Falls and Ladder Misuse Fill Three of OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations

American Ladder Institute/National Ladder Safety Month promotes planning, training, and innovation to reduce incidents

It’s a streak no one should be happy about. For the 13th year in a row, fall protection (general requirements) is OSHA’s No. 1 safety violation. Additionally, ladders came in third, and fall protection (training requirements) was eighth in the agency’s annual list of its Top 10 violations. The list was revealed last month at the National Safety Council Safety Congress & Expo in New Orleans and covers fiscal year 2023.

By the numbers, Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) racked up 7,271 violations in that time, Ladders (1926.1053) had 2,978, and Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) had 2,112. Three violations in the Top 10 are related to falls and ladders, demonstrating how much work remains to be done in the realm of ladder safety and proper ladder usage.

The American Ladder Institute (ALI) is the only approved developer of safety standards for the U.S. ladder industry. Its signature safety initiative is National Ladder Safety Month, which is held in March. National Ladder Safety Month is the only program dedicated exclusively to promoting ladder safety at home and at work.

Each year, in addition to OSHA violations, tens of thousands of people are injured and hundreds die in accidents caused by improper ladder usage. We have to do better. ALI believes ladder accidents are preventable with thorough safety planning, training, and continuous innovation in product design. The more people, organizations, and businesses that get involved, the wider the message spreads, and the more people learn about proper ladder safety.

The goals of National Ladder Safety Month are to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities, increase the number of ladder safety training certificates issued by ALI, increase the frequency that ladder safety training modules are viewed on www.laddersafetytraining.org, and lower the rankings of ladder-related safety citations on OSHA’s yearly Top 10 list.

Companies with employees working at heights – and any companies invested in the manufacturing of ladders or their safe use – can become a leading voice on ladder safety at work and at home while developing a valuable brand extension by sponsoring National Ladder Safety Month. Those interested in helping ALI spread the word on safe ladder use can explore sponsorship opportunities.