ERI Safety Videos DVDs, Digital Media & Custom Production 1306 THE TALLEST TOOL IN THE TOOL BOX: Using Ladders Safely Leader s Guide CLMI Safety Training
THE TALLEST TOOL IN THE TOOL BOX: Using Ladders Safely This easy-to-use Leader s Guide is provided to assist in conducting a successful presentation. Featured are: INTRODUCTION: A brief description of the program and the subject that it addresses. PROGRAM OUTLINE: Summarizes the program content. If the program outline is discussed before the video is presented, the entire program will be more meaningful and successful. PREPARING FOR AND CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION: These sections will help you set up the training environment, help you relate the program to site-specific incidents, and provide program objectives for focusing your presentation. REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Questions may be copied and given to participants to document how well they understood the information that was presented. Answers to the review questions are provided separately. INTRODUCTION Every worker, from experienced trade professional to the home handy-person, needs to know how to use their tools to get the job done right. When the job is above the ground, consider the ladder as another tool in the tool box that you need to know how to use to get the job done safely. This program reviews the safe work practices that must be followed to avoid injuries while climbing and working on ladders. Topics include selecting the right ladder for the job, ladder inspection, proper ladder setup, ensuring ladder stability, climbing and descending ladders safely and working safely on ladders. PROGRAM OUTLINE SELECTING THE RIGHT LADDER FOR THE JOB There are several types of ladders. The most common are step ladders, extension ladders and articulated, or multipurpose, ladders. Regardless of the type of ladder that you use, be sure that it meets the requirements of the American National Standards Institute or ANSI. Look for the label on the ladder rail; this tells you that this ladder was designed and built correctly. When picking out the type of ladder, you need think about your work task. Do you need a free-standing ladder? Will you be able to lean the ladder against a secure wall? Will you need any special equipment or accessories to stabilize the ladder? The next step in selecting the right ladder is to pick the ladder that allows you to safely reach the task to be done: in other words, a step ladder that is tall enough or an extension ladder that s long enough for the job. The rated working height is listed on the ladder. This height assumes that you are standing no higher than the second step from the top of a step ladder or standing on the fourth rung from the top of an extension ladder. The highest working height can be found on the manufacturer s information stickers on the ladder rail. Next, you need to determine the load that the ladder will need to hold. You need to figure on your weight and the combined amount of tools and materials that will be carried up the ladder. There are five load ratings for ladders. These load ratings are set by ANSI, and are referred to as ladder types.
A type 1 ladder can hold up to 250 pounds, a type 1-A ladder has a 300 pound load capacity and a type 1-AA is rated for 375 pounds. All three are rated for construction use. A Type 2 ladder is rated for 225 pounds and is approved for medium duty use. The type 3 light-duty ladder holds only 200 pounds. Know your total load. When in doubt, go for the stronger ladder. Finally, you need to match the material that the ladder is made of to the type of work you are going to do. Ladders can be made of fiberglass, aluminum or wood. Fiberglass ladders are the right choice if there any electrical hazards. If you are working by yourself and have to wrestle with a long extension ladder, and if there is no potential for electrical contact, then aluminum is a smart choice. LADDER INSPECTION Once you ve selected the ladder for the job, make sure your ladder is in good working order. Make sure the feet of the ladder are in good condition. Step ladders should have slip-resistant feet. Check that the rubber treads are in place and are not worn or damaged. Check to see that the spreader braces are secure. Be sure the rungs or steps are not damaged or slippery. Straight ladders and extension ladders may have a shoe that has spikes for use on dirt or grass and a rubberized surface for use on hard surfaces. Make sure the shoe is not bent or missing. Try all locks and check out the rope and pulley on extension ladders. If you find loose, broken, badly worn or missing parts, tag the ladder and report it to your supervisor. PROPER LADDER SETUP A major cause of falls from ladders is improper setup. Ladder setup includes both an assessment of your work area conditions and the specific placement of the ladder. Start each job by looking things over where you will be working. Be aware of electrical hazards and take the time to move things out of your way; clear away clutter and clean up debris. When working outdoors, consider the surface where your ladder will be set up. Is it level? Is it solid enough to support the ladder along with you and your tools and materials? Once you ve done your site assessment, it s time to go get your ladder. Carry ladders horizontally and whenever possible, two people should carry an extension ladder. When you carry a ladder by yourself, keep the front end slightly elevated. If you need to work in any area with vehicle or foot traffic, set up a perimeter or have someone else direct traffic around you. Step & Articulated Ladders For step ladders and articulated ladders, make sure all four legs are on solid, level surfaces that are not wet, greasy or slippery. Sometimes the rubber feet of ladders are not enough to prevent slips. You might need to remove any surface contamination from the floor.
Position the ladder so you can face your work, rather than turning your body sideways. Make sure the spreader in the fully-opened and locked position. When working with articulated ladders, make sure that all locks are engaged. Step ladders should never be used as a straight ladder. The feet are not designed for this and the ladder can slip. Extension Ladders Make sure there is overhead clearance, especially around electrical lines. Start with the ladder closed. Position the ladder with the base section on top of the fly section and the bottom of the ladder either against the base of the structure or have a coworker block the base with their feet. Now lift the top of the ladder and carefully walk the ladder up rung by rung until it is vertical. You may need two people if the ladder is long or heavy. Grip the ladder with one hand at about head level and the other hand extended toward your knees for stability. Carefully move the bottom of the ladder back from the structure about one quarter the distance of the ladder s working length. This allows you to place it against the structure at the correct angle. Next, raise the fly section. After the bottom rung of the fly section clears the bottom rung of the base section, place your foot on the first rung and stabilize the ladder against your knee. If you have two people on the job, have one person hold the ladder while the other one raises the fly section. Watch to make sure that the locking mechanisms are functioning. Lean the ladder against the structure. Remember to use the four-to-one rule to determine the correct pitch. The base of the ladder should be one foot away from the supporting surface for every four feet of height to the support point. So if your ladder touches the structure 24 feet up the building, the base of the ladder would be six feet from the base of the building. This provides the best resistance to sliding, it optimizes the ladder s strength and it provides you the best balance for the climbing. To check for proper setup, put your toes against the base of the ladder. If the ladder pitch is correct, you should be able to grasp the side rails with outstretched arms. Make sure the ladder extends three feet above the top support points for access to a roof or other work level. Both rails should rest firmly and securely against the structure. ENSURING THE LADDER S STABILITY You may have soft surfaces, a side slope or a surface that slopes away from the building. Any time surface conditions are other than level pavement or concrete, you need to make sure that your ladder will stay put. Before you start climbing, step up on the first rung and give it a little bounce. If the ladder shifts when you put a load on the first rung, stop, you may have to reset the ladder. Check that your ladder is plumb and not leaning to the side. What seems like a small sideways lean at the bottom can be a big distance at the top. This can cause the ladder to tip and you to take a fall. If you don t have a vertical reference to line up your ladder, use a level to check it out.
When working outside on grass, use the spiked side of the ladder shoes to keep the ladder base from sliding. For soft surfaces, use structurally-sound lumber that extends beyond the width of the ladder. Depending on your soil stability, you may need a larger base of support. Again, use your level to make sure your ladder is plumb. If you have to work on a side slope, many ladders can be equipped with leg levelers. If you are using lumber to provide a level surface, make sure that it s stable. Adding some screws and stakes will give you a secure base of support. If the area that you need to set the ladder slopes away from the building, watch out. The base of your ladder may slide out and you re going for a fast ride to the bottom. You may need to engineer a secure platform for the ladder or consider another way to get to the work such as scaffolding or an elevated work platform. It s best to secure ladders at the top and bottom, especially if the ladders will be used in the same place over time. CLIMBING/DESCENDING LADDERS SAFELY Many ladder falls happen while workers are climbing up or down. You ve probably heard about keeping three points of contact when climbing or descending a ladder. Have you ever wondered why this is so difficult? When children learn to crawl, they move one leg and the opposite arm. That keeps them from falling on their face, most of the time. Then when you learn to walk or run, you tend to swing your arms opposite from the leg you are moving. This helps you to keep your balance during your stride; unfortunately, you unconsciously use the same motion when climbing a ladder and that results in only two points of contact. Remember, climbing is not the same as walking. If one of your hands or feet slips on the ladder rung, the one remaining hand is not strong enough to catch your fall or help you maintain your balance. Here s a trick that can help you stay in contact with the ladder: when climbing or descending a ladder think to yourself, hand, hand, foot, foot, hand, hand, foot, foot, always moving only one limb at a time. With a little practice, this movement becomes second nature. Before you take that first step up the ladder, check your shoes for any mud, water, oil or grease that could cause you to slip. Shoes or boots with a non-slip sole are best. Face the ladder and climb. Climb slowly and focus on what you are doing. Avoid carrying tools or other materials in your hands. Instead, use a tool belt or have a co-worker hand items to you after you reach the top. For taller work levels, use a hand line to raise tools or materials. WORKING SAFELY ON LADDERS Falls while working on a ladder can be prevented by working carefully and deliberately. Stand facing your work and stay on or below the second step from the top of a step ladder and on or below the fourth rung from the top of an extension ladder.
Focus on your work and avoid distractions. If the cell phone rings, let it go to voice mail and wait until you are off the ladder to return the call. Let s face it; we don t climb a ladder just to get a better view of the countryside. We ve got a job to do up there and we often need both hands to do the task. The key to staying safely at the top of the ladder is balance. That is tough to do while you are balancing your feet on a ladder rung only an inch or two wide. Here are some tricks to increase your stability: to maintain your safe three points of contact, put one foot up on the next ladder rung and your knee under a rung by lifting your foot. If you need to stand for a long time on one rung, consider a standing platform. It is easier on your feet and easier to maintain your balance. You can maintain a stable position and keep the ladder from tipping by keeping your center of body mass inside the side rails. How far can you reach when doing your work? Here s a good rule: keep your belt buckle inside of the rails. If you need to reach or lean to one side further than this to do your work, get down off the ladder and move it to a better location. Most ladders are designed for only one worker; even climbing a few steps to hand up tools can overload the ladder. If the work task requires two people, use two ladders or a special double-sided ladder built for this purpose. Be careful when working on the top of the ladder if you have to push or pull something. The higher you are on a ladder, the easier it is to tip over by pushing on a tool or piece of material. Never leave tools or materials on top of a ladder and never leave a ladder unattended. CONCLUSION Using a ladder safely seems pretty simple, but you need to use it correctly. Whenever using a ladder on the job or at home, remember to select the right ladder for the job. Inspect your ladder every time you use it checking for loose, broken or missing parts. Tag it out and get it repaired if you find anything wrong. Set up step ladders with all legs on a flat, dry, level surface and make sure all locking parts are secure. Follow the four-to-one rule to ensure a safe angle for extension ladders. Use a level to make sure your ladder is plumb. Climb and descend a ladder using three points of contact remember hand, hand, foot, foot. Use a wellbalanced tool belt or have a worker hand tools up to you. Work directly in front of you. Maintain three points of contact with a knee lock under a rung. If you have to lean past your belt buckle, climb down and reposition the ladder.
PREPARE FOR THE SAFETY MEETING Review each section of this Leader's Guide as well as the program. Here are a few suggestions for using the program: Make everyone aware of the importance the company places on health and safety and how each person must be an active member of the safety team. Introduce the program. Play it without interruption. Review the program content by presenting the information in the program outline. Copy the review questions included in this Leader's Guide and ask each participant to complete them. Make an attendance record and have each participant sign the form. Maintain the attendance record and each participant's test paper as written documentation of the training performed. Here are some suggestions for preparing your video equipment and the room or area you use: Check the room or area for quietness, adequate ventilation and temperature, lighting and unobstructed access. Check the seating arrangement and the audiovisual equipment to ensure that all participants will be able to see and hear the program. CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION Begin the meeting by welcoming the participants. Introduce yourself and give each person the opportunity to become acquainted if there are new people joining the training session. Explain that the primary purpose of the program is to discuss the safe work practices viewers must follow to avoid injuries while climbing and working on ladders. Introduce the program. Play it without interruption. Review the program content by presenting the information in the program outline. Lead discussions about job tasks at your facility that require the use of ladders and the precautions employees should take to prevent ladder-related injuries. After watching the program, the viewer will be able to explain the following: How to select the right ladder for the task at hand; What to look for when inspecting a ladder; How to properly set up various types of ladders; How to ensure a ladder is stable before climbing it; How to safely climb and work on ladders.
THE TALLEST TOOL IN THE TOOL BOX: Using Ladders Safely REVIEW QUIZ Name Date The following questions are provided to check how well you understand the information presented during this program. 1. The rated work height for a step ladder assumes that you are standing no higher than the step from the top of the ladder. a. second b. third c. fourth 2. Which type of ladder is rated for a load of 375 pounds? a. Type 1 b. Type 1-A c. Type 1-AA 3. When you carry a ladder by yourself, you should keep the front end slightly. a. lowered b. elevated 4. Step ladders should never be used as a straight ladder. a. true b. false 5. If you place an extension ladder that touches a structure 24 feet up, the base should be located feet from the base of the building. a. 4 b. 6 c. 8 6. Climbing a ladder safely is similar to walking. a. true b. false 7. The key to staying safely at the top of a ladder is balance. a. true b. false
ANSWERS TO THE REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. a 2. c 3. b 4. a 5. b 6. b 7. a