Ladder Safety Requirements

Your construction firm employer is required by law to follow standards put in place by OSHA. They are required to give safety instruction before you start new projects and how ladders are properly used.

Contact our New York Construction Accident Attorneys if you have been injured or your loved one has died due to ladder accident at work.

You risk falling if portable ladders are not safely positioned each time they are used. While you are on a ladder, it may move and slip from its supports. You can also lose your balance while getting on or off an unsteady ladder. Falls from ladders can cause injuries ranging from sprains to death.

The OSHA Standard for portable ladders contains specific requirements designed to ensure worker safety:

Self-supporting (foldout) and non-self-supporting (leaning) portable ladders must be able to support at least four times the maximum intended load, except extra-heavy-duty metal or plastic ladders, which must be able to sustain 3.3 times the maximum intended load.

Angle of the Ladder: Non-self-supporting ladders, which must lean against a wall or other support, are to be positioned at such an angle that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is about 1/4 the working length of the ladder.

In the case of job-made wooden ladders, that angle should equal about 1/8 the working length. This minimizes the strain of the load on ladder joints that may not be as strong as on commercially manufactured ladders.

Ladder Rungs: Ladder rungs, cleats, or steps must be parallel, level, and uniformly spaced when the ladder is in position for use. Rungs must be spaced between 10 and 14 inches apart.

• For extension trestle ladders, the spacing must be 8-18 inches for the base, and 6-12 inches on the extension section.
  
• Rungs must be so shaped that an employee's foot cannot slide off, and must be skid-resistant.
  

Slipping on Ladders: Ladders are to be kept free of oil, grease, wet paint, and other slipping hazards.Wood ladders must not be coated with any opaque covering, except identification or warning labels on one face only of a side rail.

Other requirements for ladder use:

• Foldout or stepladders must have a metal spreader or locking device
• Ladders must be offset with a landing or platform between the ladders
• Area at the top and bottom of ladder must be kept clear
• Ladders must not be tied or fastened together
• Never use a ladder for any purpose other than the one for which it was designed
  

Please contact us if you have experienced any kind of construction injuries. Our expert lawyers specializing in construction accidents will assist you with all of your questions.