Employee Ladder Training
By: Jay Rohman
The most recent accident statistics suggest that working men and women in America are likely to abuse and misuse ladders in the workplace. Each year, there are about 50 construction workers killed by falls from ladders. Statistics show more than half of these deaths occur to people working from ladders. Twice as many falls will happen stepping down from ladders compared to going up them. The main cause of falls from straight and extension ladders is the sliding of the ladder base. For stepladders, the main cause is tipping sideways. Not to mention many workers improperly carrying ladders may sustain back injuries.
The ugly fact however is these accidents can be avoided. The ladder is one of the simplest most easy-to-use tools in any industry. There are six basic ingredients of ladder safety. They are:
1) Providing employee training
2) Using the correct ladder
3) Ladder inspection
4) A safety check before every ascent
5) Setting up the ladder properly
6) Using safe climbing habits.
Today we are going to look at the first ingredient – Providing Employ Training
Under the requirements of 29 CFR 1926, Sub Part X employers must provide a training program to reach employees using ladders. In this training it must enable each employee to recognize hazards related to ladders and the training must be conducted by a competent person.
Most ladder accidents are the result of carelessness and improper ladder usage. This makes having a well designed and well-taught ladder safety program invaluable to your safety program. The benefits of the training program will decrease the losses of the company in the areas of worker’s comp, medical expenses, lawsuits, fines, and lost time. I would say that is well worth the investment in training. Not only that, but…it’s the law!
So what areas do employees need to receive training in? They are:
1. The nature of fall hazards in the work area {1926.1060(a)(1)(i)}
2. The correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, and disassembling the fall protection systems to be used {1926.1060(a)(1)(ii)}
3. The proper construction, use, placement, and care in handling of all stairways and ladders {1926.1060(a)(1)(iii)}
4. The maximum intended load-carrying capacities of ladders {1926.1060(a)(1)(iv)}
5. The standards contained in this subpart {1926.1060(a)(1)(v)}
6. Retraining shall be provided for each employee as necessary so that the employee maintains the understanding and knowledge acquired through compliance with this section {1926.1060(b)}
Now that we know what employees need to be trained in, how do we go about training them? Here are some suggestions:
1. Practical Demonstration – Demonstrations are a great way to keep employees interested in the training. For example; you can demonstrate why it is important to only use ladders on a level surface. Show them how they can use a level from their tool box to check out how even it is. A recommended tool is the Safe T Climb Angle Rite Ladder Angle verification Device that affixes right to the ladder. If the surface is not level, they can try to move it to a more ideal location, or they can use a ladder that has leg extenders that can be adjusted individually so that they can make the sides even.
2. Asking Open Ended Questions – This helps encourage employees to think about how to work safely when using a ladder. For example, you could ask, what are the hazards in your job when using a ladder? Or what can you do to make yourself safer when working with a ladder?
3. Small Group Discussions – This again helps employees get involved in the training process. The hardest part is to keep the discussions focused on the task at hand. Make it a competition, for example, between the groups to see who can come up with the most reasons employees don’t pay attention. Then have them share ideas on how to overcome those obstacles.
The important thing to remember is a training program can save money, time, and lives.
Jay Rohman will be conducting a workshop, “Ladder Accidents and Violations….An Unnecessary Expense”, at the 20th Annual Construction Safety Conference and Expo in Chicago, February 17th at 8:00am. Be sure to visit his website at www.EncouragingSafety.com.
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