In several industries, the ladder has long been a vital tool for some workers to help them do their jobs – whether it is to clean out air-conditioning vents, roofing jobs or even changing light bulbs. Ladders add height and versatility to workers to be able to do jobs better at heights too high for workers to reach from the floor or ground. And as the ground or floor is usually a solid foundation, a ladder draws people up off the foundation, which by nature leads to some instability. And with that instability, there is some risk as a worker climbs up and down a ladder. The higher a worker climbs and the more the worker’s weight is moved above the ground, the more risk of the a ladder falling or collapsing and causing injury to a worker.
[IMAGE CREDIT: Flickr user ed ed]Ladders are a very valuable tool in many industries and jobs. There are risks to safety and workplace health, however, if they are not used properly.
One of the safety steps that are recommended for workers on ladders is what is called “three point contact,” which means going up and down a ladder by maintaining contact at all times with at least two feet and a hand, or two hands and a foot. It is also recommended that workers don’t carry tools up the ladder with them; instead, tools should be on a tool belt or lifted up to the worker once he is in his final place on the ladder. How important is this? According to recent research about accidents, 32 percent of critical injuries in construction industries are traced back to the use of ladders. And a full 13 percent of workers who fall off ladders wind up suffering serious trauma to their heads, chests and backs.
Ladders are so ubiquitous in today’s world, you may wonder if there is an alternative tool, or is it just a matter of reinforcing the safe use of these ladders? Well of course you could reinforce the safety rules with using ladders, or you can move over to portable lifts. These lifts are a bucket that can be raised with a drill and have a type of countertop for tools that is all around the bucket and can allow workers to move around and work in a circle safely, as opposed to a ladder, which limits the scope of safe working.
Contact us at Purcell Enterprises to get a complete safety audit about how your use your various tools – including ladders and lifts – and allow us to help you create the most efficient and safe working environment for all your workers.