The American Ladder Institute (ALI) has released findings from its 2024 Ladder Safety Training and Citations Survey. Results reveal preferred methods of ladder safety education, types of ladder-related accidents and injuries, frequency and types of ladder citations, and how rates compare to surveys from 2016, 2018, and 2020.
Survey participants were asked what type of ladder-related accidents or incidents have occurred at their organization over the last two years. The most common cause of these incidents was the ladder being set up incorrectly, followed by using the wrong ladder for the job (issues include being too long, too short, wrong material, wrong application).
From 2020 to 2024, there was a 21 percent decrease in ladder-related accidents that resulted in serious injury or loss of life. The survey found that nearly all organizations (98 percent) use a form of ladder safety training. The year-over-year comparison shows an increase in the number of organizations paying for safety training (35 percent up from 28 percent in 2020). Similar to 2016, 2018, and 2020, last year, more than 75 percent of the organizations mandated training and have done so for many years.
The ALI provides free-of-charge ladder safety training at its dedicated training website, www.laddersafetytraining.org. The site offers an organized curriculum, training videos, and resource libraries, all completely free. Training courses are designed to complement and integrate with an organization’s existing training program, or managers can choose to use the entire program.
After signing up, trainers and training managers develop a custom dashboard, called a Trainer’s Toolbox, where they select training and testing, assign them to trainees, and monitor trainee performance and progress on the assignments. Topics covered include single and extension, articulated, mobile, and stepladders. Training is available in English or Spanish.
Taking training on laddersafetytraining.org does not require an invitation from a trainer. Anyone who wishes to enhance their awareness of ladder safety can sign up, take training, and be tested.
To raise further awareness about ladder safety, ALI has designated every March as National Ladder Safety Month and unveils an intensive, four-week educational outreach program each year at that time. More information can be found at https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/.
