Ladder Safety

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Falls are one of the most common incidents in a workplace and at home. The cause of these is mainly from use of incorrect equipment or the job. In construction the cost of falls per year is estimated at $24 million. Preventing falls in the workplace needs to be a priority for workers, contractors, management.

Control the Hazard

To stay safe when working at height, you need to ensure effective controls are in place to prevent people being harmed. To select the most effective controls, you must consider the hierarchy of control:

Eliminate the chances of a fall by doing as much of the preparation work as possible on

the ground.

Isolate the worker from the risk of a fall by using scaffolds and edge protection to prevent

the fall.

Only when these steps are not achievable should the risk be minimized by using Personal Protection Items such as harness and ropes.

When to Use a Ladder

Ladders do not offer any protection from a fall. Ladders are primarily a means of access to carry out light tasks that are of short duration.

This could be reaching a shelf up high, changing a light bulb, touching up paint, testing a smoke alarm.