Prevention

Ladder Safety

Ladder Safety

In December 2020 the Trauma and Acute Care surgery Unit reached out to patients and families visiting Liverpool Hospital with a display to encourage awareness around the risks associated with ladder use and to encourage safe use of ladders during the festive season. Part of the display included a poster and an information brochure which have been attached below. 

We hope to expand this community engagement program with future iterations linking in with local Bunnings Stores.

In 2014 in NSW, approximately 1700 people were hospitalised each year after falling from a ladder. The majority of these were because of a fall at home. These statistics also showed that approximately 10 people died each year as a result of a fall from a ladder in NSW.

In the last 8 months, Liverpool Hospital has looked after 51 patients admitted after a fall from a ladder. This number had increased compared to 2019. Almost half of the patients who fell from a ladder at home were over 64 years of age.

WorkSafe has ladder safety initiatives for preventing injuries at work, but we need to keep you safe at home as well!

Be safe at all times!

PREVENTION

P.A.R.T.Y Program

Dr Valerie Malka is the Director of the Trauma and Acute Care Surgical Unit at Liverpool Hospital. She was the previous Director of Trauma Services at Westmead Hospital for over a decade. She is an EMST Director and DSTC Instructor with a great passion for trauma and acute care surgery. With special interests in education and quality assurance she has worked extensively in patient safety and the maintenance of ethics in healthcare. Valerie has worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Rescue Committee and holds a Diploma in International Humanitarian Assistance from Geneva University and a Master’s Degree in International Public Health with a major in Humanitarian Law. She also holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and works freelance writing medical, health and wellbeing articles.