LADDER SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION
Welcome to the Ministry of Labour's health and safety podcast. On today's segment, we will be talking about ladder safety in construction.
Now, most of us are totally familiar with ladders. We use them around the house all of the time. To many, they are a useful tool that we take for granted.
Yes, ladders are useful, but they also represent a very common, and dangerous, hazard in workplaces - especially in construction.
Improper use of ladders on construction projects continues to be a major cause of workplace injuries in Ontario.
In recognition of the seriousness of the hazards in the use of ladders in construction, a number of regulations have been put in place under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
These include regulations governing the use of manufactured ladders on a construction project, and job-built wooden ladders. In addition there are regulations that require that:
• A ladder must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, and
• That a safe distance must be maintained from energized electrical equipment and overhead power lines
In addition, under the regulations:
• Workers must be aware of the written emergency procedures in place at the project in the event of an accident - there are to be established by the constructor
• Employers must ensure that personal protective equipment needed for the job is used by workers and maintained in good condition.
• The personal protective equipment must comply with applicable standards. Where required, the employer must ensure that the equipment is used, maintained and stored according to manufacturer's instructions, applicable standards, and legislated requirements.
• And finally, workers must be adequately trained on the use of the personal protective equipment.
There are a number of recommended safe practices regarding the use of ladders on construction sites. Questions to ask before you use a ladder should include:
• Does a ladder provide the safest means of access and egress for the work location and type of work - or would stairs or a ramp be better, especially with respect to workplace emergency procedures?
• Would work be more safely performed using a scaffold system, or an elevated work platform instead of a ladder?
• What type of ladder is most suitable considering the workplace restrictions and conditions - consider such factors as height, space, proximity of energized power lines, top support, footing support surface. Remember, never use metal ladders near energized electrical equipment or wires.
• Has the proper equipment been provided for material handling to reduce the risk of overexertion or musculoskeletal disorders? Factors to consider are such things as work positioning, the use of lifting devices, to raise materials to the work position and so on.
• Ask how materials and equipment are transported or moved between levels.
• Is the user of the ladder able to maintain three-point contact at all times while on the ladder?
If work must be carried out at height, a work platform should be considered. Ladders should be used to work at heights only as a last resort - when location restrictions prevent the use of a work platform.
Remember, a worker on a ladder must be protected against falling if he or she is working at a height of 3 metres or more.
Defective ladders should be taken out of service and discarded.
And, this is very important - all workers, including young workers and workers new to the job, must be adequately trained and properly supervised.
As we see, ladders are not a benign tool that anyone can use. The represent hazards on construction sites, and should be treated as such.
Used properly, ladders are an indispensable tool. Used improperly, they can lead to injuries … or worse.
For more information on ladder safety in construction, go to our website.
We're at ontario.ca - forward slash - labour … that's l-a-b-o-u-r. That's ontario.ca - forward slash - labour … l-a-b-o-u-r
On our health and safety section, go to Topics and Publications. There you'll find a link to the construction site, where you can get a lot of health and safety information - including the use of ladders in construction.
That's it for this Ministry of Labour health and safety podcast.
Thank you for listening.