but the ladder he was using did not have non-slip caps on the legs and it slipped on the tiles. He fell and tore a ligament in his leg. After the accident, he put in a claim for compensation and received £30,000. It was found that his employer should have ensured that the ladders were non-slip. Using the right kind of ladder could very easily have prevented this injury.

According to the HSE, there are, on average, 12 fatalities every year as a result of falls from ladders at work. An additional 1200 workers suffer major injuries. Ladders are the most common agent involved in work injuries and account for more than a quarter of all falls from height. Falls from a height have consistently been the most common cause of fatal injuries and are also a significant cause of major injuries and over three day injuries.

The HSE differentiates ‘high falls’ from a height of at least 2 metres and ‘low falls’ from a height of less than 2 metres.

Common causes of ladder injuries are if the user over reaches or slips or if the ladder itself breaks or wobbles, slips or falls.

The risk of injury can be avoided using the following tips from the HSE:

• Keep your body weight central
• Maintain 3 points of contact with the ladder
• Keep the rungs clean
• Wear non-slip footwear
• Make sure you’ve have had any relevant training
• Make sure the rungs are horizontal
• Make sure the ladder is positioned on a firm, level surface
• Check the feet of the ladder
• Make sure the top of the ladder is resting on a firm surface
• Do not exceed the maximum weight of the ladder and do not carry heavy items
• Make sure the ladder is leaning at the correct angle

Some of these actions are the responsibility of the worker, whilst others are the responsibility of the employer. Both need to meet their responsibilities in order to avoid workers being injured at work.