Take the next step in ladder safety

Safe ladder use involves smart selection, close inspection and safety use.

by Mike McCann

Each year, about 50 construction workers are killed by falls from ladders. More than half of the fatalities are people working from ladders. Twice as many falls occur stepping down vs. going up ladders.

The main cause of falls from straight and extension ladders is sliding of the ladder base. For self-supported ladders or stepladders, the main cause is tipping sideways. Many workers also hurt their backs while carrying ladders.

Ladder selection and use tips
Although ladders are fairly straightforward pieces of equipment, there are ways to greatly reduce your chances of injury or even death while on a ladder.

Here are some helpful tips:
• Choose the right equipment.
• Use ladders mainly for climbing to or from upper levels. Scaffolds or scissor lifts are safer to work from than ladders.
• Choose the right ladder length.
• Check the ladder’s sticker for its maximum weight capacity. Use only type I, IA, or IAA ladders, which can support 250, 300, and 375 pounds, respectively. OSHA requires that job-made portable ladders be tested for strength; a regular ladder must be able to hold at least four times its maximum weight capacity.
• Ladder rungs, cleats, and steps must be parallel, level and evenly spaced. For most ladders, the spacing must be 10" to 14". The rungs and steps of metal ladders must be grooved or roughened to minimize slipping. Side rails must be at least 11.5" apart.
• Do not tie ladders together.
• If you use two or more ladders to reach one spot, they must have a platform or landing between them.
• Ladder parts must be smooth to prevent punctures or cuts or snagging of clothing.
• Do not paint wood ladders with a coating that can hide defects.
• Employees must be trained in ladder use. A competent person, who is a person capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and has the authority to take prompt action to eliminate them, must train employees in site-specific ladder safety.

Setting up a ladder
• Use two people to carry and set up a ladder, if possible.
• Keep all ladders (and tools) at least 10' away from live overhead power lines and other overhead obstructions. Aluminum and wet or dirty wood or fiberglass ladders can conduct electricity.
• Set the ladder on firm, level ground. Use ladder levelers on uneven ground. Secure the ladder by tying it down, using slip-resistant feet, or by having someone hold it in place. A ladder on a slick surface must be tied in place or held.
• Keep the area around the top and bottom of a ladder clear. In passageways, doorways, or where traffic or other activities can occur, secure the ladder or block off the area.
• Do not set a ladder on a scaffold, box or other object.
• Stepladders should have all four legs on solid, level ground. The spreaders must be locked fully open. Never climb on the cross-bracing and never use a stepladder that is leaned against a wall.
• With straight and extension ladders, the ladder base should be 1' from the building or top support, such as an eave, for every 4' of ladder length up to the resting position. Counting rungs gives a good estimate of the ladder length because rungs are about 1' apart.
• Once and extension ladder is set up, lock the top section in place. Extension ladder sections must overlap by at least 3' for ladders up to 32'; by 4' for ladders 32' to 48'; and by 5' for ladders 48' to 60' tall. Both rails must rest evenly on the resting spot unless the ladder has a single-support attachment.
•When using a ladder to get on or off a roof, secure the ladder by tying it. The side rails should be at least 42" above the roof. Job-made ladders should let you get on or off a ladder by stepping between the rails. If you have to step around a ladder because of rungs, there should be a grab rail attached to the building to help you.

OSHA requires the grab rail and tie-off if a ladder extends less than 36" above the roof. If there is a high parapet wall, use a stair or other means to get on or off the parapet.

Using a ladder
• Always check a ladder before use; recheck it if it was unattended.
• Always face a ladder while working or climbing on it.
• Always wear shoes with slip-resistant soles.
• Always have three-point contact (such as one hand and two feet).
• Do not work from the top or top step of a stepladder or from any of the top three steps of a straight or extension ladder.
• To prevent ladder tipping, keep your body centered between the side rails of the ladder.
• If possible, use a personal fall arrest system while on a ladder.
• Do not hold objects in your hand while climbing or stepping on/off a ladder to an upper level. Attach them to your tool belt or pull them up on a line once you get to your work spot.
• Do not use a ladder in windy weather.
• Never move a ladder while someone is on it. Lower the top section of an extension ladder before moving it.

Inspecting a ladder
OSHA requires a ladder must be inspected regularly for visible defects by a competent person and after any incident that could affect its safe use. Check your ladder for damage before each use. If a ladder is damaged, label it, “Do Not Use,” and take it away until it is fixed. If it can’t be fixed, destroy it.

When inspecting ladders, here’s what to look for:
• Make sure the feet work and slip-resistant pads on the feet are secure.
• Inspect the ladder parts for cracks, bends, splits or corrosion.
• Check rung and step connections.
• Rung locks and spreader braces must be working.
• On extension ladders, the rope and pulley must work and the rope should not frayed.
• Bolts and rivets must be secure.
• Rung locks and other movable parts should be lubricated.
• Make sure steps, rungs and other ladder parts are free of oil, grease and other materials.

Mike McCann is the safety director at the Center to Protect Workers’ Rights. Find other helpful articles at www.elcosh.org and www.cpwr.com.

Published in the September/October 2004 issue of Contractor Tools and Supplies magazine.