Portable Ladder Safety: Minnesota Workers’ Compensation

Falls from ladders are a leading cause of occupational injury and death. If you sustain injuries as a result of a fall from a ladder at work, in Minnesota, you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, including medical benefits, wage loss benefits, permanent partial disability benefits, and rehabilitation benefits.

About 100 people die as a result of falling from a ladder each year, and ladder falls account for approximately 100 thousand injuries every year. Ladder falls most commonly involve injuries to the elbow and forearm, knee and lower leg, and the head. Fractures as a result of ladder falls most commonly involved fractures to the forearm, lower leg and ankle, and ribs, sternum and thoracic spine.

There are things you can do to avoid falls from ladders, including:

• Avoiding electrical hazards by looking for overhead lines before placing a ladder and avoiding metal ladders and equipment. Inspecting the ladder before use. 
• Don’t use damaged ladders. 
• Don’t use the top step or rung of a ladder unless it was designed for that purpose. 
• Don’t use self-supporting ladders as a single ladder or in a closed position, i.e., don’t lean a closed step ladder up against the side of a house. 
• Use a ladder on stable and level surfaces, or secure it at the top or bottom to avoid movement.
• Don’t place a ladder on top of boxes, barrels, or other unstable objects to obtain additional height. 
• Don’t move or shift a ladder while a person or equipment is on the ladder. 
• Be sure that all locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged. 

For more safety tips, check out OSHA’s Portable Ladder Safety Quick Card. If you’ve sustained injuries as a result of a ladder fall at work, contact Meuser & Associate for a FREE, NO-OBLIGATION case evaluation to learn about your Minnesota workers’ compensation rights.

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