Three serious falls prompt ladder safety warning

A safety alert issued by SafeWork SA highlights the dangers involved with working at height on ladders.

The safety regulator reminds the construction industry to identify whether a ladder offers the highest level of protection.

The alert follows three serious incidents involving falls from ladders over the past six weeks.

On 19 January 2022, SafeWork SA was notified that a worker was fatally injured after falling from a ladder. The worker was installing ceiling joists in a warehouse when the incident happened.

Two other workers have suffered serious injuries after falling from height.

SafeWork SA Acting Executive Director Glenn Farrell reminds duty holders that work platforms or scaffolding provide a much safer way when working at heights.

"Deaths and serious life-changing injuries through falling from ladders can occur from surprisingly low heights".

"This is highlighted by the fact that in 2021, 61% of serious injuries associated with a fall below 2 metres were from a ladder. Most of these incidents involve a ladder being used incorrectly or inappropriately."

SafeWork SA reminds employers to consider control measures to manage the risk of falls from heights when using ladders.

Additional information on the above safety alert is available on the SafeWork SA website.