Florida Work Accidents Are Possible When Using Ladders

Does your job require you to work on a ladder frequently or even from time to time? If so, you need to be aware of the dangers of working on ladders and the potential for ladder injuries at work in Florida.

Ladder injures are quite common that occur among construction workers, electricians, maintenance workers, stockroom workers, and can happen to anyone using a ladder on-the-job.

Because ladders seem harmless to most people, they are not looked at as a possible workplace accident site. However, ladders are deceptively complex and dangerous as shown by thousands of people being sent to the hospital every year with ladder workplace injuries. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are over 90,000 people who visit emergency rooms each year due to ladder accidents. Because of these injuries, employers and employees should start paying attention to the potential dangers that working on ladders presents.

Workplace Safety
For safety purposes, employers should be training their employees on proper ladder climbing techniques, how to identify hazards and dangerous conditions, and not to stand on the very top of the ladder. Employers should also be emphasizing the importance of fall protective equipment and, in most cases, should be providing this equipment for their employees who work from heights, even including ladders.

In an OSHA study, it was determined that ladder accidents could be prevented by the correct training of climbers and with the proper attention to the application. The research reveals that although human error is to blame for most ladder accidents and falls, the fault is often not the victim.

Florida Workplace Injuries Involving Ladder Accidents
The below example is a perfect illustration of how a ladder accident and fall at work in Florida could be the fault of the employer. Rob purchased a ladder for himself to use, but was ignorant about the type of ladder he chose. He picked out a household ladder with a maximum weight of 200 pounds. He used the ladder for many years and then brought it to work one day, at a general store that he owned.

One of the employees at the store decided to use the ladder to reach some items on a top shelf in the back room, but the ladder leg gave out and threw the employee to the floor. Rob's worker suffered serious injuries in this South Florida work accident.

Lesson to Be Learned
Ladders that are weak, old, and unstable should be thrown away and destroyed, and not left out for someone to find and use. Employers have a duty to inspect their equipment and also have a duty to train employees to recognize safety hazards. If these things were done in the example above, a work accident and injury could have been avoided.

If you have been injured in a Fort Lauderdale work accident due to your employer's negligence, please call the Law Offices of David Benenfeld for a free legal consultation with an experienced South Florida workers' compensation attorney today at 866-9 HELP NOW or 866-943-5766.

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