Stepping into Management Knowledge

H&S Training

1.12

Always inspect the ladder before use - Never use if the rubber feet are missing or the rungs or stiles are bent or damaged.

Your body should always be between the side rails of the ladder, if you find you can’t reach without moving you body past the side rails, STOP, go back down the ladder and move it closer to the job. You may find some jobs require frequent moving of the ladder to be safe.

You should always have 3 points of contact with the ladder: 2 feet and 1 hand or 2 feet and your waist.

Extendable leaning ladders may be used in some circumstances, however these are not the normal company approved ladders and you must check with your manager before using these type of ladders that they have been approved for the job. Use obeying the 1 in 4 rule: For every 4 feet up the ladder to its resting point, it should be 1 foot out from what it is resting upon.

Never use the top 3 rungs to stand upon.

If you need to extend the ladder this must be undertaken by 2 people and there must always be at least a 3 rung overlap between the 2 sections.

If you are above 2m from the ground the ladder must be steadied by a second person standing on the ground and not on the bottom rung of the ladder. The ladder should always extend 1m above the work area or the top of the ledge being accessed to allow a safe hand hold.

Always rest on a secure surface, never on a fragile surface e.g. glass

Ascend / Descend facing the ladder using both hands – anything carried such as a light bulb should be in a suitable holder or have it passed to you

Correct Use Of A Stepladder

ASK QUESTION TO GROUP: How high do you think you can go up a stepladder before it becomes unsafe? CONFIRM CORRECT ANSWER:  Never stand on the top two steps.  Your knees should not be higher than the top tread. That way you can use your knees to support.  The only exception is if the stepladder is constructed as a platform and has a handrail up to your waist level.

EXPLAIN TO THE TEAM:

Always fully extend the stepladder out so the retaining straps are taught or the hinges locked straight.

Where possible set at right angles to the work.

Do not over-reach and if you feel unsafe do not proceed with the task.

Safety Assurance Dec 15

H & S Training 1.12