Are you making these ladder safety mistakes?

March is National Ladder Safety Month. It’s a good time for a reminder about some common mistakes that can lead to ladder-related injuries.

Here are 10 of them.

Not determining if a ladder is the safest equipment for the job

In certain cases, it might be best to use a different piece of equipment. For example, a scissor lift can allow workers to use both hands, or the lift can move people more efficiently from spot to spot during a job. This is why it’s important to perform a job hazard or task hazard analysis to determine which equipment is the safest option for the task.

Not choosing the right ladder

One example: Selecting a ladder that’s too short can cause workers to climb to an unsafe level to reach something (more on this later). Another: Anyone working near power lines shouldn’t use a ladder made of a conductive material such as aluminum. Instead, they should choose one made of nonconductive materials such as wood or fiberglass.

Failing to inspect a ladder before use

It’s vital to catch issues such as broken rungs or other damage beforehand. If a ladder is damaged, OSHA requires employers to place a “Do Not Use” tag, or a tag with similar language, on the ladder and take it out of service.

Also, make sure the ladder is free of mud, snow or other debris that could cause a user to slip or fall.

Not knowing the proper angle

When placing a ladder against a wall or any other kind of vertical surface, it should be set up at a proper angle, according to OSHA and others. To do so, set the base a quarter “of the working length of the ladder” away from the wall or vertical surface. So, if it’s a 4-foot ladder, place it 1 foot away from the wall. If it’s an 8-foot ladder, place it 2 feet away from the wall.

This way, the ladder will be at an optimal 75-degree angle.

Not using at least three points of contact

Three points of contact is generally accepted as two feet and one hand or one foot and two hands. Those three points of contact will help maintain stability while on a ladder and provide a safeguard against the most hazardous situation: falls from height.

Carrying items

Attempting to climb a ladder while holding tools or other objects can cause workers to lose their balance, which could lead to a fall. The American Ladder Institute recommends using towlines, a tool belt or an assistant to “convey materials so that the climber’s hands are free when climbing.”

Leaning or reaching out beyond the ladder rails to perform a task

Doing so can cause workers to lose their balance and potentially fall. One general rule is the “belt buckle rule.” That means keeping your belt buckle between the side rails. Instead of reaching or leaning out to one side or the other, get down from the ladder and move it to the proper spot.

Not knowing OSHA’s most-cited ladder violation

When a portable ladder is used to access an “upper landing surface,” OSHA requires that ladder to extend at least 3 feet above that upper landing surface. That’s covered under 1910.23(c)(11) and the first part of 1926.1053(b)(1).

In the 1926 construction regulation, OSHA also requires that, when an extension isn’t possible because of the length of the ladder, that it shall be secured at its top to a “rigid support” and a grasping device be provided to employees who are mounting or dismounting the ladder.

Finally, “In no case shall the extension be such that ladder deflection under a load would, by itself, cause the ladder to slip off its support.”

In fiscal year 2024, OSHA issued 1,852 citations related to 1926.1053(b)(1). To put that into perspective, the agency issued 2,573 total citations for 1926.1053, ranking it third on its Top 10 list of most cited standards for the fiscal year.

Standing on top – or near the top

Likewise, using the top or a top step of a stepladder is an OSHA violation under 1926.1053(b)(13) and 1910.23(c)(8). Also, the agency advises not using the top three rungs on single, straight or extension ladders. Doing either can increase the risk for a fall, injury or fatality.

Not using a ladder for its intended purpose

This was another one of OSHA’s more frequent citations under 1926.1053 in FY 2024 (310). Some examples, according to a toolbox talk from the Utah Plumbing and Heating Contractor’s Association: using a ladder as a brace, gangway, plank, platform, scaffold or material hoist.