Clark, Perdue & List's Blog

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 180,000 emergency room visits and 150 deaths are reported each year as a result of falls from household ladders and stepladders. While many such falls are a result of human error, a significant number can be attributed to defective ladders.

Ladders can fail during normal use for three reasons: (1) defective design, (2) defective construction, and (3) defective materials.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) publishes voluntary weight limits for household ladders, but there are no mandatory rules for consumer ladders. Many experts believe that ANSI standards should be tougher and should be mandatory.

According to the Consumers Union (www.ConsumerReports.org/ladders), there are five rules everyone should follow when using a household ladder:

1. Read and follow all instructions.
2. Angle straight ladders 75 degrees from the ground (1 foot out for every 4 feet up).
3. Always face a ladder when climbing and descending it, and do not go beyond the labeled highest step recommended.
4. Be certain that a stepladder's spreaders are fully open and locked.
5. Extend straight ladders 3 feet beyond the roof or work area for proper stability.

For more information about consumer ladder safety, visit the website of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/ladder.html. For additional information about using ladders safely to prevent injuries, read the United States Department of Energy Bulletin EH-93-5 at www.eh.doe.gov/docs/bull0096,html.

If you are injured as a result of a ladder failure during normal use, you may have a legal claim against the manufacturer or distributor of the ladder. At Clark, Perdue, Arnold & Scott, we would be pleased to advise you of your legal rights following a ladder injury.