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    • Home > Association Resources > Best Practices > Three Basic Steps to Ladder Safety

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    Three Basic Steps to Ladder Safety

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    Published on Monday, January 23, 2012

    120123-ladderLadders are as much a part of your operations as pots and pans. Your employees use ladders to hang promotional banners, retrieve inventory and access ice machines. If you train your people to follow these three basic steps, you can help ensure they arrive back at ground level safely.

    Step 1 – Inspect the ladder

    • Ladder is rated Type I (industrial use) or Type II (commercial use), not Type III (household use). The ladder’s rating should be listed on a color-coded label on the side rail.
    • Rails are strong and undamaged
    • Rungs and steps are solid, undamaged and free of oil, grease and dirt
    • Fittings are tight
    • Spreaders and other locking devices are in place
    • Non-skid safety feet are in place
    • No structural defects
    • All support braces are intact

    Step 2 – Set up the ladder properly

    • Choose a clean, slip-free, level surface
    • Use the 4-to-1 rule, placing the ladder base 1/4 the height of the ladder from the wall when using an extension ladder. For example, if your ladder is 8 feet tall, the base should be 2 feet from the wall.
    • A straight or extension ladder should extend 3 feet beyond the level it is being used to reach when stepping off. For example, if you are using a ladder to access a roof, your ladder should extend three feet higher than the roof.
    • Secure or tie the extension ladder to prevent slippage. Have a second person hold the bottom of the ladder whenever possible.

    Step 3 – Use the ladder safely

    • Face the ladder
    • Use both hands
    • Wipe dirt and grease from your hands and shoes
    • Never allow more than one person on a ladder
    • Use carriers and tool belts to carry objects up a ladder
    • Do not lean out from the ladder
    • Never shift the ladder while your weight is on it
    • See manufacturer label for maximum rung height to work safely from
    • If you are afraid of heights, don't climb a ladder
    TRA members who are in the workers’ compensation safety group, underwritten by Texas Mutual Insurance Company, can get free materials on ladder safety in the safety resource center  at texasmutual.com. To take advantage of the free materials, enter your Texas Mutual online username and passsword or click on New User. 

    Guest blog provided by Texas Mutual Insurance Co.'s Angela Gardner, loss prevention consultant for the TRA/Texas Mutual workers’ compensation safety group