OSHA safety regulations, contractor safety programs, and ladder manufacturers alike do not require fall protection systems for portable ladders. This is primarily due to the fact that while ladder use is certainly involved in many accidents, it’s simply proper usage of the ladders that will provide a safe working environment. For instance, the angle that a straight or extension ladder is placed against a wall or structure is critical to ladder safety. If the base of the ladder is placed too far away from the wall (see figure 1), there is more outward lateral pressure on the feet than the ladder was designed for. What this means to you is that the ladder is much more likely to slip out from under you than you realize. Ladder engineers design the foot dimensions and materials based on the anticipated load, but only at the correct angle – any more lateral forces on the feet is just asking for trouble.
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