Many workers are inevitably going to have to use ladders at some point. They have to work at heights and must be aware that there’s always an inherent danger. For instance, in the construction industry, falls are the number one cause of fatal accidents.
However, even workers who have to use ladders can take specific steps to be safe. They need to know what common mistakes to avoid. Below are three examples.
1. Leaning to the side
Many falls happen when a worker has to reach something very close, but not quite close enough. Maybe they’re painting a house and they can’t quite reach the edge of the window trim, for example. They should get down and move the ladder to the side, but they will often try to lean aggressively and either fall from the ladder or cause it to tip over.
2. Not keeping three points of contact
Whenever people are climbing a ladder, they need to keep three points of contact. They should only be moving one hand or foot at a time. But people are often in a rush or trying to carry tools and materials, making proper climbing style impossible.
3. Setting up at the wrong angle
Finally, the ladder needs to be at the correct angle. If the angle is too steep, the ladder could tip over backward. But what happens even more often is that the angle is too shallow, so the ladder’s bottom feet slide out – away from the wall. The ladder starts to fall, but there’s nothing the worker can do about it at that point.
Even when workers avoid these clear mistakes, injuries can still happen. Those who have been hurt need to know how to seek proper workers’ comp benefits.