Safety Articles» accessories http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:30:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Working Safely with Ladders – Using Ladder Accessories Part Three http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog/2009/12/04/ladder-accessories-three/ http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog/2009/12/04/ladder-accessories-three/#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:22:26 +0000 dana http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog/?p=120 Ladder accidents frequently happen when the ladder is not set properly. 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. Unfortunately, “proper usage” involves a level, stable surface to set the ladder on, or structure to set the ladder against – with a proper place to tie off the ladder, etc. In the real world, this is rarely the case, and rather than set the ladder improperly, consider using ladder accessories for your situation. The venerable stepladder is by far the most common ladder to work from. Most problems working on stepladders occur from having your tools within reach and secure from falling. Here are a couple of my favorites for stepladders.

First, the Extra Hand Ladder Buddy (found at www.extrahandladderbuddy.com) is an inexpensive (around $20, plus shipping and handling) and simple solution to a modern problem – cordless drills, wrenches, and other small power tools that we seem to can’t live without. Too many workers lay these tools on the stepladder platform and they either get knocked off, or fall off when the ladder is moved. In many cases, the tool, the surrounding area, or the worker is damaged. This simple device attaches to the stepladder’s siderail, allowing for a secure holster for the tool. In some cases, workers have more than one cordless tool, and additional holders may be put on the ladder siderails as desired.

The second ladder accessory is the Ladder Boss (found at www.ladderboss.com). Again, a very simple to use and not too an expensive (from $20 to $50, plus accessories) ladder accessory. This fabric pouch assembly fits over the stepladder top and places a wide array of hand tools at your fingertips around the top of the stepladder platform. In most cases, the Ladder Boss allows for a material and/pr trash bucket to be placed in the pouch. This can make for not only more efficient work methods, less travel time up and down; but may reduce the amount of trash spread across the work area – a hazard unto itself. Unlike the Ladder Buddy, of which there is only one product, the Ladder Boss has a wide array of specialized tool holders and accessory panels that you can add to the base unit, depending on your work.

Remember, ladder accessories can help you transport, set, secure and use your ladder more effectively.

]]> http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog/2009/12/04/ladder-accessories-three/feed/ 0 Working Safely with Ladders – Using Ladder Accessories Part One http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog/2009/11/02/working-safely-with-ladders-%e2%80%93-using-ladder-accessories-part-one/ http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog/2009/11/02/working-safely-with-ladders-%e2%80%93-using-ladder-accessories-part-one/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:45:53 +0000 dana http://www.safetyplandownloads.com/blog/?p=116 Ladder accidents frequently happen when the ladder is not set properly. 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. Unfortunately, “proper usage” involves a level, stable surface to set the ladder on, or structure to set the ladder against – with a proper place to tie off the ladder, etc. In the real world, this is rarely the case, and rather than set the ladder improperly, consider using ladder accessories for your situation. Here are some of my favorites.

ladder with different leg lengthsFirst, for extension and straight ladders, let’s talk about ladder angles. There are two angles to be concerned with a correctly set extension or straight ladder. The first one is 90 degrees – that is, when facing the ladder it needs to set 90 degrees from the horizontal – in other words – plumb! Fortunately, we humans are so used to seeing vertical lines plumb to the horizontal (walls, trees, light poles), that it is extremely easy to see if your ladder is not set right. When it’s not, it’s in danger of sliding sideways off the structure. That’s where the levelok come in (see figure 1 – levelok.com). This attachment allows you to hold the ladder plumb while extending one leg until it touches the ground. Very simple to use, and relatively inexpensive (aro $100 pr.).

The second ladder angle to be concerned with is 75 ½ degrees. Never heard of that one? This comes from the 4:1 rule: that is, when the ladder is set against the structure its base is required to be set 1 foot away from the structure for every 4 feet in height. This 4:1 ratio works out to 75 ½ degrees. All straight and extension ladders are designed with this angle in mind, and is not only the correct angle, but the safest angle. There are a couple of ways to determine this, but the best way I believe is the Ladder Level (see figure 2 – ladder-level.com) which intuitively allows the user to set the ladder at the exact angle every time, just by looking at a bubble level which is formed at the correct angle and set in the siderail. Again, a very simple to use and very inexpensive (aro $6 ea.) ladder accessory.

Remember, ladder accessories can help you transport, set, secure and use your ladder more effectively.

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