Ladder Safety DOs and DON’Ts - OSHA Authorized Safety Training for the Workplace in California Nevada Arizona Hawaii and Guam (2024)

FAQs

Ladder Safety DOs and DON’Ts - OSHA Authorized Safety Training for the Workplace in California Nevada Arizona Hawaii and Guam? ›

Use a ladder only on a stable and level surface, unless it has been secured (top or bottom) to prevent displacement. Do not place a ladder on boxes, barrels or other unstable bases to obtain additional height. Do not move or shift a ladder while a person or equipment is on the ladder.

Use a ladder only on a stable and level surface, unless it has been secured (top or bottom) to prevent displacement. Do not place a ladder on boxes, barrels or other unstable bases to obtain additional height. Do not move or shift a ladder while a person or equipment is on the ladder.

The training should cover ladder footing and top support, securing of the ladder, and angle of inclination. Users of portable ladders also need to be trained on using ladders safely while accessing elevated work areas and landings. See Inspection, Use, and Maintenance for details.

Maintain a 3-point contact (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) when climbing/ descending a ladder. Stay near the middle of the ladder and face the ladder while climbing up/down. Use a barricade to keep traffic away from the ladder. Keep ladders free of any slippery materials.

Ladders 24 feet in height or more require fall protection while climbing the ladder. Users need fall protection on the upper level that the ladder accesses. Self-closing safety gates or offsets are required at ladderway access points. If the ladder leads to a roof hatch, a guardrail is required around the roof hatch.

The most important rule of ladder use is to keep your body between the side rails. Never overreach. If you can't reach something without leaning outside of the side rails, climb down and move the ladder over. Losing balance while overreaching causes almost all disabling or fatal accidents.

only carry light materials and tools – read the manufacturer's labels on the ladder and assess the risks; • don't overreach – make sure your belt buckle (or navel) stays within the stiles; • make sure the ladder is long enough or high enough for the task; • don't overload the ladder – consider your weight and the ...

Never attempting to move a ladder while standing on it; Keeping the center of your belt buckle (stomach) between the ladder side rails when climbing and while working. Do not overreach or lean while working so that you don't fall off the ladder sideways or pull the ladder over sideways while standing on it.

Choosing the wrong type of ladder.

One of the most dangerous things you can do is stand on the top step of a ladder. You're much more likely to lose your balance in this position, which will significantly increase the chances of falling.

What are the top three OSHA cited ladder violations? ›

According to OSHA, the top three ladder violations are not having a portable ladder extend three feet above the landing, improper use of the top of step ladders, and lack of worker training. These violations can lead to serious accidents and injuries.

Ladders placed in any location where they can be displaced by workplace activities or traffic, such as in passageways, doorways, or driveways, shall be secured to prevent accidental displacement, or a barricade shall be used to keep the activities or traffic away from the ladder.

To use a ladder, you must be competent or, if you are being trained, you should be working under the supervision of a competent person. Competence can be demonstrated through a combination of training, practical and theoretical knowledge, and experience.

A ladder safety standard, the 4-to-1 rule state that the ladder should be 1 foot away from the wall for every 4 feet the ladder rises. This allows for maximum stability. So, for instance, if the ladder touches the wall 8 feet off the ground, the base of the ladder should be 2 feet away from the wall.

OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations.

Ladders can be used for work at height when an assessment of the risk for carrying out a task has shown that using equipment that offers a higher level of fall protection is not justified. This is because of the low risk and short duration of use, or there are existing workplace features which cannot be altered.

The base of the ladder should be placed so that it is one foot away from the building for every four feet of hight to where the ladder rests against the building. This is known as the 4 to 1 rule.