Top 10 Tips for Avoiding Falls from a Ladder



As part of the Industrious Hygienist's participation in National Safety Month, I signed up to receive the free posters, fact sheets, and references from the National Safety Council (NSC). I like free stuff!

The "free stuff" includes weekly crossword puzzles to test your knowledge of what you were supposed to learn this week. Alternatively, you could provide your employees with the crossword puzzles to test their knowledge of industry standard safety practices. 

Week 1 of National Safety Month: Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls

 From the crossword puzzle I completed by NSC, here are the Top 10 Tips for Avoiding Falls From a Ladder:

1. Place the base of a ladder on a firm, solid surface.
2. A ladder should not be used as a bridge or scaffold.
3. Always keep at least three points of contact with a ladder.
4. When climbing a ladder, always face it and grip the rungs, not the siderails.
5. Don't stand higher than the third rung from the top of a ladder.
6. Make sure you know the weight limits of a ladder you are using.
7. Don't jump off a ladder.
8. Instead of leaning or over-reaching, reposition a ladder closer to the work you are doing.
9. Check the area you will be working in for hazards, such as cords or objects in the walkway.
10. Use a tool belt instead of carrying tools in hand.

Next week's focus for National Safety Month is employee wellness.