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Ladder Falls
A fall from a ladder may result in serious injury or even death. Unsafe conditions or equipment at a construction site may contribute to the risk of falling from a ladder or other high elevation.
Ladder's and Power Lines
Contact between portable metal ladders and overhead power lines also causes serious and often fatal injuries to workers in the United States. Data show that during the years 1980 through 1985, the contact of metal ladders with overhead power lines accounted for approximately 4% of all work-related electrocutions in the United States (e.g., 17 out of 382 deaths for 1985) [NIOSH 1988].
Ladder Regulations
Safety regulations promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establish specific requirements intended to prevent workers from positioning portable metal ladders where they might contact electrical conductors [29 CFR* 1926.450(a)(11) and 1926.951(c)(1)]. These regulations stipulate that "portable metal or conductive ladders shall not be used for electrical work or where they may contact electrical conductors." Other pertinent regulations require that "portable ladders in use shall be tied, blocked, or otherwise secured to prevent their being displaced" [29 CFR 1926.450(a)(10]. Additional OSHA regulations require employers to instruct each worker to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions [29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)], and to provide prompt medical attention in case of serious injury [29 CFR 1926.50]. The following recommendations will help prevent deaths and injuries resulting from contact between metal ladders and overhead power lines:
It is recommended that employers and workers comply with the OSHA regulation prohibiting the use of portable metal or conductive ladders for electrical work or in locations where they may contact electrical conductors. Nonconductive ladders such as those made of wood or fiber glass should be used instead.
- Employers should fully inform workers about the hazards of using portable metal (including aluminum) ladders near energized power lines.
- If portable metal ladders are used in the vicinity of energized power lines, NIOSH urges that all employers and workers strictly adhere to the OSHA safety regulations [29 CFR 1926.450 and 1926.951(c)(1)] for providing proper balancing and securing of ladders, and for maintaining safe working distances to avoid contact with electrical conductors.
- To assure proper protection for anyone working near electrical power lines, arrangements should be made with the power company to de-energize the lines or to cover the lines with insulating line hoses or blankets.
- Employers should provide workers with training in emergency medical procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Fatalities may be prevented by prompt emergency medical care.
If you have questions regarding a possible ladder accident claim, or would like to speak with an attorney regarding your rights, please fill out our form below. Once you provide us with the following information, your free consultation form will be sent to a personal injury lawyer familiar with ladder falls and construction site injuries for evaluation. That lawyer will review your construction site form in accordance with the site terms and conditions and may contact you to discuss your case.
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