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.
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One of the most common misuses of straight, extension and stepladders is not using the coorect rated ladder for the job. 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 weight rating of a ladder is critical to ladder safety. If the weight rating of an extension ladder is insufficient (see figure 1), there is more outward lateral pressure on the feet than the ladder was designed for, and more pressure on the rungs and siderails, and of course, more pressure on the extension latches. What this means to you is that the ladder is much more likely to be damaged, fail or collapse than you than you realize. Ladder engineers design their ladders based on the anticipated load.
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