As with any other piece of equipment, ladders should be inspected before each use to make sure that they are in good condition and safe to use. It doesn’t take long to check out a ladder to make sure it’s safe to use. But those few minutes could be the most important of a worker’s life.
Train employees to inspect ladders properly. Make sure they know what to check. For example, they should check to see that:
- Steps or rungs are in good repair and free of mud, grease, oil, or sticky substances.
- Side rails have no cracks or splits.
- Metal parts are lubricated.
- Rope is not worn or frayed.
- Spreaders or other locking devices are in place and working properly.
- Splinters or sharp edges have been filed down.
- Safety feet are solid and in place.
- Metal ladders are free of dents and bent parts.
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Ladders should also be inspected following any tipovers or possible damage to a ladder that has been struck by something, hit something, or been dropped.
What to Do with a Defective Ladder
When employees identify a safety problem with a ladder during an inspection, they should not use it. Instead, instruct them to remove it from service and tag it to make sure nobody else uses it. For example, they could write “DO NOT USE” in big bold letters on a tag and attach it to the ladder where it can be easily seen.
Also make sure employees understand that they should not try to repair ladders themselves. If they just report the problem, maintenance will handle it from there. A person qualified to perform repairs will fix the ladder if possible, or it will be replaced with a new ladder.
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