Occupational ladder fall injuries - United States, 2011

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Injury Epidemiology
• Public Health Surveillance

Background:

• Falls are a primary cause of unintentional injury mortality in the U.S.
• Ladders are implicated in approximately 20% of all worker fall injuries.
• Construction workers experience a disproportionately high rate of ladder-related fall injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively assess the scope of fatal and nonfatal injuries resulting from ladder falls among U.S. workers.
• To analyze data from multiple national surveillance systems to characterize ladder fall injuries.
• To inform public health strategies and interventions for preventing workplace falls.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
• Utilization of the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) for nonfatal injury data.
• Inclusion of the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-occupational supplement (NEISS-Work) for emergency department-treated injuries.

Main Results:

• In 2011, 113 work-related ladder fall fatalities occurred (0.09 per 100,000 FTE workers).
• An estimated 15,460 nonfatal injuries involving at least one day away from work were reported by employers.
• An estimated 34,000 nonfatal injuries treated in emergency departments were associated with ladder falls.

Conclusions:

• Work-related ladder fall injuries (LFIs) impose a significant public health burden.
• Rates of ED-treated LFIs were substantially higher than employer-reported injuries, indicating undercounting in employer reports.
• NIOSH and partner organizations are actively promoting fall prevention campaigns and developing new safety technologies.