News article, 8 August 2005
Movable Ladders and Safety at Work
Lessons from Losses 5/2005.
On a hall construction site, access to the upper floor had been arranged using a 4.9-metre ladder. When a construction worker was climbing the ladder, its feet began to slip, causing the worker to fall and strike his head on the concrete floor. A fatal ladder accident on a construction site (Fatal Accident at Work Investigation Report No. 24/00).
11 fatal work-related accidents caused by movable ladders in 1998 - 2003
Use of a movable ladder
Working from a movable ladder is prohibited. A ladder can be used temporarily to access worksites, attach and detach hoisting aids and other such short-term, non-recurring work. However, always try to minimize the use of ladders by finding a safer working method, such as a scaffold or fixed or elevating work platform.
An A-shape ladder can be used instead of scaffolds if the use of scaffolds would be unreasonable due to the short duration of the work or some other reason. An A-shape ladder can be used only in spaces with ordinary room height and a hard, even surface.
Other important issues
- Only use ladders that are in good condition and make sure that there are no fractures or other external damage to the rungs.
- Make sure that the anti-skids in the ladder feet are undamaged, clean and of a suitable material for the floor/ground in question.
- Make sure that the ladder stands firmly using top hooks or ask someone to hold the ladder.
- Place the ladder at an approximately 75-degree angle with the ground and at exactly the right spot; do not move sidewards to reach for anything when standing on the ladder.
- When using an extending ladder, make sure that the sections overlap sufficiently and that you do not use the three top rungs under any circumstances.
- Hold the ladder with both hands and carry any tools etc. in a rucksack or the equivalent.
Matters to be taken into account in tender documents
Make sure that tender documents contain practical information on how to prevent falling and on working in elevated positions.
Juha Rantanen
