Be honest on this one: when using a ladder, how many times have you stepped up above the “Go No Further” label on ladders? For integrators—and really any contractor/building professional—the ladder is likely a regular fixture on a job site as one of the most ubiquitous means of getting up into overhead spaces to work, especially now that light fixtures have become so popular within the channel. It’s also probably the piece of equipment that causes the most frequent OSHA violations through ladder falls.

The agency recently released its Top 10 Safety Violations, revealed at the National Safety Council Safety Congress & Expo in New Orleans, and for the 13^th year in a row, fall protection continues to be OSHA’s No. 1 safety violation. The list covers FY23 and looks at the number of reported safety violations throughout the year to figure out which are the most common among workers.

According to OSHA, the most common list of workplace safety violations are as follows:

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements: Topping the list with 7,271 violations
2. Hazard Communication: Recorded 3,213 violations
3. Ladders: Noted 2,978 violations
4. Scaffolding: Cited in 2,859 violations
5. Powered Industrial Trucks: Reported in 2,561 violations
6. Lockout/Tagout: Registered 2,554 violations
7. Respiratory Protection: Accounted for 2,481 violations
8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements: Identified in 2,112 violations
9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection: Recorded 2,074 violations
10. Machine Guarding: Noted 1,644 violations

As you can see, ladders came in third, and fall protection (training requirements) was eighth in the agency’s annual list of its Top 10 violations. To get a little bit more specific, 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.

Depending on the height and the condition of the fall, this can either lead to, at best, a minor scrape or bruise, but at worst, potentially be life-threatening.  According to the American Ladder Institute (ALI), tens of thousands of people are injured, and hundreds die in accidents caused by improper ladder usage.

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Even a minor injury can have big impact on both the employee and the employer, though. As with every other business following the pandemic, the cost of physician visits and workplace injury cases in general has only continued to rise with the average co-pay cost rising as high as $91 per treatment.

As with many safety concerns, however, the greatest asset in ensuring employees are working safely is education and awareness. 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 de facto developer of safety standards for the U.S. ladder industry, the ALI also promotes multiple safety initiatives throughout the year, including the National Ladder Safety Month, held in March, the goals of which are to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities, 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,” the ALI stated in a press release following the OSHA listing.

“Those interested in helping ALI spread the word on safe ladder use can explore sponsorship opportunities today.”

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