Portable Ladders
Inspect, Train and Differentiate Based on Design and Use
BY MICHAEL C. WRIGHT, JEREMY DEASON AND MARK E. WILLIAMS

Ladders are sixth on OSHA’s top 10 list of most cited violations in 2009. The citations include the improper use of ladders; users not knowing what specific types of ladders are designed to do, and the failure to mark or remove defective ladders from service.

OSHA stipulates that employees must be trained in “the proper construction, use, placement and care in handling of all stairways and ladders; and the maximum intended load-carrying capacities of ladders used.” OSHA also notes, “Employers must retrain each employee as necessary to maintain their understanding and knowledge on the safe use and construction of ladders and stairs.”

The OSHA proposed ladder regulation also adds a definition for a “combination ladder,” which is a portable ladder designed to be used as a step, extension, trestle, or stairwell ladder. The proposed definition cites ANSI A14.1–2, and A14.5 as its predecessor.

Safety professionals are well aware that OSHA, ANSI, and product manufacturers all have specific standards and/or instructions for the use of ladders. Within these standards or instructions, there is no argument against the fact that ladders, stepladders and portable ladders must be erected in the proper manner. It is essential to have a safety program for your employees that include the inspection, training and correct application of ladders, which come in different categories. Knowing how to properly use the appropriate ladder for a specific job is extremely important. As an example, portable ladders and stepladders shall be considered.

Inspection of Portable Ladders

For portable ladders, follow the manufacturers’ guidelines and the ANSI A14.5 requirements when conducting an inspection. As stated earlier, ladders come in different categories. One must be sure to use the correct ladder for the job being performed. This includes making sure the ladder is of the proper weight for the worker using it.

When inspecting a ladder, an employee should check the safety shoes or safety boots, making sure the rubber on the boot is adequate without worn spots. Inadequate rubber on the boot will create a loss in friction with the surface the ladder is placed, potentially causing the ladder to kick-out from underneath the user.

One should make sure the ladder is properly lubricated and that all springs and mechanisms are in proper working order. No dings or structural bends in the ladder should be apparent. All labeling should be inspected to affirm that it is readable. Most manufacturers will give you new stickers if needed.

Remember, ladders with inadequate safety boots, improperly lubricated springs or illegible warning stickers should not be used. To be safe, ladders must be in excellent condition.

Training and Use of Portable Ladders

When using a portable ladder, train workers to always inspect the ladder prior to each use. You never know if someone else used the ladder in an inappropriate manner, thus causing damage.

During training, show the worker how the steel plate to which the rubber boot is attached can make contact with the surface the ladder is resting on and provide an example of a worn-out safety shoe.

Make sure one knows when ascending a ladder that it is possible to depress the safety boot support, especially if the safety shoe is worn, causing it to deflect.

If this happens, the steel plate will come in contact with the surface and the ladder may kick out. The employee using the ladder will either fall or “ride the ladder down,” as it’s called. The resulting injuries could be very serious depending on the type of ladder, the height at which the employee was working, and the person’s age and weight.

Teach the employee the proper angle at which a portable ladder should be placed when resting against a vertical wall or surface and that the user should make three-point contact at all times.

Ladders are not intended to be used as work platforms where you’re using both hands to do your work task. The original intent of a ladder or OSHA’s intent is egress. It is to be used to go up and down from one area to another—not as an area from which to work.

If one can maintain a three point contact—meaning two feet, one hand—then it is possible and permissible to paint or do any other kind of work activity using a ladder.

One more area to cover when training is to never over lean or over extend one’s self. The typical requirement is the center of your body, usually referenced as your belt buckle, should not over project the side rails of the ladder. The center of your body should stay within the inside rails of the ladder.

Proper Ladder Erection

When considering the erection of a portable ladder make sure the angle is 75.5 degrees with respect to the working surface according to OSHA.

Stepladders

Two main types of stepladders are the articulating (combination) type and the traditional A-frame type. Stepladders are made of fiberglass, wood or aluminum. All shall be inspected in accordance to the manufacturer’s recommendations and the ANSI A14.3 standards.

Inspection of Stepladders

For all stepladders, the safety shoes must be complete and proper. Employees should be sure to inspect the ladder for breaks or any visual damage to the ladder. All warning labels that are not readable or removed shall be replaced. If damage has been caused to the ladder, it should not be permitted to be used. The ladder must have a red tag placed on it stating, “Do Not Use,” and should be placed in a secured area or destroyed.

When using a stepladder, train your worker to always inspect the ladder prior to each use. You never know if someone else used the ladder in an inappropriate manner, thus causing damage to it.

When in use by an authorized person, that person shall not work beyond the center of their geometry, which is physically referenced as the belt buckle. The person is permitted to use both hands to do the work activities while standing on the ladder with both feet. The stepladder shall not be used within two steps of the top or per the manufacturer’s instructions.

OSHA requires that you follow the manufacturer’s requirements. If you exceed those requirements either in weight or in usage, you are subject to a citation.

Stepladders should not twist or overextend. OSHA’s proposed 1910.26 stipulates a metal spreader or locking device for all stepladders or any “combination ladder” used as a stepladder. Twisting of the ladder, such as you would expect if you were pulling electrical cable through a drop ceiling, may actually cause the stepladder to lose its structural capability and twist and fail.

Inspection and training must be continual endeavors to ensure that usage is within the design intentions and OSHA/ANSI compliant. Before you even reach that stage though, push safety all the way back to the purchase. If you’re a buyer of any ladder products, remember the following.

Make sure you’re getting the correct ladder capacity rating, the correct ladder for the application, the correct height and material. Choosing whether the ladder should be fiberglass, wood or aluminum will be based on the application. Aluminum ladders should not be used around electrification—water settings, power settings or any environments that would induce an electrical charge and injure the user.

Use of portable ladders and stepladders is unavoidable in a majority of today’s industry. Don’t let the inspection; training and the correct application of those tools get the best of you. FSM

Michael C. Wright, PE, CSP, CPE, president; Jeremy Deason, PE , director of Engineering; and Mark E. Williams, safety specialist, are part of the consulting team for Safety through Engineering, Inc. Website: www.ste4u.com.