Falls are the most common, and most preventable, of workplace accidents. I think it is in 2035(?) that all fixed(?) ladders over a certain height must have fall protection systems rather than cages.
I did a job once where the place had to replace all of their ladders (to one with cages) because a young guy fell and was hurt.
I guess OSHA didn’t take into account that the guy was trying to carry a broom and shovel in one hand and a bucket in the other as he climbed the ladder.
But now in 2035 even cages won’t be enough.
And then we wonder why so many industrial plants move overseas.
Those fall prevention devices suck. They make you more likely to have an accident. See my previous post in this thread.
When I was young and dumb I worked at a warehouse where I and another guy were elevated about 20 feet off a concrete floor by a forklift while standing on a pallet in order to wrestle 2 200lb containers off the racks.
The supervisor below us was in crutches with stainless steel pins sticking out of the tibia and fibula on his left leg from doing the same thing a couple of weeks before.