Working at Heights
4. Ladders
The use of portable ladders for working at heights must be limited to those circumstances in which the use of other types of safer work equipment is not justified on account of the low level of risk or due to the characteristics of the sites that the employer cannot modify.
Portable ladders are used in our Firm for countless jobs. The majority of accidents that may occur, can be avoided with careful conservation and proper use.
The ladder is a portable piece of work equipment that consists of two parallel or slightly divergent parts joined together at intervals by crossbars that are used to climb up and down from one level to another.
Steps or Rungs: The parts of a ladder where you place your feet when climbing up and down.
Side members: Parallel or convergent members joined solidly together perpendicular to the steps.
Various types exist: Simple rigid ladders, step ladders hinged in the middle, extension ladders, folding ladders and turntable ladders.
The materials these are made of may be: wood, steel, aluminium and synthetic materials (glass fibre).
4.1. Hazards and Risk Factors
Falling from a height
- Due to lateral displacement of the top of the ladder (precarious support, poorly placed ladder, wind, lateral displacement of the user, etc.).
- Due to displacement of the bottom of the ladder (lack of anti-slip shoes, ground that gives way or is on a slope, insufficient inclination, top support on a wall, etc.).
- Due to losing one’s balance when climbing up with a load or to leaning sideways to do a particular job.
- Failure of a step or rung (old, in poor repair, poor inclination of the ladder, etc.).
- Losing one’s balance when slipping on the steps (dirty steps, inappropriate footwear, etc.).
- A brusque gesture on the part of the user (a difficult object to take up the ladder, an electrical shock, attempting to catch a falling object, etc.).
- Leaning backwards from a ladder that is too short, installed too vertically.
- Climbing up or down a ladder with your back to it.
- Poor body, hand or foot position. Swaying on the ladder.
- Failure of the cord joining the two planes of a step ladder or folding ladder.
Becoming trapped
- The fittings of the hinge of a step ladder or folding ladder coming apart.
- Extending an extension ladder.
- Failure of the cord for manoeuvring a extension ladder, a poorly tied cord, both when lowering or extending the ladder.
Objects falling onto other people
- Due to the use of tools, materials, etc.
- During diverse jobs and onto assistant personnel or people who have happened to pass below or near to the ladder.
Direct or indirect electrical Contacts
- Due to using metallic ladders for electrical jobs in electrical installations or in their vicinity.
Others
- Worker affected by vertigo or the like.
