Avoid Ladder Accidents: How to Safely Choose, Use, Move and Maintain Your Ladders

By Geoff Taylor
Published on February 19, 2010
article image
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO/LISA F. YOUNG
To carry a ladder safely, carry it at the midpoint over one shoulder, with the front end slightly elevated.

If you want to pick fruit, trim branches, paint a ceiling, build a pergola, hang a birdhouse, put up an awning or do any of the thousand tasks that require you to be taller than you really are, a ladder is the best tool — much safer than standing on a chair or a barrel. The trick is to avoid ladder accidents. People have used ladders for years, and they’ve been falling off them for just as long.

According to the U.S. Product Safety Commission, more than 160,000 Americans go to the emergency room annually as a result of ladder accidents. And there’s no way to know how many less serious injuries occur and go unreported, but a good guess would be exponentially more. Ladder safety is a big issue, and falling from a ladder isn’t the only concern. If you accidentally touch a power line with a metal ladder (or any wet ladder) and you risk electrocution.

Setting Up a Ladder

All ladders should have four solid points of contact with the ground (with the exception of three-legged fruit picking ladders, which should only be used for picking fruit). Make sure the feet of the ladder are resting on a smooth, level and dry surface. If the ladder has safety locks on the feet, be sure they’re engaged. If possible, drive stakes into the ground adjacent to the feet and tie the ladder securely to them. An extension ladder used for access to a roof should extend about 3 feet past the eaves, so you have something to hold onto while going up or down.

Fully extend and lock both side braces on stepladders. Stand first on the bottom tread, grasp the side rails and shake the ladder to make sure it doesn’t wobble. If it does, reposition it until it’s properly situated.

Other Basic Safety Rules

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368