Proper Ladder Safety
Proper Ladder Safety is a vitally important part of home maintenance. A step between a job well done and very serious injury or death. It’s no joke. All of our professional practice ladder safety and perform safety inspections to ensure that every job is followed safely. We have a few tips to help you, especially if you are DIY gutter cleaning, practice proper ladder safety and keep yourself safe.
We first start out by inspecting our ladders. Prior to using a ladder we check it to make sure that it is:
- Free Of Cracks, Splits, Corrosion And Any Protruding Nails,screws And/or Splinters.
- Make Sure All Steps/rungs Are Free Of Oil/grease Or Any Other Slippery Substance
- Steps/rungs Firmly Attached To Side Rails And Not Broken.
- Safety Feet/base And Other Hardware ( Screws,etc) Are In Good Condition.
- Movable Parts Operate Smoothly Without Binding Or Excessive Play
- Ropes Are In Good Condition ( For Our Extension Ladders)
After ensuring that our ladder is up to safe use standards we look at:
The Location
- Set The Ladder Up And Away From Accidentally Be Stuck Or Displaced. If Needed, Barricade Off A Highly Visible Safety Zone In Occupied Work Areas, And Walkways. Ladders Should Not Be Placed In Front Of Doors Unless Door Is Locked Or Guard Posted.
- Never Use A Metal Ladder Around Expose Electrical Equipment And Wiring. Keep Ladders And Tools At Least 10 Ft Away From Overhead Lines At All Times. If There Is An Issue Contact Your Utilities Department For Assistance.
- Keep Access To And From Ladders Clear Of Mud, Materials And Debris.
Ladder Setup
- When Setting Up Your Ladder Make Sure That:
- Ladder Set Up On A Flat Surface. If Ground Is Soft And Uneven, Use A Large Piece Of Plywood To Brace Under Ladder And Provide Better Footing.
- NEVER Set A Ladder On Boxes, Barrels Or Other Unstable Bases To Gain Extra Height.
- STEP LADDERS: Always Fully Open Stepladder And Make Sure Spreader Bars Are Locked Into Place.
- SINGLE/EXTENSION LADDERS: For A Proper Angle, Set The Base Of The Ladder 1 Ft Away From The Wall For Every 4 Ft Of Ladder Length And Make Sure To Let The Ladder Extend 3 Ft Above Roof. Make Sure To Secure The Ladder At The Top To Prevent Slipping Sideways Or Outwards. If This Is Not Possible Tie The Ladder At The Top And Have A 2nd Person Brace The Ladder.
Climbing
- Remember These Tips When Climbing A Ladder:
- Make Sure Shoes Are Free Of Mud, Grease Or Any Other Slippery Substance.
- Face Ladder And Use Both Hands. Maintain 3 Points Of Contact At All Times!
- Do Not Carry Any Tool/materials With Your Hands. Use A Tool Belt Or Raise And Lower Items By Hand Lines.
- NEVER Climb The Bracing Of A Stepladder ( The Smaller Looking Steps)
General Use
- Do Not Stand/work On The Top 3 Rungs Of A Single/ Extension Ladder. For Stepladders, Do Not Stand/work On The Topcap Or First Step.
- “Belt Buckle Rule”: Stay Centered, Don’t Let Your Belt Buckle Go Past Either Side Rail
- When Working, Keep At Least 3 Points Of Body Contact With Ladder: ⇒ 2 Feet + [1 Hand Or Hips Or Chest]
- Only One Person At A Time On A Ladder
- Never Adjust Or Move Ladder While On The Ladder
- Avoid Working On Ladders In High Winds Or Wet Conditions.
Use these guidelines and some common sense and you will be less at risk.
We know that accidents do happen, we just want to make sure that you have less of a chance for an accident if you choose to DIY gutter clean. If you do not have the right materials, tools or time to DIY please give us a call. ( source)
For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Gutters & Guards experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected.
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Tags: Construction and Maintenance, damage, Gutters, Gutters and Guards, injury prevention, Lynchburg Virginia, Materials and Supplies, Virginia
