In one year in Australia, 1,668 people aged 65 years and over were hospitalised because they fell from a ladder. 62% of those injuries occurred in or around their home according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's stats in 2011–12.
Ladder related injuries among men aged 65 years and older is steadily increasing in Australia.
The national education campaign 'Ladder safety matters' encourages older Australian men to stop and think before they use a ladder. It’s often the split-second decision or risky shortcut that results in a fall.
By following some simple ladder safety tips the risk of injury can be reduced:
- 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
Ladder safety films Watch the films below as Mick, John and Paul tell their stories about how they fell from a ladder, the recovery process and how the fall has changed their lives.
- Mick an active retiree who fell from a DIY structure he had set up in order to trim a hedge. Watch Mick’s story below.
- John’s father, Nick, fell from a ladder while investigating a leaking roof five years ago and has not fully recovered from his injuries. Watch John’s story here
- Paul was sanding the exterior of his house when he overreached and fell more than two metres from a ladder. Watch Paul’s story below
- Dr Owen Roodenburg, Deputy Director of the Intensive Care Unit at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital, witnesses first-hand the impacts of ladder-related falls. Watch Dr Roodenburg explain the serious impacts of a ladder fall below.
Learn more about buying a ladder and safe use here.
Source: NSW Fair Trading
