Ladder Safety
Ladders are a big part of many claims investigations. Whether you or someone involved in your claim is using a ladder (e.g. field adjuster, contractor, engineer) and you want them to be safe, or you are looking at a ladder accident after the fact from a liability point of view, there are many things to consider. We are regularly called to investigate ladder accidents to determine the root cause(s).
ANSI has a Standard for Ladders, ANSI -ASC A14.2-2007, American National Standard for Ladders – Portable Metal – Safety Requirements. They cover some information that would be intrinsic to the ladder from manufacturing (e.g. spacing of rungs; workmanship of burrs, bolts, rivets, welds). But there is also information that relates to operation (e.g. the correct angle to place a ladder at; how much of the ladder should extend up above the roofline). There is also information available from various government resources, including Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. If you are using ladders for work purposes, you should have appropriate training for Working from Heights.
The most common accident causes for a self-supporting ladder (i.e. step ladder) are related to stability or sliding. The most common for non self-supporting (e.g. single ladder, extension ladder) are related to human slip, lateral sliding at top support, or outward sliding at the lower base support. There are many common contributing factors to these accidents; some due to operator error, some due to manufacturer defect, and some due to wear and tear of the ladder itself.
No one would expect you to have knowledge about manufacturer requirements (e.g. are the rungs properly spaced?) before you use a ladder, but it’s important to make sure that you understand basic safety items that are operator related. Things such as the proper inclination of the ladder (typically 75.5o or 1’ out for every 4’ of vertical height) and making a visual assessment to make sure it looks safe and appropriate for its intended use (e.g. nothing looks broken, dented, warped, worn out, the feet are in good condition and appropriate, etc).
When the ladder is set up, it’s important to make sure it is properly set up! Is the angle correct? Are you properly tied off at the top (if required)? Are the feet in good condition and appropriate for the use (e.g. if you are doing this in winter, do the feet have ice picks)? Are you on a proper surface (e.g. firm, level, clean, dry, non-slip surface)? It is important to make sure there’s another person there and helping, if possible. That person can hold the ladder at the base to prevent it kicking out or at the top so it doesn’t pull away or tip.
When you’re on the ladder, it is important to be careful – don’t carry items up a ladder if possible, always maintain three points of contact (i.e. two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand), keep your balance centred on the ladder/avoid side loading (i.e. don’t lean out sideways while you’re on the ladder), ascend/descend/climb on/off the ladder carefully while trying not to cause jerky movements or loading onto the ladder, etc.
If you are around someone using a ladder, make sure you are cognizant of your surroundings. It is not just the person on the ladder that has the potential for an accident. Things get dropped from heights from people on the ladder or at higher work areas (e.g. people working on a roof) that can strike a person on the ground. Similarly, you can be struck by the person falling from the ladder or the ladder itself if it falls. It’s also common for people to trip on ladders.
There are so many factors that can cause or contribute to an accident, either singly or in combination. The items above are common causes, but there are many other less common causes. We encourage everyone to be safe out there. But if it’s too late and the accident has already happened and you’re trying to figure out what went wrong for liability purposes, give us a call to help you sort it out.
