Ensure your season stays merry and bright with these ladder safety tips

When you go up a ladder, you want to make sure you come back down on your own terms.

It doesn’t always happen that way. Each year in the United States, more than 100 people die and thousands more are injured from ladder-related falls, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“There are some pretty high-up spots that we need to get to while decorating the hospital, so safety is always top of mind for our team,” says Mark Heinrich, grounds & landscaper project coordinator at Aspirus.

“It’s a pleasure to be able to bring some light and festivity to people who may be going through tough times.” Mark and his team have put up holiday lights for the past 6 years. “Whether it be the flowers in the spring or lights in the winter, it brings people joy.”

December 1 was National Christmas Lights Day. Before climbing the rungs to hang those lights on the house, check out these tips from the U.S. Product Safety Commission, American Ladder Institute and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons to help you stay safe--before, during and after using a ladder.

Before

• Put on slip-resistant shoes. (Rubber soles are good.)

• Choose a ladder that fits the jobin length and maximum weight load.

• Working with electricity? Don’t use a metal ladder.

• Inspect the ladder for faulty screws, hinges, or rungs.

• Wipe it down to remove any mud or moisture.

• Set the ladder on a flat, firm surface.

• Snap locks or braces into place.

During

• Face the ladder when you go up or down.

• Hold onto--and stay centered between--the side rails as you climb.

• Don’t overreach or lean too far to one side. A good rule: If your belly button passes over the rail, you’re leaning too far.

• Be very careful when pushing or moving objects around as you stand on the ladder.

• Using a stepladder? The highest level for safe standing is the second rung from the top.

• On an extension ladder, don’t go higher than the fourth rung from the top.

After

• Don’t walk away and leave a raised ladder unattended.