Every year over 100 people die in ladder-related accidents, and thousands suffer disabling injuries. National Ladder Safety Month is designed to raise awareness and to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities. It’s a great time to refresh staff on this valuable safety topic.
Ladder Inspection
Being proactive about inspecting ladders should be at the top of the list. Faulty ladders can make a difficult job even more dangerous but conducting a daily pre-use inspection and a thorough, weekly inspection will help eliminate the potential for a severe incident. A few helpful reminders are:
- Provide a daily/weekly inspection checklist.
- Remove any faulty ladders from use, especially around any areas where workers might accidentally grab them.
- Teach how to properly inspect a ladder during ladder training.
Specific areas of a ladder to inspect and conditions to look for are:
- Ladder rungs/steps
- Ladder bolts, screws, attachments
- Rust or decay
- Weakened or damaged areas
- Cracks or splits
- Twisted rails
- Viewable instructions/safety stickers
- Attached ladder parts/accessories