It’s autumn—the time of year when wet leaves are filling gutters and homeowners with standard k-style gutters have to make sure their gutters are unclogged or face the consequences. It’s also the time of year when homeowners are checking to see if they need their gutters replaced.
If you’re even remotely thinking of climbing a ladder to scrutinize or clean out your gutters, here are some national statistics that might make you think again.
A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) at Columbus Children’s Hospital, reports that more than 2.1 million individuals were treated in U.S. emergency departments for ladder-related injuries from 1990 through 2005.
That is more than 136,000 cases annually. This is the first U.S. study to use national data to comprehensively examine nonfatal ladder-related injuries.
During the 16-year study period, the number of ladder-related injuries increased by more than 50 percent.
Nearly 10 percent of injuries resulted in hospitalization or transfer to another hospital, approximately twice the admission rate of consumer product-related injuries overall. Of the cases for which location of injury was recorded, 97 percent occurred in non-occupational settings such as homes.
Data showed ladder-related injuries most often occur to males, who accounted for nearly 77 percent of the total cases (81 percent according to 2009 reports). And statistics gathered from other sources ibndicate more than 350 people die in ladder-related accidents each year.
Fractures were the most common type of injury, while the legs and feet were the most frequently injured body parts.
Average age of men injured was 42 but the statistics lean towards a higher figure among those 62 and older.
Still thinking about getting up on a ladder to check or clean out all of your gutters? Do yourself a favor. Call the professionals and have them check your gutters for problems—or you may face a more serious problem yourself.
Tags: clogged gutters, gutter cleaning