December is a busy month for many people and one where a ladder will likely be used for putting lights up on the exterior of the home, etc. With this thought in mind, it’s a good idea to familiarize ourselves with ladder safety and avoid being part of the huge number of ladder-related accidents that occur each year. Here are a few reminders:
Never ascend a ladder unless it is in a secure position. It doesn’t matter how high you’re going up, it’s still very important to secure it. It’s also very important to not be overly confident or relaxed on a ladder, especially as you approach the ground. This is because many fatalities related to ladder accidents happen from a height of 10 feet or less.
If you are performing a task that requires the ladder to be moved a small amount each time it can be very tempting to try and overreach just so that you avoid having to ascend and descend constantly. Be aware, though, that your life is too valuable to risk just to save a little time.
Some other safety measures to take are never skipping rungs on a ladder, do not position a ladder in a doorway or make sure the door is locked if you do and lastly, only use a ladder for what it is designed for and not for use as a shelf or ramp.
