Most ladder falls start with the setup. A good setup takes two minutes and a bad one can cost a life.
Before you place it
- Look up and around. Check for overhead wires, tree branches, signs and doors.
- Check the ground. Is it stable, firm and level? Is it free of ice, oil, wet leaves or loose stones?
- Clear the area at the top and the bottom, so you can climb on and off without stepping on tools or boxes.
- Doors and traffic: if a door could open into the ladder, block it, lock it or put a guard on it. If people or vehicles pass by, use cones or barriers, or ask a co-worker to watch.
The ground
OSHA requires that portable ladders are used only on stable and level surfaces, unless they are secured to prevent accidental movement. On a slippery surface, the general industry rule requires the ladder to be secured and stabilized. The construction rule allows slip-resistant feet, but not as a substitute for care in placing, tying or holding the ladder.
- Do not place a ladder on boxes, barrels, bricks or any makeshift base to gain height.
- Do not use a ladder on a muddy or icy surface without securing it.
- Level a slope only with leveling equipment made for the ladder. Do not put blocks under one foot.
- Do not place a ladder against a movable or unstable support, such as a stack of loose boxes or a window.
The 4-to-1 rule for straight and extension ladders
A straight or extension ladder must be set at the right angle. On construction sites, OSHA requires an angle where the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is about one-quarter of the working length of the ladder (1926.1053(b)(5)(i)). The general industry rule does not state an angle, but the same 4-to-1 setup is the usual practice and matches the angle shown on most ladder labels (about 75 degrees).
- For every 4 feet of height from the ground to the point where the ladder touches the wall, move the foot 1 foot out.
- Example: the top touches the wall at 12 feet, so the foot is 3 feet from the wall.
- Too steep: the ladder can tip backward. Too shallow: it can slide out at the base or break.
- Quick check: stand with your toes at the foot of the ladder and stretch your arms straight out. You should reach the rung with your palms, without leaning.
The 3-foot extension
If you use a ladder to get onto a roof or another level, the side rails must reach at least 3 feet above the landing surface. This gives you something to hold when you step on and off. Both the general industry rule (1910.23(c)(11)) and the construction rule (1926.1053(b)(1)) require it. Only the construction rule allows an alternative where the ladder is too short: it must then be secured at the top to a rigid support, with a grab rail or similar hand-hold.
The rule is about the rails, not about the number of rungs. Count 3 feet, about three rungs, above the edge.
Securing the ladder
- Tie off the top of the ladder to a solid support, if you can do it safely.
- Use slip-resistant feet on hard floors.
- When you cannot tie off, have a trained co-worker hold the base. This is helpful, but it is not a reason to skip the other steps.
- On an extension ladder, make sure the locks are fully engaged on both sides before you climb.
- Never move, shift or extend a ladder while somebody is on it.
Stepladders
- Open it fully. Lock the spreaders so they cannot fold.
- Place it on a firm, level surface.
- Do not use a stepladder closed and leaning, as a straight ladder.
- Do not use the top cap or the top step as a step (1910.23(c)(8), 1926.1053(b)(13)). The labels show the highest step you may stand on.
- Keep the front facing the work. Do not work from the side, because the ladder can tip.
Remember
Firm ground, 4 to 1, 3 feet above the landing, locks on, top tied off, area clear.