The Home Safety Council and Werner Ladder Find Ladder Use "Climbs" During the Holiday Season

A national survey from the Home safety Council and Werner Ladder shows that 4 out of 5 U.S. households plan to use ladders around their homes to prepare for the holiday season.

The survey was conducted by Westco for the Home Safety Council and Werner Ladder and polled adults throughout the nation to better understand their ladder safety practices.

Findings revealed that of those who plan to decorate for the holidays, 70 percent admitted they don’t follow good safety procedures when decorating and 82 percent reported climbing on chairs, counters, shelves or other pieces of furniture when decorating for the holidays.

Key Findings: Misuse of Ladders Causes Injuries

The survey asked 1,000 adults about how and when they use ladders at home and found that many are not following proper safety practices. Of those surveyed:

• 52 percent work on uneven ground when decorating outside;
• 47 percent reach further than they should when decorating around windows;
• 38 percent decorate outside after dark;
• 36 percent stand on the top two steps;
• 36 percent string lights while they are plugged in and using an aluminum ladder, which conducts electricity; and
• 22 percent or more than one in five adults surveyed drink alcohol when using ladders to decorate for the holidays.