How One Injury Can Cost Substantially More Than a Practical Safety Plan
- Michele Oras
- Sep 25
- 2 min read
Every year, employers weigh the costs of safety improvements against their budgets. But failing to act can carry a much higher price tag—especially when it comes to ladder safety.
The True Cost of Workplace Injuries
In 2023, the average cost per medically consulted work injury was $43,000. That includes lost wages, medical bills, administrative overhead, and other employer-incurred costs. And that’s just one injury.
Now consider this: American workplaces lost 70 million days due to injuries in 2023. That’s 70 million days of missed deadlines, operational slowdowns, and overburdened teams. This estimate doesn’t even account for time lost on the day of the incident or ongoing medical appointments.
These numbers are staggering—and they’re preventable.
Why Fixed Ladders Create Hidden OSHA Compliance Risks
While workplace injuries can happen in countless ways, some of the most preventable—and most overlooked—occur around fixed ladder access points. Ladders are found in nearly every facility, yet they remain a leading source of fall injuries and OSHA citations. Unfortunately, many facilities still choose the cheapest option: a fixed ladder with no gate or a basic gate added as an afterthought.
The problem with these setups is that they rely on human behavior—closing the gate, locking it, checking it every time. In reality, gates are often left open or unlocked, creating serious fall hazards and security risks. These aren’t isolated incidents, either. They’re recurring vulnerabilities that show up in industrial sites, schools, quick-service restaurants, and more.
That’s why ladders make the perfect case study: a single, relatively low-cost safety upgrade can prevent a disproportionately high financial loss.
ROI of Investing in Ladder Safety Solutions
Investing in a smart, engineered access solution not only mitigates these risks but avoids the cascading costs of a single incident. Compare $43,000 for one injury to the cost of installing a robust safety platform or secure ladder access point. The numbers speak for themselves.
Ladderport systems are designed to reduce dependence on human behavior, providing passive safety that just works—every time.
Safety Is Not a Luxury
A practical safety plan isn't an expense—it's protection against liability, downtime, OSHA penalties, and worst of all, worker injury. When you're planning budgets, don't ask what a safety solution costs. Ask what one injury could cost you.
Ready to protect your people and your bottom line? Contact Ladderport today to learn how we can help you build a safer, smarter access strategy.
