Ladder Safety Should Be Priority One!

Step Up and Start Using Ladders Safely

Using ladders safely is not always the first thing employees think about when climbing up to complete a task. It's your responsibility to make sure that ladder safety is always the first priority whenever a ladder is used by employees.

NIOSH's Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports a 33-year-old window cleaner died after falling from an 8-foot stepladder. A bucket was tied to the top of the ladder with a rag, making the ladder unstable.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that falls remain a leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide, and 43% of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder. Among workers, approximately 20% of fall injuries involve ladders. In 2011, work-related ladder fall injuries (LFIs) resulted in 113 fatalities.

Don't Risk Injury or Death Due to Improper Ladder Safety

Beware of not using ladders safely

For residential cleaners, ladder use is routine and sometimes taken for granted. High ceilings and ledges, corner cob webs/dust, chandeliers, ceiling fans, cabinet tops, and vents are just a few of those difficult, hard to reach areas of the home that may require ladder use.

Training yourself and your employees to use ladders safely is just as necessary as training them on chemical safety or the importance of personal protective equipment.  

The following are tips for using ladders safely:

• Never stand on items, such as chairs, desks, boxes, books or other objects to reach up high. Always use a ladder or footstool on a flat, stable floor.
• Never place a ladder in front of a closed door that can open towards the ladder.
• Use ladders that are in good condition. Check rungs and your shoes for grease and grime, and clean if necessary.
• Never use a metal ladder when working with electrical fixtures.
• Stepladders should be fully opened with spreaders locked in place.
• Never use a stepladder as a straight ladder.
• Only one person should be on a ladder at a time.
• Use both hands when climbing a ladder.
• Never stand higher than the second rung from the top of the ladder.
• Do not stand or sit on the top shelf of the ladder.
• Carry tools and window washing equipment on a tool belt.
• When working at heights exceeding 6 feet, have a second person hold and steady the ladder.
• Never exceed the maximum load capacity of the ladder.
• Ladders should not be stored where they present a tripping hazard, or where they can fall on personnel.
• Ladder angle - one foot out for each four feet of ladder working length.

When using a ladder, face the ladder when climbing both up and down. Always maintain three points of contact, one hand and two feet, for example. Leave heavy or bulking items behind. They could cause you to lose your grip on the side rail or cause the ladder to fall to one side or the other. Keep your body centered between the side rails. When cleaning with one hand, try to brace yourself with your free hand if possible. Never lean too far out to one side or try to overextend while cleaning. It's much safer to take the time to move and re-position the ladder than risk a fall to clean that last corner cob web.

Are You Training Your Employees On Safety Procedures? OSHA and GHS Compliant Safety Training for Cleaning Companies is available as a downloadable PDF document. Included with the program is a Safety Exam and Certificate of Completion.