LADDERS

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LADDERS SCAFFOLDS Basic
Information Safe Use
(Based on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.25-29
1926.4511926.1053)
Bureau of Workers Comp PA Training for
Health Safety (PATHS)
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Selecting a Ladder

• Ladders are manufactured for a specific use
  e.g., jobs that can be safely performed with step
  ladders could become dangerous if extension
  ladders are used instead.
• You must evaluate the work environment and know
  what ladders are available before you can choose
  the right ladder for the job. Keep in mind all
  potential hazards
• ?electricity
• ?uneven surfaces
• ?people and
  materials
• ?overhead
  obstructions

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Selecting a Ladder

• You must keep in mind the physical requirements
  of the job
• How much room will there be to position the
  ladder?
• How much weight combining the user, tools, and
  materials will be on the ladder?
• How long should the ladder be to safely perform
  the job?

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Duty Rating

• A ladder duty rating tells you its maximum
  weight capacity. There are four categories of the
  duty ratings
• Type IA These ladders have a duty rating of 300
  pounds. Type IA ladders are recommended for
  extra-heavy-duty industrial use.
• Type I These ladders have a duty rating of 250
  pounds. Type I ladders are manufactured for
  heavy-duty use.
• Type II These ladders have a duty rating of 225
  pounds. Type II ladders are approved for
  medium-duty use.
• Type III These ladders have a duty rating of
  200 pounds. Type III ladders are rated for
  light-duty use.

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Portable Ladders

• Free from sharp edges, splinters, wane and
  decay
• Step ladders
• Type I 3 to 20 feet
• Type II 3 to 12 feet
• Type III 3 to 6 feet
• Have a metal spreader or locking device

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Portable Ladders

• Single/Straight ladder
• 30 feet or less
• Extension ladder
• 60 feet or less
• Painters ladder
• 12 feet or less

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Care and Maintenance of Ladders

• Ladders must be maintained in good condition at
  all times
• joints must be tight
• metal bearings of lock, wheels, pulleys, etc.,
  must be lubricated
• frayed or badly worn rope must be replaced
• safety feet and other auxiliary equipment must be
  in good condition
• Ladders must be inspected frequently

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Inspecting Ladders

• Recommended before each use
• Check for broken, split, cracked, corroded or
  missing rungs and side rails
• Check carefully for cracks (hard to see cracks
  weaken ladders)
• Check for rungs or side rails with excessive
  bends (bent areas are greatly weakened and may
  fail during use)
• Check for loose, corroded or weakened fasteners
  and hardware

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Inspecting Ladders

• Check ladders for missing or damaged feet
  (ladder feet may have both non-skid pads for
  hard surfaces and metal feet for soft surfaces)
• Check for paint or other coating hiding defects
  (wooden ladders shall not be painted or coated
  with any opaque covering except for
  identification or warning labels placed on one
  face only of a side rail)
• Painted aluminum, fiberglass ladders very hard
  to observe defects/damage

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Inspecting Ladders

• Check for oil, grease, moisture or other slippery
  materials before use and clean as
  necessary
• Check capacity label and make sure ladder has
  sufficient capacity to hold you and everything
  you are wearing/carrying

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Safe Use of Ladders

• Make sure the ladder is strong enough and long
  enough for the job
• Carefully inspect your ladder before you use it
• Place the ladder on a firm, level surface with
  its feet parallel to the wall it is resting
  against
• When ascending or descending, the climber must
  face the ladder

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Safe Use of Ladders Any Safety
Issues Here?
Rail Bent
Bracket Bent Shelf Missing
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Setting Up a Ladder Safely

• No ladder should be used to gain access unless it
  extends 3 feet above the point of support
• Your ladder must be tied off or placed to prevent
  slipping
• When setting a ladder against a wall use the
  4-to-1 ladder rule

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Safe Ladder Set Up
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Safe Ladder Set Up Determine Climbing
Angle
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Ladder Safety Precautions

• Ladders that have defects or are in need of
  repair must be removed from service
• Shorter ladders must not be spliced together to
  make one big ladder
• Rungs must be kept free from grease

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Fixed Ladders

• The minimum design live load must be a single
  concentrated load of 200 pounds
• All metal ladders and appurtenances must be
  painted
• Rungs, cleats and steps must be kept free of
  splinters, sharp edges or burrs

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Offset Fixed Ladders

• When ladders extend to heights exceeding 20 feet,
  landing platforms must be provided for each 30
  feet of height
• All platforms shall be equipped with the standard
  railings and toeboards

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Pitch of Fixed Ladders

• The preferred pitch of fixed ladders is
  considered to come in the range of 75 and 90
  degrees with the horizontal
• Substandard pitch is within the range of 60 and
  75 degrees

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Ladders and Electricity

• Metal ladders conduct electricity
• Use care when placing

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Scaffolding

• Designed by qualified person and built loaded to
  design
• Footing or anchorage of scaffolds must be sound,
  rigid, and capable of carrying the maximum
  intended load without displacement
• Must be capable of supporting at least 4 times
  the maximum intended load

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Types of Scaffolds

• There are many types of scaffolds for many
  types of different uses
• Bricklayers Square Scaffolding
• Window-Jack Scaffolds
• Scaffolds are also made out of different
  materials, but are typically made out of metal or
  wood
• All have different OSHA regulations

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Frame Scaffold Components

• Frames
• Locking devices
• Cross, horizontal and diagonal braces
• Base plates and screw jacks
• Putlogs
• Casters

• Platform planks
• Guard rails and gates
• Ladders and stair units
• Side and end brackets
• Hoisting arms

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Frames

• Frames come in many styles and sizes
• Each offers the user a variety of configuration
  possibilities to meet their needs

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Locking Devices

• Locking device is necessary when the frame
  requires more than one level
• Secures frames as they are stacked on one another

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Braces

• Strength and stability are important
  considerations when planning, erecting and using
  scaffold
• Cross, horizontal and diagonal braces are used to
  meet this requirement

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Base Plates and Screw Jacks

• These provide a solid foundation for the
  scaffolding
• Improper use could cause the scaffold to collapse
• Base plates should always be used, even on
  concrete

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Putlogs

• Scaffolds may be erected in areas where there are
  obstructions or openings (putlogs used)
• Sometimes called a
• truss
• Provide an
• excellent surface
• for platforms

• Care must be taken
• not to exceed load
• Refer to operators
  
• manual for load
• capacities

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Casters

• Primary use is in the erection of rolling tower
  scaffolds
• Typically made of rubber or steel in varying
  diameters and equipped with a locking device

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Platform Planks

• Provide surface from which user can work and
  store materials
• Can be obtained from lumber yard or scaffold
  dealer
• Plywood, steel, aluminum, etc.

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Lumber Grading

• American Lumber Standards Committee established
  associations that are approved to grade species
  of lumber
• Dense Industrial 65 Scaffold Plank

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Plank Testing

• In addition to grading wood planks used in
  scaffolding, planks are tested
• Weight requirement for a plank 250 pounds for
  one person
• OSHA states scaffolding planks shall not deflect
  more than 1/60 of their span when loaded
• When in doubt, discard plank

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Scaffold Ties

• All scaffolds with height-to-base ratio of more
  than 4-to-1 must be secured to the structure or
  guyed to prevent tipping over
• Scaffold tie purpose bracing scaffold
• All ties should provide compressive, as well as
  tensile, resistance to any lateral forces acting
  on the scaffold

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Wind Force
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Ladders and Stair Units

• Ladder and stair units allow for ease of access
  to scaffold work areas
• They are manufactured in many styles to suit the
  users need

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Brackets

• Side and end brackets are used to extend the
  length or width of scaffold
• Expand work surface
• Should never be used for storage of work
  materials or equipment

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Hoisting Arms

• Hoisting arms take materials and equipment to
  work platform of a scaffold
• Are easily installed and provide efficient means
  of transporting equipment

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Scaffolding General
Requirements

• Must be maintained in a safe condition
• Must not be altered or moved horizontally while
  in use
• Should not be loaded in excess of the working
  load for which they are intended
• Materials hoisted onto a scaffold must have a tag
  line

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Scaffolding General
Requirements

• Timbers, wood, nails and bolts must be
  adequate size
• All planking and platforms must be overlapped
  (by at least 12 inches)
• An access ladder or equivalent safe access must
  be provided
• Tools, materials and debris must not be
  allowed to accumulate on scaffolding

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Questions