1. CHECK
LADDERS
A ladder is one thing you have to bet your life on. A good ladder used right is a safe
and convenient helper. But a defective ladder or a ladder misused can ill or cripple.
Before you climb, always check the ladder
for defects. Here are some things to look for;
Loose, split, cracked or missing rungs;
Missing or damaged feet (if the ladder is equipped with them); Any signs of rot; Excessive
warping; Cracks or excessive checking in the rails, especially cracks near the rungs.
We have plenty of good ladders, so don't
use a defective one.
Be sure the ladder is the right type for
the job. Soft ground or slippery flooring may demand a ladder with safety feet. A metal
ladder may be too hazardous around electricity. Certain jobs need a platform ladder. Get
the type that fits your need.
Handle the ladder carefully.
A large ladder is tricky to handle. Don't hesitate to get help.
Be sure you know where you are putting
it. Don't let it contact live electric wires, and don't rest it on gutters, glass or other
weak supporting surfaces. Don't climb with your hands full of gear. If you can't sling
what you need over your shoulders, put the stuff in a pail or bag fastened to a line which
goes up the ladder with you. When you get to the working level, hoist the stuff up and
fasten it to the platform or to a rung.
If you are climbing in an area where
people are walking or running power trucks, post someone at the base of the ladder to keep
traffic away.
When climbing a ladder, hold on to the
rails, not to the rungs. As you climb, check the ladder to be sure each rung and the rails
are safe. This is in addition to your initial check.
Case Study
Art ____________ used a
ladder with a cracked rung. He had noticed it and took care to avoid the broken rung as he
went up. But coming down he forgot about it and, of course, did not see it below his test.
His weight broke the rung, and he fell eight feet to a cement floor. He died of a skull
fracture.
Discussion Points
Where and under what
conditions are ladders used by your group? What types and sizes of ladders are available?
Are there any problems or any needs not now being met?
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2.
LADDER DOWNFALLS
Ladders are such familiar items of equipment that every man, woman and child seems to
take it for granted that he or she knows how to use them. Too many times, however, people
break the rules for safe use of ladders. The result can be a bad fall, and such falls can
be fatal. Ladder accidents happen in the shop, at home while painting or hanging storm
windows, even in the kitchen. But don't get the idea ladder accidents happen only to
people who are inexperienced. Many victims of ladder falls were experienced men. For
example:
Case History
An experienced millwright was going to dress a weld in the metal drip edge of a
building. He got a straight ladder equipped with safety shoes the kind with both steel
spurs and rubber soles. The ground below where he had to work was a gravel slope, but he
set the ladder up with the rubber ends of the safety feet on the gravel. The top of the
ladder reached to about five or six inches above the drip edge. The millwright climbed the
ladder and started to dress the weld, but he found he'd have to cut off a burr. So down he
went, and got a hammer and a cold chisel. He climbed up again with these tools. Then, as
he was swinging the hammer, the ladder slipped on the gravel below. The millwright lost
his balance, fell about eight feet to the ground, and broke his shoulder.
THOUGHT PROVOKERS
Falls are the source of many serious injuries and ladders are involved in many of
them. When using such equipment, we should make sure that ladders are kept in perfect
condition and as we use them we should be sure that we take every precaution to avoid a
dangerous fall.
What rules of safety were
violated in this case? How could he have made the ladder secure? Could the feet of the
ladder been safer? What about the top of the ladder? Should he have used a longer ladder?
If you place a 12 foot ladder against a structure, how far out from the base of the
structure should the feet of the ladder be placed? In spite of his experience, it is clear
that this man acted unsafely in several ways. He should have used a longer ladder. The
feet of the ladder should have been more firmly set, steel spurs down, so they would not
slide. It would have been better to have a man holding the ladder from the ground. The
ladder might 'nave been secured at the top by some method of lashing. What about carrying
tools up a ladder? What should you do with them?
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3. LADDERS
Ladders present one of the major hazards in construction work and their use is the
cause of many serious accidents.
1. Construction
a. Wood - Stock
ladders should be solidly constructed of straight grain materials and free from defects.
Siderails should be of spruce, maple, cypress or similar species of woods, perfectly
smooth and free from slivers. Rungs should be oak, hickory or ash.
b. Metal - Siderails
of metal ladders should be of sufficient cross-section to prevent extreme deflection when
in use. Rungs should be corrugated, coated with skid resistant materials or otherwise
treated to minimize slipping.
2. Inspection and Testing
a. Wood - Wood
ladders should be inspected frequently for damage and deterioration. Close visual
inspection is recommended in preference to load testing. Jumping on a ladder which is
supported horizontally subjects the ladder to more severe loads than it is intended to
carry and may result in damage that can lead to sudden failure while in use.
B. Metal - Frequent
inspection of metal ladders is recommended. All parts should be checked for wear,
corrosion and structural failure.
3. Maintenance
a. Wood - Wood
ladders should be periodically treated with a clear preservative such as varnish, shellac,
or linseed oil. Painting is not advisable as defects and deterioration may be covered up.
b. Metal - Rungs
should be cleaned to prevent accumulation of materials that might destroy non-slipping
properties and all metal fittings should be carefully checked.
c. All types of ladders
- When not in use, all types of ladders should be stored under suitable cover for
protection from the weather. Ladders stored horizontally should be supported at both ends
as well as the intermediate points to prevent sagging which will loosen the rungs and warp
the rails.
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4. LADDER
REQUIREMENTS
General requirements - the use of ladders with broken or missing rungs, broken or
split side rails, or other faulty or defective construction is prohibited.
Portable ladder feet
shall be placed on a substantial base, and the area around the top and bottom of the
ladder shall be kept clear.
Ladders shall not be
used in a horizontal position as platforms, runways, or scaffolds.
JOB MADE LADDERS
Ladders shall not be placed in passageways, doorways, driveways or any
location where they may be displaced by activities being conducted on any other work,
unless protected by barricades or guards.
The side rails of ladders
shall extend not less than thirty-six inches above the landing. When this is not
practical, grab rails, which provide a secure grip for an employee moving to or from the
point of access, shall be installed.
Portable ladders Shall be tied,
blocked or otherwise secured to prevent movement.
Portable metal ladders shall not be
used for electrical work.
A double cleated ladder shall not exceed
twenty-four feet in length.
A single cleated ladder shall not exceed
thirty feet in length and be at least fifteen inches wide but no more than twenty inches
between rails at the top.
All ladders shall extend thirty-six
inches above the landing.
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5. SAFETY WITH
LADDERS
1. Inspect ladders at frequent regular intervals; if any ladder is found defective,
red tag it until it is repaired or discarded. NEVER use a defective ladder.
2. Use shellac, varnish or two coats of
oil as a preservative; paint conceals defects.
3. Avoid the use of metal ladders when
the possibility of contact with electrical power exists.
4. Clean mud or greasy substances from
your shoes before climbing up a ladder.
5. Place the ladder securely, against a
solid backing, at a safe angle of about 75 degrees with the horizontal.
6. Always face the ladder and hold on
with both hands, whether climbing up or down.
7. Carry tools in suitable pockets, or
have tools and other objects hoisted with rope and bucket.
8 Work facing the ladder and hold on with
one hand. it.
9. Use a safety belt if the type of work
requires
10. It is dangerous to
ladder in any direction; work requires.
11. It is unsafe to use
member of a scaffold. reach out too far from a move the ladder as the a ladder as a
horizontal
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