Our discussion of ladder safety over this year's Step Ladders Safety Month has highlighted the fact that ladder safety encompasses many different aspects. Prior to taking your first step onto the ladder's rungs, you should select the right ladder and set it up properly. In the same way that safety is imperative while climbing, so is it when working at the top.
The first thing you should do when considering ladder safety is to consider where you should begin.
AVOID OVERREACHING
The sad truth is that a significant amount of ladder-related injuries are caused by overreaching. Why is that? The most common reason for this is an inconvenience.
Suppose a worker is on top of a ladder and realizes the ladder is positioned just a few inches too far away from the target area. In that case, what are they going to do? Despite the fact that they should climb down to reset the ladder, they find the process to be an inconvenience that could cost them time, so they reach out to do it from where they are standing. This seemingly innocuous choice can have tragic consequences. The worker and Platform Step Ladders can be knocked down by the ladder's center of balance shifting as a result of this seemingly innocuous overextension.
We've all heard this story, and it usually ends like that. It doesn't have to end this way, but it can and usually does. It's no secret that these injuries are occurring as a result of people cutting corners and trying to save time. But here's the thing- we all understand the temptation to overdo it. While hopping up and down multiple times to ensure you are close to your work may seem like a hassle, it's necessary if you want to ensure your safety. Although you may save a little time by going faster than the speed limit, and you may not get caught, you always run the risk of getting pulled over and having to spend extra time on the side of the road with the police officer. Nevertheless, overreaching on a ladder may have more long-lasting consequences.
Make sure your belt buckle is between the side rails of your ladder at all times. If you find that your center of gravity is stretching beyond the rails, you've gone too far.
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS
There are other things that people do when their ladders are too far away from their work, in addition to overreaching. It is not uncommon for people who are not close to their work to engage in some of the craziest and most unsafe SuperPro Platform Step Ladders practices over the years.
In a situation where you're too far away from your work, you must climb down to make an adjustment. Some people, however, feel compelled to adjust their ladder from the top, so we thought it would be worthwhile to mention some "do's and don'ts" when adjusting your ladder.
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