Health & Safety Manual

Ladder Safety

SETUP

Properly setting up a ladder greatly reduces the chances of an accident. The main objective is to safely stabilize the ladder. Proper setup of an extension ladder includes:

1. Lay the ladder vertical to the structure with the bottom of the ladder at the base of the foundation and the fly section facing out toward you.
2. Raise the ladder by walking it up with your hands, rung by rung.
3. Slightly pull the base away from the foundation, raise the fly section and lock the rungs.
4. Pull out further until you achieve the proper angle. The ladder should be erected at a pitch of 75.7 degrees from the horizontal. This is accomplished if the ladder is one foot away from the wall for every four feet to the upper support point. Lean the ladder against the structure.
Many ladders have a safe angle guide on the side. The long leg of the L should be straight up and down, with the short leg being parallel to the ground.
Make sure the ladder has solid footing with the shoes in the proper position.

	1. Lay the ladder vertical to the structure with the bottom of the ladder at the base of the foundation and the fly section facing out toward you.
2. Raise the ladder by walking it up with your hands, rung by rung.
	3. Slightly pull the base away from the foundation, raise the fly section and lock the rungs.
4. Pull out further until you achieve the proper angle. The ladder should be erected at a pitch of 75.7 degrees from the horizontal. This is accomplished if the ladder is one foot away from the wall for every four feet to the upper support point. Lean the ladder against the structure. Many ladders have a safe angle guide on the side. The long leg of the L should be straight up and down, with the short leg being parallel to the ground. Make sure the ladder has solid footing with the shoes in the proper position.