A) Office parties
B) Busy shopping malls
C) Hanging out with family and friends
D) Going to the emergency ward

Which one of these things is not like the other? This holiday season, many of us do things we don’t often do, and this can sometimes spell disaster. This may include hauling out the old ladder and ascending rooftops and trees to string holiday lights that make everything look more festive. Unfortunately, such a joy giving action results in British Columbians injuring themselves every year.

In fact, injuries due to falls start to rise during the autumn months with people cleaning out their gutters and continue through winter when bright lights are attached to those clean gutters and elsewhere.

Here are some facts:

• Almost 700 British Columbians are hospitalized and about seven die each year due to falls from ladders.
• Serious injuries due to falls from ladders are most prevalent among British Columbians aged 45 to 60 years<

BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, 2009

Stats like these prompt us to raise awareness about proper ladder usage during this time every year. If you live in or are visiting Vancouver, you might see the billboard below (complete with LED lights thanks to our partnership with our friends at BC Hydro). Our aim is to get people to stop for a minute during this busy time of year and think about how to use their ladders correctly to prevent hurting themselves or others.
Here are some ways you can avoid visiting the emergency ward this holiday season:

• Make sure your CSA-approved ladder is free from damage to rungs and side rails and is long enough (at least one metre extending over the roofline or working surface) for the task you are doing
• Stepladders should only be used fully opened and never folded up, leaning against a surface
• Ensure proper positioning of the ladder as necessary to avoid over-reaching
• Ensure the base rests on firm and level ground. Large flat, wooden boards can level a ladder that is on uneven or soft ground
• Ensure that all locks on the ladder are properly engaged
• Secure the ladder to the roof for increased safety
• Do not exceed the ladder’s maximum load rating
• Get a ‘spotter’ to hold the ladder for you
• Use caution on ladders. Wear footwear with a heavy tread or slip-resistant shoes with rubber soles
• Whether you are climbing up or down, always face the ladder
• Use a three-point contact climbing method (two hands and one foot or one hand and two feet)

Canada Safety Council, 2005; Smartrisk, 2008; WorkSafeBC, 2009

Does all this talk of ladders and injuries sound familiar to you? Well, I’ve been out looking for stories about British Columbians who’ve suffered serious falls and will be posting them here and on our Twitter and Facebook pages this month.

So why not share your stories about falls by posting them in our comments section below? By doing so, you could help your fellow British Columbians learn from your actions, helping them spend more time with family and friends this holiday season at home, not the emergency ward.