Falls from ladders are a significant cause of serious injury and have been increasing in number across Australia.1-4 While occupational injuries involving ladders are being dealt with through WorkSafe initiatives, safer use of ladders in non-occupational settings is difficult to enforce because of the variety of behavioural factors that contribute to this type of injury.4,5
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- 1. Bedi HS, Goldbloom D. A review of nonoccupational ladder-related injuries in Victoria: as easy as falling off a ladder. J Trauma Injury Infect Crit Care 2008; 64: 1608-1612.
- 2. Bradley C. Ladder-related fall injuries (AIHW Cat. no. INJCAT 105). Canberra: AIHW, 2007. http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=6442458805 (accessed Mar 2016).
- 3. Cassell E, Clapperton A. Consumer product-related injury: injury related to the use of ladders. Hazard 2006; Winter (63): 1-15. http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/research-areas/home-sport-and-leisure-safety/visu/hazard/haz63.pdf (accessed Apr 2015).
- 4. Oxley J, Ozanne-Smith J, O’Hern S, Kitching F. Report on the reduction of major trauma and injury from ladder falls. Melbourne: Monash University Injury Research Institute, 2014. https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/Api/downloadmedia/%7BAFDFD27A-0DD5-4688-8FF8-F672F9749B4E%7D (accessed Apr 2015).
- 5. Ashby K, Ozanne-Smith J, Fox B. Investigating the over-representation of older persons in do-it-yourself home maintenance injury and barriers to prevention. Inj Prev 2007; 13: 328-333.
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We thank Elvis Maio, Institute of Trauma and Injury Management Data Officer, for extracting data from the New South Wales Trauma Registry and the Admitted Patients Data Collection.
No relevant disclosures.