Safety Tidbit 2.45 – Portable
Ladder Safety
Last week I was at a construction
job site and unfortunately witnessed an imminent danger hazard. As the
superintendent and I walked the site, we saw in the distance a worker on a
portable ladder using a pneumatic chisel removing mortar around bricks. They were making access into the structure to
put in temporary I-beams so they could brace the corner of the building while
they rebuilt the foundation underneath. As we neared the worker, he looked a
bit odd. He was pushing on the pneumatic chisel with both hands against the
wall. His body was twisted to work to the side of the ladder as the ladder was
facing perpendicular to the building. He also seemed to angle away from the
building as if he was about to fall off the ladder. When I looked at the base
of the portable ladder, the front leg closest to the building was off the
ground approximately six inches. Furthermore, the concrete sidewalk that the
ladder was on was at a grade to allow handicapped access and was not in the
best of repair.
Well, I think most all of you know
that I don’t like ladders and the example above shows a few issues why I don’t
like them. OSHA has an informative Quick
Card that you can use as a checklist. I have reproduced most of their items
below:
o Read
and follow all labels/markings on the ladder.
o Avoid
electrical hazards! – Look for overhead power lines before handling a ladder.
Avoid using a metal ladder near power lines or exposed energized electrical
equipment.
o Always
inspect the ladder before using it. If the ladder is damaged, it must be
removed from service and tagged until repaired or discarded.
o Always maintain a 3-point
(two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) contact on the ladder when
climbing. Keep your body near the middle of the step and always face the ladder
while climbing.
o Ladders
must be free of any slippery material on the rungs, steps or feet.
o Do
not use a self-supporting ladder (e.g., step ladder) as a single ladder or in a
partially closed position.
o Use a ladder only on a stable
and level surface, unless it has been secured (top or bottom) to prevent
displacement.
o Do
not place a ladder on boxes, barrels or other unstable bases to obtain
additional height.
o A ladder placed in any
location where it can be displaced by other work activities must be secured to
prevent displacement, or a barricade must be erected to keep traffic away from
the ladder.
o Be
sure that all locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged.
o Do
not exceed the maximum load rating of a ladder. Be aware of the ladder’s load
rating and of the weight it is supporting, including the weight of any tools or
equipment.
o
I think everyone can see there were
several problems with the situation. To further degrade the problem, this
worker was the “competent person” for the subcontractor. Two other workers were
standing around watching him precariously standing on the ladder. Lastly, there
were both boom lifts and scaffolding readily available on the site.
Hope this was helpful and thanks for
reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~ Bryan
P.S.
If you have a burning safety or health question please let me know.
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