Jim Brauner, Owner, Brauner Safety Services
The most important piece of roofing contractors’ equipment is the ladder. Used every day to get from the ground to the roof safely, to tear-off and install a new roof system and to make repairs or perform maintenance. The ladder is often the most abused piece of equipment. It is frequently taken for granted. I have even heard people say, “It’s just a ladder, it’s made for the abuse.” Ladders get thrown up on vehicle ladder racks and pulled off when we get to the job. They get dropped on the way to or from the truck or while setting up at the jobsite. Let’s look at types of construction ladders and the safety and maintenance requirements when using them.
Consider the scope of work that your company performs every day to help you make the right decisions on which type of ladders to purchase. We will look at the choice between aluminum and fiberglass ladders. Which of these two is better for a particular use?
Aluminum ladders are lighter and easier to maneuver, and are durable over years of use. They won’t rust, making them suitable for use on outdoor construction sites. They are an excellent choice as long as there are no electrical sources in your work area. If there are electrical sources, a metal ladder should not be used. While aluminum does not attract lightning, it does conduct electricity extremely well and could result in a nasty – or even fatal – electrical shock. Some jobsites won’t allow aluminum ladders due to the possibility of electrical shock or electrocution.
Fiberglass ladders seem to be even more durable and longer lasting than aluminum ladders due to superior wear resistance. Fiberglass ladders cost more than aluminum but they are worth it. They are the safest ladder to use in roofing and all other applications.
Fiberglass ladders need to be used at all times when working around electricity to reduce the possibility of electric shock. They do not conduct electricity, making them a safer choice when working around electricity and electrical lines.
Ladders are tools. Many of the basic safety rules that apply to most tools also apply to the safe use of a ladder:
8. The ladder you select must be the right size for the job that you are doing. The duty rating of the ladder must be greater than the total weight of the climber, clothes, tool belt and backpack (see Table 4)
9. Never hand-carry anything up a ladder.
10. The length of the ladder must be sufficient so that the climber does not have to stand on the top rung or step
11. When the ladder is set up for use, it must be placed on firm, level ground without any type of slippery conditions present at either the base or the top support points
12. Place ladder on hard surface; it will sink into a soft surface
13. Place ladder on non-moveable base
14. Lean ladder against a secure surface, not boxes or barrels or anything that may move
15. Be sure step ladders are fully open and locked before climbing
16. Ladder rails must extend three feet above the top landing (see Figure 1). Always measure, don’t say three rungs above
17. Mount the ladder from the center not the sides
18. When mounting ladder from the roof, watch placement of your foot on the rung
19. Face ladder when ascending and descending; work facing your ladder
20. Don’t climb higher than the third rung from the top on a step ladder
21. Only one person at a time is permitted on a ladder. The next person can start climbing when the one above steps safely onto the roof surface
22. Ladders must not be placed in front of closed doors or doorways. The door must be blocked open, locked or guarded for extra protection
23. Always read the product safety information labels on the ladders. The on-product safety information is specific to the particular type of ladder on which it appears. All safety stickers must be legible to read and not smudged or worn. Always call the manufacturer of the ladder for replacement decals. A climber is not considered qualified or adequately trained to use the ladder until familiar with the safety information
24. Prevent horseplay when climbing ladders
25. Some newer employees sometimes take longer to climb the ladder. Let them climb at their own pace. Rushing someone can create a near miss. Near misses are almost as bad as the accident itself.
I have noticed higher ladder violations when you have a lot of employees on one job and not enough ladders. This seems to be a particular problem when
employees are climbing down for lunch and also at the end of the day. They want to get off the roof quicker and that’s when I’ll see two or even three people on a ladder at one time. Providing additional ladders reduces the occurrence of this violation.
Factors contributing to falls from ladders include haste, sudden movement, lack of attention, the condition of the ladder (worn or damaged), the users age or physical condition and the use of inappropriate footwear. Although the users weight or size typically does not increase the likelihood of a fall, improper climbing posture creates user clumsiness and may cause falls. Reduce your chances of falling during the climb:
1. Use a tool belt so that the climbers hands are free when climbing
2. Climb slowly and deliberately, avoiding sudden movements
3. Never attempt to move a ladder while standing on it
4. Keep the center of your belt buckle (stomach) between the ladder side rails while climbing
5. Do not overreach while on a ladder
6. Maintain three points of contact at all times, minimizing the chances of slipping and falling (see Figure 1).
At all times during the ascent, descent and while working, the climber must face the ladder and have two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand in contact with the ladder steps, rungs or side rails. In this
way, the climber is less likely to become unstable in the event that one limb slips while on the ladder.
It is important to note that a climber must not carry any objects in either hand that can interfere with a firm grip on the ladder. Otherwise the three points of contact at all times with the ladder cannot be adequately maintained and the chance of falling is increased in the event a hand or foot slip occurs.
Ever see only one person carrying or setting up a 28-foot ladder? A worker can easily trip or lose his balance while carrying the ladder. He ends up dropping and damaging the ladder or causing himself a back
injury. It is a good safety practice to use the buddy system: two team members should work together to set up a large ladder. Doing so will help prevent personal injury, damage to the ladder or damage to the building or other property onsite.
Once, I had just arrived on a jobsite and, while parking my truck, I saw an individual carrying a large ladder. He slipped and lost control of it and the ladder hit a power line. We were all thankful that he let go of the ladder and ran away just before the ladder struck the power line, so he wasn’t electrocuted. Still, it knocked the power out within a two-block radius and the power company was called out to remove the ladder from the power source. The cause of this near miss was the individual carrying a large ladder by himself; he should have had another person helping him.
To prevent near misses – or worse – from happening, conduct training sessions on how to properly carry ladders to prevent accident or injury. We don’t make any money until that ladder is safely moved from the truck, set up properly and tied off at the top on both sides to prevent the ladder from shifting under weight while people are climbing up and down.
Proper ladder climbing toolbox talks are another great resource, however, they are unfortunately underutilized. You can usually
tell how safe an individual will be on the roof by how he climbs the ladder. Even though ladders don’t seem to be heavy, it’s the sudden angle changes that causes back injuries.
Please remember to be careful when walking around trucks with ladders on top of ladder racks, taller people don’t pay attention and end up walking right into the ladder with their head, face or eyes. This can cause cuts, loss of vision, stitches and a trip to the emergency room. At least once a week I see ladders on the highway or street, mangled because it was not secured prior to transportation. It is imperative that ladders are secured to the ladder rack in the front and the back at all times. According to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), we must use an orange or red safety flag for anything, including ladders, so other can see that something is protruding out farther than three feet in front of our vehicle or four feet in the back.
Ladders should only be used for the purposes for which they were designed.
1. Select the right ladder for the job.
2. Inspect the ladder before each use.
3. Set up the ladder with care using the 4-to-1 rule. For every four feet of building height, the base of the ladder needs to be one foot away from building.
Always use a tape measure to find the distance to the building. Never step it off with your feet to measure, it won’t be accurate.
Per OSHA, maintain a minimum distance of 10 feet away from power lines with a ladder; however, 20 feet away is better. Remember, treat every power line as if it has a live current in it. Only the power company can tell you if the wires are live. The safest way to work around electricity is to have the power turned off or diverted by the power company.
Important: do not try to pull away an individual that is being electrocuted with your bare hands. Use a dry piece of wood, dry rope or dry piece of rubber. Never use anything wet. Always call 911.
Common items that have defects include:
1. On a step ladder, all four feet don’t touch the ground evenly. If this happens, it is unsafe to use the ladder. Mark “Out of Service” and cut up
2. Safety shoes or feet on the bottom of the ladder are worn; replace worn items or remove the ladder from service
3. Side rails mushroom out; mark “Out of Service”
4. Ladder rungs cracked or split. Bend and break the ladder, take out of service and throw it away
5. Rung locks with safety latches, all safety latches must work and be free of defects and must safely lock onto rungs.
Use your inspection safety check list daily (see below). Ladders can be damaged at any time. Check and clean ladder to prevent slip hazards. To prevent falls from ladders:
1. Require employees to complete a daily ladder inspection
2. Use only ladders that are in good condition and free of defects
3. Use a ladder that is free of oils, grease, coatings, adhesives, paints, asphalt, coal tar pitch or mud. Any of these will make the ladder rungs or side rails slippery and create a slip hazard
4. Ensure all team members are properly trained on how to climb and carry ladders
5. Make proper ladder use a performance requirement for the job
6. Document all ladder inspections and safety trainings
Although OSHA doesn’t specify between the two in it’s regulation, the National Safety Council states users should face the ladder and always grip the rungs and not the rails.
The American Ladder Institute states that the climber can use the three points of contact rule via the ladder steps, rungs and/or siderails.
When I first got into the roofing industry over 40 years ago, we always climbed ladders by cupping the side rails with our hands. I always wondered what would happen if I would misjudge a rail or slip while I was climbing: would I be able to stop? About 30 years ago, I started using the rungs after I realized that, if I slip, my grip would not be strong enough to hold me from falling.
I would really like feedback on any experiences that you have had climbing ladders using hand and rung or hand and side rails. I can be reached at jim@braunersafety.com.
Falls remain a leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide and 43 percent of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder. Among workers, approximately 20 percent of fall injuries involve ladders. Among construction workers, an estimated 81 percent of fall injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments involve a ladder. Rates for nonfatal and work-related, were higher (2.6 per 10,000 FTE) than those for such injuries reported by employers (1.2 per 10,000 FTE). Ladder falls represent a substantial public health burden of preventable injuries for workers because falls are the leading cause of work-related injuries and deaths in construction.
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