Business Brief: Little Giant
Little Giant's "Why" — Preventing injuries and saving lives.
by Dave Francis
Hal Wing and his wife, Brigitte, the founders of Little Giant Ladder Systems, started the company by assembling their unique articulating ladders in their carport and working on smaller components at the kitchen table. For several years, Hal traveled at least half the year; going from home and garden shows to state fairs selling his unique Little Giant ladder.
The demonstration Hal developed in those early years is still the core of Little Giant’s value proposition today. In 2004, Hal starred in the first of several Little Giant Ladder Systems infomercials, which were a stunning success, catapulting the brand to worldwide fame and fueling 700 percent growth in just two years. Little Giant has continued to grow and expand, now selling in nearly 50 markets across the world, all from a humble beginning in the family’s carport.
Since Hal’s passing in 2012, his sons Art and Doug have built on his legacy — refocusing the company on its core values — preventing injuries and saving lives through training and product innovation. By working closely with safety professionals across several industries, Little Giant became aware that companies are now re-evaluating the risks and benefits of ordinary or traditional ladders.
Many companies now require an operator to be tied off to a suitable anchor point when working on a ladder above six feet. Others have gone as far as to ban the use of ordinary ladders. In fact, one major construction company has pioneered a “Ladders Last” program that requires operators to obtain written permission from an on site safety supervisor before they can use a ladder on the job.
Little Giant Ladder Systems is on the front line of a movement to change the way the world uses ladders. As national safety director, my sole purpose is to educate and train safety professionals and operators on how to prevent accidents and injuries. As part of our mission to prevent injuries and save lives, we provide my travel and training services free of charge to qualified industrial companies, organizations or distribution partners.
Training is so important, but training alone is not going stop all preventable accidents, which should always be our goal. We need to combine increased training with innovation and improved design. You need to understand how these injuries occur in order to design around how people are injured.
You can categorize most ladder accidents under three major causes: repeatedly handling heavy traditional ladders, using the wrong ladder for the job and over-reaching.
The most common cause of accidents is repeated lifting, carrying and handling of heavy traditional ladders. Nearly half of all ladder-related injuries are strains and sprains caused by heavy ladders. Little Giant’s Lunar fiberglass industrial-grade extension ladder is up to 25 percent lighter than ordinary extension ladders. Six months after it switched from a traditional extension ladder to the Lunar, one major satellite TV company reported a 30 percent decrease in handling injuries — a huge savings in injury expense.
The second cause, which usually results in more severe fall-related injuries, is using a ladder incorrectly or using the wrong size or type of ladder for the job. This kind of accident often happens when an operator sacrifices safety for speed by standing on the top rung or top cap of a stepladder.
The Little Giant Select Step Fiberglass, allows operators to adapt their stepladder to different heights and surfaces, even stairs. The Select Step 6-10 replaces the three most commonly used stepladders (6, 8 and 10 feet) in one easy-to-use, lightweight package. And, by removing the unusable top rung, we can provide a large, stable standing surface and prevent the user from standing on the top cap.
Finally, the worst accidents are caused by over-reaching on extension ladders. Unfortunately, it is human nature to over-reach, but these accidents are the most costly and the most catastrophic.
The unique Little Giant SumoStance is more than twice as wide at the base as any traditional extension ladder, which results in a 600 percent increase in side-tip stability. And each outrigger levels up to nine inches, providing a level, stable foundation on nearly any surface.
These products are just a few of the safety innovations Little Giant Ladder Systems has created to help industry professionals get their work done and get home safely to their families. With better training and better innovation, we can make a difference.
For more information, we invite you to visit our website at www.LittleGiantSafety.com, or send me an e-mail at safety@ladders.com.
Dave Francis is national safety director for Little Giant Ladder Systems and Little Giant Safety. He can be reached by e-mail at safety@ladders.com.
CONTRACTOR SUPPLY MAGAZINE
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