Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 5, 1 Mei 2021 — Ladder Safety: Take it from the Pros [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ladder Safety: Take it from the Pros

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By Gary R.K. Silva On a constraction site, there are four ways to get hurt: falling, eleetrical shock, getting strack by something, or getting caught in between things. Of these, falling is the most eommon cause of injury. Guess what workers fall from the most? You got it: ladders. Here are some simple safety tips from the eonstraction field that you ean apply at home.

Tip #1: Three touch-points. Always be sure that at least three of your two arms and two legs are touching the ladder at all times. As you elimh up a ladder, use only one arm or one leg at a time. Keep the other three limbs on the ladder. This ensures equilibrium on the ladder. Tip #2: Never reach sideways from a ladder. This causes the ladder to lose its halanee. If you need to reach something to the

| far right or left of the ladder, it is safest to elimh down the ladder, move the ladder to the right or left, then elimh back up the ladder. Tip #3: Plaee top of the ladder I at least 3 feet above the roof line. When you are using an extension ladder that leans against the wall of a building, make sure the top of the ladder is at least 3 feet above the roof line. This will ensure that the ladder does not slip, and it gives you a solid platform to step off the ladder onto the roof and to step back onto the ladder when you are ready to eome down. Tip #4: Top ladder step is not for standing or sitting. Never sit or stand on the top step or rang of an A-frame ladder. It is not built for that. If you were to lose your halanee, there is nothing in the ladder's structure to keep you from falling. Tip #5: Keep assistance nearby. Always have someone nearby to help you if needed. This person ean hold the ladder as you are climbing up or down. While you are on the roof, a gust of wind ean knoek the ladder down. Making sure someone else is nearby, if needed, will provide an extra layer of safety. As you are doing work around your home, think of safety. Your heahh and safety are worth every ounee of caution. ■ Gary Silva is an OSHA instructor and President & C.E.O. of Kaululaukoa ine. a C-5 construction company. For more information, you may reach him by phone at (808) 220-4163 or email mona.be@ yahoo.com.