Supported and Suspended Access
Supported Access
Portable ladders, supported scaffolds, and aerial lifts let you get to a work area and support you while you work. They make getting to a work area easy, but they can cause falls when they're not used properly.
Portable Ladders
Portable ladders are versatile, economical, and easy to use. However, workers sometimes use them without thinking safety. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that most injuries from falls occur from a height that is less than 10 feet, 20 percent of fatal falls at work occur from heights less than 15 feet (4.5 m), and 50 percent of fatal falls are from a height less than 35 feet (10.6 m).
Step Ladders
Common Stepladder Hazards include the following:
- Damaged stepladder
- Ladders on slippery or unstable surface
- Unlocked ladder spreaders
- Standing on the top step or top cap
- Loading ladder beyond rated load
- Ladders in high-traffic location
- Reaching outside ladder side rails
- Ladders in close proximity to electrical wiring/equipment
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-1. Each year, most workers are injured when they fall from ladders from a height that is _____.
You forgot to answer the question!