Page 76 - Occupational Health & Safety, July/August 2019

FALL PREVENTION
Getting Rid of Ladders = Getting Rid of Traditional Ladders
We know how people misuse ladders, so we can add safety features to prevent the accidents from happening—even when they are misused. BY DAVE FRANCIS
People have been using ladders for thou- sands of years. Archaeologists have found cave paintings in Spain showing people us- ing ladders that date earlier than the inven-
tion of the wheel. Unfortunately, the basic design of ladders hasn’t changed much in all that time. Lad- ders are built to ANSI standards and to meet OSHA
requirements, but their design is very simple, and they can be easily misused.
Many industrial companies have started removing all ladders from the job site in an effort to reduce the risk of ladder-related accidents. Instead of focusing on getting rid of ladders, however, companies should fo- cus on replacing traditional ladders with better, safer ladders. Here are some common problems with lad- ders that cause most ladder accidents:
Ladders Are Too Heavy
In some service industries, almost half of ladder-re- lated injuries are strains and sprains from handling a heavy ladder. Some workers are doing eight to 12 visits a day with a 28-foot extension ladder weighing more than 70 pounds. (And you thought you were tired at the end of a day.)
The solution to this problem is to make lighter lad- ders. New fiberglass materials are available and can reduce the weight of your ladder by 20 percent. Most ladder companies now offer a lighter-weight version of their ordinary extension ladders.
Stepping off the Ladder Early
This one sounds crazy but it happens, injuring peo- ple every day. Workers climbing down their ladders in a hurry thinking they are at the bottom, and they step off from the second or third rung. This common mistake causes a lot of sprained or broken ankles and blown knees but also has been responsible for some very serious injuries where the person fell on his back or neck.
We have heard a lot of ideas on how to prevent this problem, everything from color-coding the side rails to laser-activated buzzers at the bottom. The best so- lution by far has been the “Ground Cue.” This device makes the bottom step both feel and sound different than all of the other steps on the ladder. You don’t need a sticker or a training class; you just have to use it a few times. The user becomes conditioned to know he or she has reached the bottom rung when he or she hears and feels the Ground Cue.
People Use the Wrong Ladder for the Job
Often, workers think the right ladder for the job is too heavy. If I have the choice to carry a 4-foot step- ladder or a 6-foot stepladder, I’ll probably carry the 4-footer and try to make it work by climbing on the top step or top cap of the ladder to get the job done. The top step of a stepladder has a sticker on it that
70 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2019
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LITTLE GIANT LADDER SYSTEMS