Okay, not quite the stairway to heaven, but this long ladder could give the user a good head start. (All pics are expandable.) This picture from a University of Memphis law student makes me shudder.
Ladders are one of the most dangerous consumer products. A study published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health estimated that 2.2 million people received treatment in emergency rooms for ladder injuries during the 16-year-period from 1990-2005, an average of 136,000 cases a year.
Nearly 10% of injuries resulted in hospitalization, roughly twice that of consumer product-related injuries overall.
Other ladder injury data from the study included:
- Men predominated over women in the percentage of injuries (76.5%).
- Fractures were the most common type of injury (31.5%).
- The number of ladder-related injuries increased by more than 50% from 1990 to 2005.
- Of the cases for which locale of injury was recorded, 97.3% occurred in non-occupational settings, such as homes and farms.
Don’t underestimate the risks of ladders. Did you know that extension ladders need to be set up at a 75 and 1/2 degree angle (the “4 to 1 rule”) to minimize the risk of slipping?