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Ladders are essential in everyday construction activities. Using a ladder can seem simple, but it is easy to overlook the serious risks. Faulty equipment, improper setup, poor training, bad weather conditions and distraction can cause serious injuries and even death. The CDC cites that 81% of fall injuries amongst construction workers involve the use of ladders. Ladder safety is not complicated, it just involves following what the ladder is designed to do and using common sense.
Here are some basic ladder safety tips:
Maintain 3 points of contact (1 hand & 2 feet or 2 hands & 1 foot);
Only use ladders for their designed purpose.
Ladders are for access, not for working from.
Take the time to make sure the ladder is stable, on firm ground where it won't slip.
Never have more than 1 person on a ladder at a time
Never have your hands full when ascending or descending a ladder. Hand up heavy or awkward items.
Face the ladder when ascending or descending; don't skip steps.
Make sure the ladder is secured (completely opened, locked and leveled) before stepping in it
Never go higher than the 2nd step from the top. This has to do with your center of gravity: if your center of gravity is too high, you lose stability.
Don’t lean out too far. This again is about your center of gravity and balance. Keep your center of gravity between the rails. Think: your belt buckle should never extend past the Rails of the ladder.
Avoid work that imposes a side loading, such as side-on drilling through solid materials. It may be necessary to readjust the ladder.
Never leave tools on the top of the ladder.
No one should be working underneath a ladder. Consider barriers and signage if you need to place a ladder in a walkway, or publicly accessible location.
Use a spotter or someone to "foot" the ladder for extra safety.
Get help when moving heavy or long ladders.
Pay attention to the weather. Ladders can be very dangerous in areas with high winds. Set ladders flat on the ground if winds are strong.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be aware of electrical lines when moving ladders. Consider fiberglass ladders if there is any chance of accidental contact with electrical lines.
Types of Ladders
Types of Ladders
Extension Ladders
Angle the ladder at a 4 to 1 ratio - base of the ladder should be one foot away from the vertical surface for every 4 feet of height to the point of support
Whenever possible, especially if transfering from a ladder to a plattform, you should secure the ladder (eg by tying the ladder to prevent it from slipping either outwards or sideways) and have a strong upper resting point, i.e. do not rest a ladder against weak upper surfaces.
Ensure that the top of the ladder extends at least 3 feet above any transfer point.
Be sure that all locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged.
Folding Ladders
Never use a folding ladder as a straight ladder.
Be sure to lock the folding ladder - spread the legs to their limit and ensure the braces are locked.
Make sure all four feet have solid contact with the ground.
Tripod Orchard Ladders
These ladders are designed for use on soft and uneven surfaces; they do not have spreaders. An orchard ladder has a single back leg. This provides relatively stable support on uneven terrain. This type of ladder is meant to be used in soft soil, therefore the ladder could collapse if used on firm, smooth ground.
Inspection
Inspection
Check your ladder before you use it: Before starting a task, you should always carry out a ‘pre-use’ check to spot any obvious visual defects to make sure the ladder is safe to use.
A pre-use check should be carried out:
by the user before use;
at the beginning of the working day;
after something has changed, eg a ladder has been moved or dropped
Check the rails – make sure they are not bent or damaged, as the ladder could buckle or collapse.
Check the feet – if they are missing, worn or damaged the ladder could slip. Also check ladder feet when moving from soft/dirty ground (eg dug soil, loose sand/ stone, a dirty workshop) to a smooth, solid surface (eg paving slabs), to make sure the foot material and not the dirt (eg soil, chippings or embedded stones) is making contact with the ground.
Check the rungs – if they are bent, worn, missing or loose the ladder could fail.
Check any locking mechanisms – if they are bent or the fixings are worn or damaged the ladder could collapse. Ensure any locking bars are engaged.
Check the stepladder platform – if it is split or buckled the ladder could become unstable or collapse.
Check the steps or treads on stepladders – if they are contaminated they could be slippery; if the fixings are loose on steps, they could collapse. If you spot any of the above defects, don’t use the ladder and notify your Team Leader or Site Supervisor, Project Coordinator, etc.
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