Ladder Safety Toolbox Talk: Portable Ladders
5-minute toolbox talk · 2:16 video + discussion, quiz and sign-off · free printable sheet with sign-off table.
Key points
- Before you use a ladder, examine it. Remove damaged ladders from service.
- Read and follow the labels on the ladder.
- Keep three points of contact: two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand.
- Face the ladder and keep your body between the side rails.
- Do not put more weight on the ladder than its load rating. This weight includes your tools.
Step by step
- Put the ladder on a stable, level surface.
- For a straight ladder, put the base 1 foot out for each 4 feet of height to the support.
- Extend the ladder at least 3 feet (1 metre) above the point where you step off.
- Make sure that the locks are fully engaged. Open a stepladder fully.
- In busy areas, secure the ladder or use barricades.
Never
- Never stand on the top rung or step, unless the ladder label permits it.
- Never put a ladder on boxes or barrels to make it taller.
- Never use a metal ladder near electrical work.
Who needs this training
- Anyone who uses a ladder at work, even for a minute — warehouse, maintenance, retail stock, hotel engineering, cleaning and construction staff.
- Supervisors who choose the ladder for the job and take damaged ladders out of service.
What the rule says
In US general industry, ladders are covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23. Construction ladders are covered by 29 CFR 1926.1053, and construction workers must be trained by a competent person (1926.1060). Ladders are regularly among OSHA's most-cited standards.
Ladders must be inspected before each use, and a damaged ladder must be tagged "Do not use" and removed until it is repaired or replaced.
A portable straight or extension ladder is set at a 4-to-1 angle and must extend at least 3 feet (about 1 metre) above the landing when used to get onto a roof or platform.
Common mistakes
- Standing on the top step or top cap of a stepladder.
- Overreaching to the side instead of moving the ladder. Keep your belt buckle between the rails.
- Using a folded stepladder as a straight ladder.
- Carrying tools or boxes in your hands while climbing.
- Using a metal ladder near electrical work or power lines.
Talk about it
- Which ladder in our area should we remove from service?
- Which task can we do from a platform instead of a ladder?
- How do you carry tools up a ladder safely?
Quick check
1. What is three-point contact?
2. How far must an extension ladder go above the landing?
3. For a straight ladder, how far out is the base?
Questions people ask
What is the 4-to-1 rule for ladders?
For every 4 feet of height up to where the ladder rests, the base goes 1 foot out from the wall. For a 12-foot working height, the feet sit 3 feet from the wall.
What is three-point contact?
Two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, on the ladder at all times while you climb. Face the ladder, and do not carry things in your hands.
How often should a ladder be inspected?
Before each use. Check the rails, rungs or steps, feet, spreaders and locks, and look for cracks, bends, missing parts, oil or mud.
What do ladder duty ratings mean?
The maximum load the ladder is designed to hold, including you, your clothes, tools and materials. In the US: Type III 200 lb, Type II 225 lb, Type I 250 lb, Type IA 300 lb and Type IAA 375 lb.
Based on OSHA QuickCard: Portable Ladder Safety; OSHA standards 29 CFR 1910.23 and 1926.1053. This talk is a summary for training. Your site's written procedure and your supervisor's instructions come first.
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