Ladders Accidents Injury Lawyers Advice
Ladder accidents result in around 14 fatalities and 1,200 major injuries in the UK each year. It is the duty of your employer to ensure that Ladders must be kept well maintained and must be replaced when damaged.
Accidents can occur due to the employee been given the wrong type of ladder to complete a task. Employers must provide employees with the correct type of ladder with regards to the task in hand, with employees being fully trained and instructed on how to use them. The employee must be able to make an informed decision about the correct ladder to use.
Risk assessments must be carried out regularly, by employers, to assess the risk of falling and the safety of the ladder. The ladder must be inspected for any defects and the employer must ensure that the ladder is fully fit for use. The ladder must not be dented or damaged in anyway, nor should the rubber feet be missing or damaged.
Ladder accidents are commonly caused by:
- Broken ladders
- Inadequate ladders being provided, resulting in overreaching and falling
- Ladders being used on unsafe or dangerous terrain
- Inadequate training
- Inadequate inspection and maintenance of ladders
If a ladder breaks when you are using them, your employer could be liable as they have failed to provide safe working equipment. Employers have a duty to provide safe working equipment and if they fail in that duty, they may be held strictly liable, even if they could not have prevented the ladders from breaking.
The terrain or ground the ladder is placed on must also be suitable; it must be flat and stable, so that ladder can be placed and positioned correctly. An employer may also like to carry out a risk assessment on the ground to ensure that the ground is suitable for ladder use.
If you think you may have a potential claim, call our helpline on 0800 634 75 75 for further advice.
References
- www.hse.gov.uk/falls/casestudies/ladders.htm
- www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/introduction/made
- www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg402.pdf
- www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/9162/WSV958_02_08.10.pdf
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