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Ladder safety

5/13/2020

Legislation and construction regulations require that almost every business have a ladder policy in place. The policy should cover: inspection; repair, and disposal.

If you choose to use a ladder at work, you should do a risk assessment for ladder safety. There is a lot of information available on ladder safety, and it is a serious issue and cause of workplace accidents, and even deaths.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has a thorough muli-module review of all facets of ladder safety, which you can access through the link below (click on the CCOHS badge below).

Do | Don't...

Safe Extension Ladder Use—DO:

Maintain a 3-point contact (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) when climbing/descending a ladder.
Face the ladder when climbing or descending.
Keep the body inside the side rails.
Use extra care when getting on or off the ladder at the top or bottom.
Avoid tipping the ladder over sideways or causing the ladder base to slide out.
Carry tools in a tool belt or raise tools up using a hand line. Never carry tools in your hands while climbing up/down a ladder.
Extend the top of the ladder three feet above the landing.
Keep ladders free of any slippery materials.

Safe Extension Ladder Use—DON’T:

Place a ladder on boxes, barrels, or unstable bases.
Use a ladder on soft ground or unstable footing.
Exceed the ladder’s maximum load rating.
Tie two ladders together to make them longer.
Ignore nearby overhead power lines.
Move or shift a ladder with a person or equipment on the ladder.
Lean out beyond the ladder’s side rails.
Use an extension ladder horizontally like a platform.

In Canada alone, more then 40, 000 workers are injured each year due to falling accidents, often because ladders are in poor condition or not used properly.
Source: OHS Canada

Here is a very helpful overview of basic ladder safety. Every employee who uses ladders should be very familiar with ladder safety, and every employer has a duty to review and discuss workplace ladder safety with their employees.

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effective workplace housekeeping

5/1/2020

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Effective housekeeping is an excellent form of 'control' and/or it can single-handily eliminate workplace hazards.

Effective housekeeping is an ongoing operation: it is not a one-time or hit-and-miss cleanup done occasionally. Periodic "panic" cleanups are costly and ineffective in reducing incidents.

Poor housekeeping practices frequently contribute to incidents. If the sight of paper, debris, clutter and spills is accepted as normal, then other more serious hazards may be taken for granted.

Housekeeping order is "maintained" not "achieved."

Cleaning and organization must be done regularly, not just at the end of the shift.
Source: CCOHS

What is the purpose of workplace housekeeping?Effective housekeeping results in:

reduced handling to ease the flow of materials
fewer tripping and slipping incidents in clutter-free and spill-free work areas
decreased fire hazards
lower worker exposures to hazardous products (e.g. dusts, vapours)
better control of tools and materials, including inventory and supplies
more efficient equipment cleanup and maintenance
better hygienic conditions leading to improved health
more effective use of space
reduced property damage by improving preventive maintenance
less janitorial work
improved morale
improved productivity (tools and materials will be easy to find)

COVID-19 Housekeeping

The COVID-19 Virus has made housekeeping more important than ever. Every employer and safety manager should have a COVID-19 housekeeping checklist, with a risk and hazard assessment done, and proper controls put into place to ensure best practices are followed.

For more information please consult with your Edge Safety Representative.

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Safety Meetings

Ladder safety

Do | Don't...

effective workplace housekeeping

COVID-19 Housekeeping

Jodi Lovelock

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