People on here seem to be falling into either one camp or the other. I'm going to make a bold statement:
"Ladders are not a safety risk, it's the people who use them that are the risk"
If used correctly ladders are as safe as any other tool.
I would agree with that statement up to a point, comparing it to crossing the road is silly though, the analogy simply is not the same.
The ladder is inherently dangerous, sometimes no matter how careful you are, a moments inattention can result in a serious accident. Of course it can be used safely, and most of the time, just as you say, it is the user that is the problem.
Working off a ladder means working at height, if the ladder is wet, even the best shoes can slip off a rung, and we must all have had the odd heart stopping moment, even if nothing untoward happened. But it is when that little slip of the foot that you catch before it goes to far, does indeed GO to far, then it's SPLATT!! time.
Perhaps I am being a bit pedantic here, I think lionheart is basically correct, but climbing and working off ladders IS high risk, and none of us are perfect, climbing ladders day after day, week after week and year after year, you WILL get those heart stopping moments, and for some the heart stops permanantly.
Mind how you go,
Ian