Ladder Safety Guide
Ladder safety is a must when you are doing any form of DIY project. Ladder accidents send around 41,000 people to hospital every year so we have put together the following small guide.
Ensure that there is enough space around you to fully extend the ladder to its full length needed.
- Make sure that you secure any ladder where possible.
- Always ensure that you check the ladder before using it. Making sure that the ladder is solidly in place and checking the feet to ensure that they are in a good position for grip.
- Check that the ground around the legs of the ladder is firm and level as well as dry.
- Make sure you have a strong upper resting point for the ladder (plastic guttering is not sufficient for this).
- Floors should be checked to ensure that they are not slippery and that they are clean.
- Stick to no more than 30 minutes at a time on the ladder and come down for frequent short breaks.
- When carrying weight up the ladder ensure you carry no more than 10kg’s in weight.
- Always grip the ladder on the climb up and down to ensure you are as safe as possible.
- Do not over reach when using a ladder as this can lead to fatal accidents (if in doubt come down and re place the ladder in a better position.
- Keep both feet on the same rung when working from the ladder
- Do not work above the top 3 rungs as this provides a handhold.
- Ensure you use any locking devices correctly and re-check them to be sure they are in place properly.
- Avoid working from the ladder in a side on position.
- Make sure that the steps to the ladder are clean before using it.
Don’t forget that your safety is more important than getting a job finished quickly.
If you need to call someone to do the job for you contact Premier Handyman NOW on
