Disadvantages Of Working With Ladders

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Ladders are one of the most common tools people use, both on the job and at home. If you use ladders often, it’s very easy to forget that they can be very dangerous. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, people injure themselves 24,000 times every year by falling off of ladders at work. Most ladder accidents result from improper ladder usage, which means these accidents can be prevented. If you follow safe procedures when using ladders, you and your coworkers can avoid ladder injuries.
When you’ve completed this course, you should be able to identify types of ladders and general safe practices when working with ladders; recognize the importance of ladder inspection, set-up, and location; and recognize the best practices for safe ladder use.
Lesson 1: Types of Ladders and General Safe Practices
You might use several types of ladders in the …show more content…

Your workplace may have a fixed ladder leading to the roof, for example. Fixed ladders longer than 24 feet must have cages, wells, or a ladder safety device or personal fall arrest system available for climbers to use. Ladder safety systems and personal fall arrest systems are preferred over cages and wells. Over the next 20 years, OSHA will slowly phase out the use of cages and wells on new and remodeled ladders, but you will likely still see them on older ladder installations. Fixed ladders must have landing platforms at least every 50 feet and rest platforms at least every 150 feet. All fixed ladders must be inspected regularly and be maintained in a safe condition. Don’t use a fixed ladder unless you’re trained and allowed to do so. Sometimes, you may run across specialty ladders, including platform ladders, combination ladders, and articulating ladders. If you found an unfamiliar ladder type that you’ll need to use, you should ask your supervisor for training on how to set up and use that

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