Ladder Safety Tips 2021
Ladders are crucial and essential tools that are used widely in a variety of industrial sectors. They help us move up and down and work at various heights. However, they are often misused or abused, resulting in serious injuries and deaths. These deaths and injuries could have been substantially reduced or eliminated with proper care and use.
The most common causes of ladder accidents
Overreaching on ladders
Failure to secure ladders
Climbing one-handed
Standing on the top rung or platform
Using worn or damaged ladders
Leaving tools on ladders
Inspect your Ladder
• Check to be sure feet are not broken or failing and that the slip-resistant pads are secure.
• Check to see if there are any cracks, bends & splits into the side rails, rungs & steps.
• Make sure both rung locks are working properly.
• Guarantee that all bolts and rivets are secure.
• Be sure that the ladder is free of foreign substances such as oil & grease.
• Aluminum or steel ladders should be inspected for rough burrs and sharp edges.
Remove ladder from service if the inspection finds broken or missing steps, rungs or cleats; broken or damaged side rails and/or any other faulty equipment such as missing feet, damaged connections, broken rivets.
Safe Ladder Use
While climbing a ladder, you need to have both hands free and face the ladder. This constantly allows for three points of contact with the ladder and reduces the chances of falling. The three-point contact is two hands and one foot or one hand and two feet.
Three steps to safely set-up your extension ladder
1. Lay the ladder on the ground
2. Lift end away from the wall over your head and walk to the wall
3. Pull base out with four foot to one-foot rule
SEE: How to Setup a Portable Ladder | Safety, Hazards, Training, Oregon OSHA
Lean straight ladders at a base angle of 1/4 the working length of the ladder from the top support
Appropriate Ladder Placement
Improper placement of ladders causes injuries
· Place ladder on solid, dry, flat surface
· Level with ladder legs or stable platform
· Use slip resistant shoes on the ladder
· If accessing a roof, ladder must extend at least four rungs above the surface
· Secure your ladder by using a ladder safety device
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Workers who use ladders in construction risk permanent injury or death from falls. These hazards can be eliminated or substantially reduced by following good safety practices.
The following are Safe Ladder recommendations in accordance with OSHA standards.
• Keep a 3-point contact (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) when climbing/ descending a ladder.
• Face the ladder when climbing up or descending.
• Keep the body inside the side rails.
• Use extra care when getting on or off the ladder at the top or bottom.
• Avoid tipping the ladder over sideways or causing the ladder base to slide out.
• Carry tools in a tool belt or raise tools up using a hand line. Never carry tools in your hands while climbing up/down a ladder.
DO NOT
1. Place a ladder on boxes, barrels, or unstable bases.
2. Use a ladder on soft ground or unstable footing.
3. Exceed the ladder’s maximum load rating.
4. Tie two ladders together to make them longer.
5. Ignore nearby overhead power lines.
6. Move or shift a ladder with a person or equipment on the ladder.
7. Lean out beyond the ladder’s side rails.
8. Use an extension ladder horizontally like a platform.
PLAN to Get the Job Done Safely
OSHA recommends planning before start working.
These recommendations include:
1. Use a ladder that can sustain at least four times the maximum intended load, except that each extra-heavy-duty type 1A metal or plastic ladder shall sustain at least 3.3 times the maximum intended load.
2. A competent person must visually inspect all extension ladders before use for any defects such as: missing rungs, bolts, cleats, screws and loose components. Where a ladder has these or other defects, it must be immediately marked as defective or tagged with “Do Not Use” or similar language.
3. Allow sufficient room to step off the ladder safely. Keep the area around the bottom and the top of the ladder clear of equipment, materials and tools. If access is obstructed, secure the top of the ladder to a rigid support that will not deflect, and add a grasping device to allow workers safe access.
4. Set the ladder at the proper angle. When a ladder is leaned against a wall, the bottom of the ladder should be one-quarter of the ladder’s working length away from the wall. For access to an elevated work surface, extend the top of the ladder three feet above that surface or secure the ladder at its top.
5. Before starting work, survey the area for potential hazards, such as energized overhead power lines.