Unsafe Portable Ladders
If a portable ladder is not safely positioned each time you use it, you could fall from the ladder.
While you are on a ladder, it may move and slip from its supports. You can also lose your balance while getting on or off an unsteady ladder. Falls from ladders can cause injuries, ranging from sprains to death.
BLS data show that falls from ladders account for more than 100 fatalities each year. Factors that contribute to falls from ladders are ladder slip (top or bottom), overreaching, ladder placement, slipping on rungs/steps, defective equipment, and improper ladder selection for a given task. Frequently cited OSHA ladder violations include:
- not having a portable ladder extend 3 feet above the landing,
- no worker training, and
- improper use of the top of stepladders.
When OSHA inspectors drive by construction sites (they do all the time), the most obvious violation they see is a portable ladder extending less than 3 feet above the landing. If they don't see at least two rungs above the landing, it's likely the extension is less than 3 feet. OSHA will stop to investigate. In the worst case scenario, they may decide to conduct a full inspection of the entire worksite. What's the message? Make sure your ladders extend 3 feet above the landing.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-4. What is the most common construction worksite violation seen by OSHA inspectors as they drive by?
You forgot to answer the question!