The Hidden Risk of Ladders and Why So Many People Get Hurt

Ladder safety is one of the most underestimated risks in both homes and workplaces. Most people treat ladders like any other simple tool. You grab it, set it up, climb it and move on with your day. Because ladders feel normal and routine, the danger hides in plain sight.

Why We Underestimate Ladder Safety

One of the biggest issues is familiarity. When you use something often and nothing goes wrong, you shift into autopilot. You stop checking for cracks or worn feet, you stop thinking about angle or setup, and you assume everything will be fine because it usually has been.

This is the exact mindset that leads to so many ladder injuries. According to WorkSafeBC, falls from ladders are consistently one of the most common injury sources. And it’s not just workplaces. Home maintenance, summer yard work and Christmas decorating send people to the hospital every year.

A Real Story: Why Even Short Falls Cause Serious Injuries

Before I was deep in the safety world, I owned a retail business that sold motorcycles and safety gear. One day I overheard one of my sales associates talking to a customer about helmet quality. The customer asked him, “Why would I buy that $150 helmet instead of the $90 one?”

We had purposely priced the $150 helmet aggressively because it offered excellent protection without being expensive. It was easily the best value in the store.

The sales associate said something that stuck with me. He looked at the customer and said, “Stand here on the concrete floor. I’ll grab your pant legs at the ankles and pull as hard as I can toward me. You hold your hands straight out. You’re going to hit the ground head first. How much damage do you think that will do?”

It immediately reframed the conversation. The customer wasn’t thinking about impact, force or the speed of a fall. He was thinking about price. But falls happen fast. Most people don’t get their hands out in time, and even when they do, they still break arms, wrists or shoulders.

And that’s from standing height.

If a fall from standing height can do that much damage, imagine falling from even one step on a ladder. Go up three or four rungs and the force increases dramatically. You don’t need to be on a roof for something serious to happen.

This was long before my dad’s injury, but the message was the same: falling from any height, even a short one, can cause real injuries.

My Dad’s Fall and the Wake-Up Call

A few years later my dad fell off a ladder while putting up Christmas lights. He wasn’t high up. It wasn’t a complex job. But he landed badly, broke his arm and eventually needed a full shoulder replacement. He was in his mid to late seventies at the time, so recovery was slow even though he’s in great shape.

His surgeon told him bluntly that if it weren’t for ladder falls, he’d be doing far fewer operations and might even be out of work. That says everything about how common and how serious these injuries are.

Why This Matters at Work Too

Workers bring the same casual mindset to job sites.
• They assume the ladder is fine.
• They assume they’ll “be quick.”
• They assume they can reach just a little farther.
• They assume a short climb is harmless.

Supervisors often assume everyone knows how to use a ladder safely. The problem is that most people were never actually taught. They learned from whoever showed them first, and sometimes that person learned from nobody.

It only takes one slip, one bad angle or one worn-out ladder foot to turn a routine task into a serious injury.

What’s Coming in Part 2

This post lays the groundwork. In Part 2, I’ll break down the practical steps you can take to prevent ladder injuries at home and at work. I’ll cover ladder types, how to choose the right one, how to inspect them, how to set them up and when a ladder isn’t the right tool at all.

You can read it here once it goes live:
Ladder Safety Part 2: How to Choose, Inspect and Use a Ladder Safely

Call to Action

If you want to know whether your ladder procedures or overall safety program meet today’s standards, I offer a free, no-pressure health and safety program review. You can request it through the contact page on the GreenSpine Safety Solutions website.