Some of the worst ladder accidents are not falls. They are electrocutions. Ladders and electricity must be kept apart.
Why electricity and ladders are dangerous
Metal conducts electricity. An aluminum ladder that touches a live wire can send current through the person on it. Damp wood, dirty fiberglass and even a wet rope can also carry current. Electric current can kill from a distance if it jumps, which is called arcing, and it can also throw you from the ladder.
OSHA's rules in short
- OSHA's electrical work practice rule (29 CFR 1910.333) requires that portable ladders have non-conductive side rails if they are used where the worker or the ladder could contact exposed energized parts.
- Do not use metal ladders near exposed energized parts. Metal tape measures, metal-reinforced rulers and conductive items are a risk as well.
- Only qualified persons may work on or near exposed energized parts. Ordinary staff must not.
Practical rules
Look up before you set up
- Find overhead power lines, service drops and other cables. Keep the ladder, yourself and everything you carry well away from them. Your employer's rules set the distance, and it is greater for higher voltages. When in doubt, ask for a safer way to do the job.
- Remember the ladder is tall. When you carry or raise it, it can reach a wire you did not see.
Choose the right ladder
- Use fiberglass for work near electrical equipment, but keep it clean, dry and undamaged.
- Do not rely on the ladder alone. Fiberglass reduces the risk, but it does not make live parts safe.
In electrical rooms and on panels
- Use only the ladder your employer has approved for this work.
- Never work on live equipment unless you are qualified and your employer has a procedure.
- Follow lockout/tagout rules for equipment that can start or become live (29 CFR 1910.147).
If a ladder touches a power line
- Do not touch the ladder or the person.
- Keep others away, stay clear of the ground near it, and call 911 and the utility.
Other special hazards
Doors and traffic
- Block doors and passageways, or post a watcher. A person walking into the ladder can bring it down.
- When you work on a ladder near a road or a forklift route, use cones, signs or barriers.
Floors and ground
- Wet floors, polished floors, ramps, stairs and loading docks need extra care. Do not set a ladder on stairs.
- On slippery ground, have the ladder secured or use slip-resistant feet.
Slopes, edges and openings
- Keep ladders away from holes, edges and openings unless you have fall protection.
- When you use a ladder next to a roof edge, the fall protection rules for roofs apply too (lesson 7).
Chemicals and heat
- Solvents, acids and heat can weaken a ladder.
- Wipe up spilled liquids on the rungs and on the floor at the base.
Working alone
- A fall alone can be worse because nobody will help. Tell someone where you are, and use a check-in if your employer has one.
Emergency and first aid
Know where the nearest first aid kit, the emergency exits and the telephone are. Know the number to call. For injuries or near-misses, report them to your supervisor.
Remember
Look up. Keep metal away from power. Use non-conductive rails near live parts. Block doors and traffic.