Climb on to Ladder Safety

Fall protection and prevention are ongoing major concerns of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Year after year, falls from ladders rank as one of the leading single causes of occupational fatalities and injuries.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 81 percent of fall injuries, which are the leading source of fatalities among construction workers, involve the use of ladders. Regardless of the type of ladder used, you risk a fall if the ladder is not safely positioned. It needs to be set on stable, level ground to keep it from slipping or moving. You can lose your balance by simply getting on or off an unsteady ladder.

Safety Checklist

Here are key safety tips to keep in mind when using a ladder: q Position the ladder so its side rails extend at least 3 feet above the landing. When a 3-foot extension is not possible, secure the side rails at the top to a rigid support and use a grab device. q Make sure the weight on the ladder can’t cause it to slip off its support. Also, never put more weight on the ladder than it’s designed for. Be sure to include the weight of the tools and materials you are using. The safe-weight load should be labeled on the ladder. q Before you use the ladder, inspect it for cracked or broken parts, such as rungs, steps, side rails, feet, and locking components. By law, if it has any damage, it must be removed from service and tagged until repaired or discarded. q Avoid electrical hazards. Never use a metal ladder near power lines or exposed energized electrical equipment. Look for overhead power lines before raising the ladder, and never allow the ladder to get closer than 10 feet to power lines. Also make sure that once you’ve climbed the ladder, your body and tools cannot come in contact with the power lines q Do not use ladders in high winds or storms. q Never use a self-supporting ladder (such as a stepladder) as a single ladder or in a partially closed position. q Never use the top step/rung of a ladder as a step/rung unless it was designed for that purpose. q Always maintain a three-point (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) contact on the ladder when climbing. q Keep your body near the middle of the step and face the ladder while climbing. q Only use ladders and appropriate accessories for their designed purposes. q Keep the rungs free of wet or slippery materials. Make sure that your shoes and hands are dry and clean before stepping onto the ladder. q Never place a ladder on boxes, barrels, or other unstable bases to obtain additional height. q Only one person at a time is permitted on a ladder unless the ladder is specifically designed for more than one climber (such as a trestle ladder). q Ladders must not be placed in front of doors that can open toward the ladder. The door must be blocked open, locked, or guarded. q Do not try to move or shift a ladder while a person or equipment is on the ladder. q The proper angle for setting up a ladder is to place its base a quarter of the working length of the ladder from the wall or other vertical surface. q A ladder placed in any location where it can be hit or displaced by other work activities must be secured or a barricade must be erected to keep traffic away from the ladder. q Be sure all locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged. q Wear clean slip-resistant shoes. Shoes with leather soles are not appropriate for ladder use. q Do not carry any objects in either hand that can interfere with a firm grip on the ladder. q Only descend a ladder while facing it.

Your new employee orientation should include ladder safety training if ladders are used in the workplace, but your responsibility doesn’t end there. You are also responsible for retraining employees to keep the information fresh and topof-mind.

Resources

For additional safety information go to the American Ladder Institute website at www. americanladderinstitute.org or the OSHA site at www.osha.gov. S