SAFETY SOLUTIONS: Ladder Safety

Ladders are useful tools, but if you do not follow the proper safety tips, you could hurt yourself. In fact, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 547,000 people were treated in hospital emerge006Ecy rooms, doctors’ offices, clinics and other medical settings in 2007 because of injuries related to ladder use. Most injuries are cuts, bruises and fractured bones.

Did you know that even a six-foot fall from a ladder can kill you?

More often, you might break an arm or leg. When you fall off a ladder on a construction site, you can land on almost anything, so internal injuries are common. Falls from ladders happen because you slip or because the ladder slips. If you’re in a hurry, there’s more chance of falling. Take the time to use the right ladder the correct way.

To reduce your chance of injury, follow the safety information listed below:

1. More than half of all ladder accidents happen because the ladder slips. What are some ways to keep a ladder from slipping?

• Place the ladder on a firm, level surface that isn’t slippery.
• Use a ladder with safety feet, especially if you’re setting it on a smooth floor.
• Always secure a portable ladder. Nail it to a permanent structure, tie it off or block it.
• Make sure the ladder’s supports (feet and upper risers) are free of grease and mud.
• If the ladder is leaning against a smooth surface, have wall grips on the risers to prevent side slipping.
• Make sure the ladder is leaning against something secure (not a gutter, window sash, window pane or anything that can move).
• Don’t set a ladder on top of boxes or other movable objects.
• Never use a ladder in high winds.
• Barricade a ladder if it’s in an area where it could get bumped. For example, don’t use a ladder in front of a door that might open, unless there is a barricade or guard.
• Make sure your ladder is at the correct angle—not too steep and not too horizontal.

2. What is the correct angle for a ladder?

• Set it one foot out for every four feet of ladder length.

3. Nearly a third of all ladder accidents happen because a person slips. What are some things you can do to keep yourself from slipping?

• Use a ladder with non-skid treads (or a non-skid coating) on the rungs.
• Make sure the rungs are free of mud, grease and other slippery material.
• Make sure your shoes are free of mud and grease.
• When you’re on a ladder, don’t lean too far out—never beyond arm’s length.

4. When going up or down a ladder, always:

• Face the ladder.
• Use both hands.
• Don’t try to adjust an extension ladder when you’re standing on a surface above it.
• Don’t stand or work on the top three rungs of a straight ladder unless you’re using a safety belt. At the top, there’s nothing to grip.
• Don’t step on any rung above a ladder’s upper support. It may cause the bottom of the ladder to kick out.
• Don’t stand or work at the top of a stepladder.
• If you use a stepladder, make sure it’s fully open and locked.

5. How should you carry tools or materials up or down a ladder?

• Use a tool belt to keep your hands free.
• Pull equipment and materials up with a line.

6. To make sure your ladder is in good repair, you should inspect it before and after each job. When you inspect a ladder, what should you look for?

• All rungs are connected securely to the side rails.
• No rungs or side rails are missing, loose, broken, cracked or corroded.
• No nails, screws or rivets are sheared off or missing.
• There are no splinters.

7. What if a ladder is defective?

• If you ever notice an unsafe ladder, report it right away.
• The employer should remove defective ladders from service and tag them.
• Some employers destroy defective ladders to make sure no one uses them.

8. People say to “use the right ladder for the job.” What are some things to keep in mind when you’re choosing a ladder?

• Use a ladder that is safety-approved. Look for a label showing that it meets American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety requirements.
• Use a ladder of the right length. The side rails should extend at least three feet, but not more than four feet, above the ladder’s upper support.
• Use a ladder that’s strong enough for you and the job.
• Never splice two ladders together.
• Don’t let more than one person at a time on a ladder unless you’re using a ladder that’s specially designed for that purpose.
• Don’t use a metal ladder near live electrical parts or within six feet of high voltage electrical lines. (Increase the distance for very high voltage). Remember that electricity can arc. Portable metal ladders should have a warning label on them to remind you.
• Don’t use a ladder for anything but its intended purpose. For example, don’t use it as a brace or skid. Don’t use it horizontally as a walkway or scaffold.

Need more information on safety in the workplace? As a reader of our magazine, we will answer any OSHA related questions that you may have. Please feel free to write or call me at 612-801-1032 and say you read this article in the magazine and we will help.

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