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Proper ladder safety equipment systems have four main components: a sturdy ladder, comprehensive training, fall protection equipment, and a plan for when something goes wrong. Creating this multi-layered approach, where each layer complies with the localized safety standards and federal OSHA or CCOHS standards your team is responsible for, means that there is a stronger safety buffer that protects employees from falls and injuries. For example, OSHA outlines clear requirements regarding training for construction sites that have ladders and stairs. That said, your facility may also have specific requirements regarding weight capacities, materials, or rung height. This guide addresses the third component of a complete ladder safety device setup: the fall protection systems and ladder safety equipment you install to minimize the severity of potential falls.
Four Ladder Hazards That Put Workers at Risk
Ladders in industrial and commercial spaces already pose several risks to people climbing them. People can slip and fall, the rungs can break, and if the top of the ladder isn't adequately marked, people at the top of the structure can accidentally step into the opening. But for structures with much taller ladders—such as hydroelectric towers, remote light poles, stacks, telecommunication towers, and wind turbine structures—there are even bigger risks. These ladders are on the exterior of tall, relatively isolated structures that are relatively rarely accessed, and the inspectors and tractors using the ladders are hard at work completing tasks. This mix of factors can create extremely perilous conditions, and the hazards can be split into four main categories:
1.) Slippery Rails
This happens when ladders are fully exposed to the elements. Each rung and vertical rail will be covered in condensation and dew on cool mornings and can develop a slippery frost in the cooler months. Depending on the location, the rungs may even be covered by chemical pollutants and dust buildup. As a result, inspectors and maintenance workers can struggle to get a secure grip that lets them adequately maintain contact with the ladder.
2.) Handling or Carrying Equipment While Climbing
Another complication is not due to the ladders but the projects that workers must complete while climbing them. For example, people climbing light poles that alert air traffic or telecommunication towers will need to carry their equipment hundreds of feet into the air. Most professionals will have bags, harnesses, or belts that hold onto tools, devices, and replacement components so those objects won't directly interfere. However, they can wear people down and change their center of gravity, making it much more difficult to climb.
Also, some workers may hold equipment in their hands. For example, they may be making repairs or conducting work while still on the ladder or be tempted to hold onto something up a single section of the ladder rather than packing it away.
3.) Dizzying Heights
When ladders are hundreds of feet off the ground, even the most experienced professionals can experience vertigo and dizziness. Many towers offer some degree of protection in their design: they will have sections of ladder split into 20- to 50-foot sections with horizontal platforms breaking up each one. However, this won't be enough to stop people from experiencing unease.
Along with the heights themselves, employees can experience heat sickness, overexertion, dehydration, and stress while climbing. Combined with the height and isolation, these can make workers panic, heightening the risk that they could lose their grip. Without the right support, this can easily result in a fall.
4.) Extreme Elements
Weather poses a severe hazard for people on tall ladders and structures. Some of the common weather-related extremes people can face include:
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Very high winds that can obscure their vision (especially in dusty areas) or knock them off balance
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Heavy rain that makes the ladder slick
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Snow and ice that make the ladder slick and make it painful to touch with ungloved hands
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Hot temperatures, as these ladders have very little shade
Without the proper precautions, each of these hazards can endanger your staff and make your organization noncompliant with OSHA regulations. OSHA 1910 fall protection standards outline various requirements for safe fixed ladders, such as requirements to use safety cages in ladders longer than 20 feet or provide sliding fall protection systems.
How Ladder Safety Device Options Resolve These Hazards
There are numerous different safety solutions and fall protection systems that ladders can incorporate to both comply with safety regulations and give staff an adequate sense of safety. Consider these ladder safety devices and hardware solutions for ladder fall protection systems:
Stopcables with Harnesses
Stopcable ladder safety equipment is a permanent fixture with a wire rope secured to the ladder. With the proper setup, people climbing the ladder secure their body harness to a ladder via a Traveler, which can include a shock absorber. Should a fall occur, this type of stopcable system would arrest movement and disburse the shock to minimize the wearer’s risk.
The safety harnesses themselves are just as important as the stopcable system. Harnesses can comfortably support wearers, connect to the stopcables or an anchor point, and allow them to do work without restricting their range of motion.
Combining the right body harness and Traveler solutions with permanently attached stopcable systems gives your team more support and protection against falls.
Ladder Enclosures
Ladder enclosures or ladder safety cages are fall protection equipment that sit around a ladder. This additional structural element provides additional handholds and prevents people from falling away from the ladder. Ladder enclosures can minimize the severity of falls and make it easier to recover, but they don't prevent falls themselves. Ideally, ladder enclosures should be used as required under OSHA or CCOHS standards and in conjunction with stopcable systems.
Build Your Safety Protocols and Systems with Ladder Safety Equipment from Tractel
Ladders represent a serious liability for organizations and properties. Without sufficient training, structural support, and ladder safety device options, people climbing up and down ladders can slip, trip, and fall large distances. Reach out to Tractel to learn more about our body harness and lanyard products, or browse our inventory of ladder fall protection systems to make your property's ladders safer.