It could have been fatal when Mick, a retired tradesperson, fell from a DIY structure he made with two ladders. He fractured his ribs and vertebrae. His head had swollen ‘like a bowling ball’ from the fall.
When he arrived at the hospital, the doctor told Mick ‘You don’t know how lucky you are.’
More than a year after the accident, Mick still can’t do the things he used to do. He has trouble lifting items and still suffers pain.
Stop and think before you use a ladder.
In one year in Australia, 1668 people aged 65 years and over were hospitalised because they fell from a ladder.*
Sixty-two per cent of the injuries occurred in or around their home.*
When using a ladder:
- choose the right ladder for the job
- don’t work in wet or windy conditions
- take time to set up your ladder
- work safely up the ladder
- have another person hold the ladder
- know your limits and work to your ability
Watch Mick and other people talk about the impact of their falls and recovery.
* Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011–12
When using a ladder make safety matter
- place ladder on a firm, flat surface
- lock spreaders
- keep body centred between side rails
- do not over-reach
- do not stand above second step from top
- wear slip-resistant shoes.