Illinois Department of Labor Urges People to Learn the Basics of Ladder Safety
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor’s Illinois OSHA division joins safety officials across the country in promoting March as National Ladder Safety Month.
Ladder safety is important both on the job site and at home as each year approximately 500,000 people are injured and 300 people die in ladder-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“From the smallest step ladder to the tallest extension ladder, it is important to follow safety precautions to avoid being injured or worse,” said Director Michael Kleinik of the Illinois Department of Labor.
The goal of the fifth annual Ladder Safety Month, which is sponsored by the American Ladder Institute, is to decrease the number of injuries and deaths caused by the misuse of ladders. With that goal in mind, the American Ladder Institute is offering a variety of training opportunities to help increase safety awareness and the proper choice and use of ladders.
Each week of March will feature a different emphasis on ladder training.
• Week one: Choosing Your Ladder
• Week two: Safety Before the First Step (Inspection and Set Up)
• Week three: Safety While Climbing
• Week four: Safety at the Top
• Week five: Ladder Safety Misconceptions
Free weekly Webinars on each topic will be provided beginning March 2 by industry safety experts. You can register here: https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/Participate/Scheduled-Events
Additional training is also available through the American Ladder Institute as well as the ability to earn a safety certificate after completing the training and a ladder safety test. You can access the free training here: https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/
For more information on IDOL’s Illinois OSHA division, please visit our website: https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/Laws-Rules/safety/Pages/default.aspx
