Ladders are common household tools. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 500,000 people are treated per year from ladder-related injuries.

You can read about how to use a ladder safely here. In summary:

• Don’t use a damaged ladder; inspect it before use
• Watch out for overhead power lines
• Maintain a 3-point contact (two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand) at all times
• Stay near the middle of the ladder
• Do not use the top step as a step
• Do not use a stepladder horizontally like a platform

References

• 500,000 falls from ladders annually; 97 percent occur at home or on farms
• Reducing Falls in Construction: Safe Use of Stepladders
• Reducing Falls in Construction: Safe Use of Extension Ladders