Ladder safety

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From 2017 to 2021, ladder-related incidents accounted for more than 800 deaths and 27,000 nonfatal injuries resulting in days away from work. “Ladders are safety equipment, not just a throwaway tool,” one expert says.

In Episode 36, the S+H team dives into the February issue’s feature story on the hazards of working in cold weather. Additionally, Mike Kassman, director of OSHA and disaster response training at CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, discusses ladder safety.

A 55-year-old painting contractor and his 27-year-old son were electrocuted when the aluminum extension ladder they were moving contacted an overhead power line.

From 1992 to 2005, at least 154 workers were killed after a metal ladder they were using came in contact with an overhead power line, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited in a recent NIOSH review.

“Ladders are tools,” the American Ladder Institute says. “Many of the basic safety rules that apply to most tools also apply to the safe use of a ladder.”

Extension ladders typically have two sections that use brackets or guides to make them adjustable, allowing workers to perform tasks at various heights. However, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety warns, extension ladders are not self-supporting and require “a stable structure that can withstand the intended load.”

A 16-year-old worker died after his ladder came in contact with a power line.

Heads up, workers: Power lines can be serious and potentially fatal hazards when proper safety precautions are not followed.

Ladder jack scaffolding is used often in construction because it's inexpensive, portable, easy to put up and take down, and can fit in narrow places. To create a ladder jack scaffold, triangle-shaped brackets – known as ladder jacks – are attached to portable ladders, which are used on each side of a ladder jack scaffold to form a means of support for a platform, according to a fact sheet from OSHA.

Whether you’re decorating a co-worker’s office to celebrate a birthday, stringing lights during the holidays or changing a lightbulb, stepladders are handy tools to have on hand at work. But just because stepladders seem simple to use doesn’t mean they’re risk-free.