1. Training Room 2

1.8. Page 2

HCS3010: Workplace Safety Practices

Training Room 2: Workplace Safety in Action

 

Choosing the Right Ladder for the Job

 

This cartoon shows a man who has fallen off a ladder while painting. He is explaining that he did not fall; rather, he was checking to see if the paint clashed with the building.

Courtesy of Gordon Coulthart and The Canadian

Agricultural Safety Association

The right ladder needs to be used for specific jobs, and safety precautions need to be taken. Proper procedures for ladder maintenance, set-up, and use also need to be followed to ensure worker safety.

 

There is a lot to learn about working at heights safely. Work through “Working at Heights” to get started.

 

 

This is a playbutton that launches Working at Heights.

 

Ladder Types and Uses

 

This image shows an example of a permanently mounted ladder.

John Foxx/Stockbyte/

Thinkstock

There are two types of ladders: permanently mounted ladders and portable ladders.

 

In some environments, ladders are fixed in place. They can be permanently mounted to large equipment, such as heavy machinery, or built on to the sides of structures, such as silos and large bins.

 

This photo shows an example of a portable ladder.

Brand X Pictures/Thinkstock

Most often, you will be using a portable ladder. Your first step in ladder use on the job site is to choose the right portable ladder for the job.

 

Portable ladders are used to gain access to higher areas and for performance work, such as painting an area at height. There are three classes of portable ladders. Ladders are classified based on their ability to withstand weight.

 

A portable ladder certified or rated as meeting the requirements of the CSA or ANSI standards is classified into one of the following categories.

 

Intended Use Load Rating Ladder Grade/Type Agency
Construction, Utilities, and Industrial

Heavy duty

1
I or IA

CSA
ANSI
Light Maintenance, Office, or Farm

Medium duty

2
II

CSA
ANSI
Household Only

Light duty

3
III

CSA
ANSI

 

Only CSA Grade 1 or ANSI Ladder Type 1A or Type 1 ladders should be used to support ladder jacks and scaffold planks.

 

It is important to choose the correct ladder for the job and worker involved. Each ladder type is designed with a specific purpose in mind. The ladder type you choose for a job depends on

  • the height that needs to be reached (length of ladder)
  • the work environment, including what the ladder will be exposed to (e.g., a wood ladder is best used near electricity)
  • whether the surface that the ladder must stand on is uneven or even
  • the duty rating, or the weight the ladder must hold including, for example, the worker, clothing, and equipment
  • the type of work being done with the help of the ladder (e.g., Is scafolding needed?)

Go to LadderSafety.org, and click on “choose the right ladder.” Explore the different kinds of ladders you might use on the job site.