Around 500 ladder accidents in Bavarian agriculture in 2019: According to the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG), that is too many. With the pilot project “Away from the ladder”, the insurer wants to get farmers in the Allgäu off the ladder – and promote safe alternatives. Support comes from politics, but a lot of persuasion will be necessary, especially with older farmers.
On average, ten ladder accidents were reported to the insurance company every week, after which the accident victims were unable to work for at least three days, said Alois Schilling from the prevention department at SVLFG at the start of the pilot project in Kempten. The consequences ranged from fractures of the ankle to comminuted fractures to head and neck injuries. “That means lifelong problems, maybe also an accident pension for those affected,” emphasized Schilling. Four people died in Bavaria in 2019 in accidents with a ladder in agriculture, people over 70 were particularly at risk.
In order to avoid this, the SVLFG wants to make farmers in the Oberallgäu as a model region aware of the dangers of using ladders in the coming weeks – with letters, visits and training. “Then we will evaluate: Will anything develop in the event of an accident?” Says Schilling. The Kempten MEP Ulrike Müller (FW) supports the project, which has been running since mid-June, as patron: “I hope we can avoid many accidents with it, not just costs for the health insurance companies.” But even for the SVLFG, ladder accidents in agriculture are a question of costs: on average, each case over the last five years has cost around 10,000 euros, the most expensive accident in this period had follow-up costs of around 2.2 million euros. “Ladder accidents are our most expensive accidents,” says Schilling.
Ladder accidents could easily be avoided – for example, by moving stairs. “Ladders are there and you take them because you’ve always done it that way,” says Werner Graßl, SVLFG safety advisor in Oberallgäu and the Lindau district. Tools such as pole pruners or devices such as telescopic handlers are the safer option. Many farmers have to be convinced of this, says Schilling. “We will get a lot of resistance there. Often there is no risk awareness.” But once farmers had decided on an alternative such as stairs, many would be convinced of the added value, says safety advisor Graßl.