FACE Facts: Two Older Workers Die When They Fall from Ladders

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  California. Department of Public Health
• Description:
  Older workers (65+) have a greater risk of serious injury and death from falls. There are more older workers continuing to work, and they may have medical conditions or balance problems that increase the risk of falls. Marco* (* Not the victims' real name), a 68-year-old school custodian, fell when he tried to reach a window that was too high for his step ladder. Jerry* (* Not the victims' real name), a 72-year-old grocery worker, died when he fell from a straight ladder that was wet with rain. Both were working alone washing windows or restocking shelves when they fell to the ground below. WHAT WENT WRONG? Marco and Jerry may not have known: How to use a ladder safely; That workers 65 years and older are at greater risk of injury and death due to falls. Marco and Jerry may have lost their balance or slipped, causing them to fall. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? Employers should make sure workers are trained in the safe use of ladders. Older workers should be evaluated by a healthcare provider for fall risk. Those with moderate-to-high fall risk should not work on ladders, steps, and uneven surfaces. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Age Factors Aging Mortality Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Age Factors Fatalities Injuries Injury Prevention Ladders Safety Practices Slips, Trips, And Falls STF
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Publisher:
  California Department of Public Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Fact Sheet
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060149
• Citation:
  Richmond, CA: California Department of Public Health, 2020 Jun; :1-2
• Contact Point Address:
  California Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Branch (OHB), FACE Program, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, P-3, Richmond, CA 94804
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  Public Health Institute
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  FACE facts: two older workers die when they fall from ladders
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1a21301cfb30c5d3ad2a3c70c1efb190eb5d7f29a65bc6e1faa4b4e9d26f3881a8c8b7426b9751af7b7816d2a70c02641fb81992a35772bbbb76a416723782fa
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/229019/cdc_229019_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 388.19 KB ]