Is fall protection required when working from an A-frame ladder?
Reviewed by Julie Gunn, Head of Services, SALUS Safety
The question, as asked: when working off an a frame ladder is fall protection required
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Rosie's answer
Published by SALUSWhen using an A-frame ladder, several fall protection measures, safety regulations, and personal protective equipment (PPE) are required to prevent falls and ensure worker safety. These include ensuring the ladder is stable, using personal fall arrest systems when required, and following specific safety practices.
A worker must ensure that a portable ladder is secured against movement and placed on a base that is stable. [1]
If a worker may fall 3 metres or more from a portable ladder, the employer must ensure the worker uses a personal fall arrest system. [1]
If it is not reasonably practical to use a personal fall arrest system, a worker may work from a portable ladder without fall protection if:
- the work is a light duty task of short duration at each location,
- the worker's center of balance is at the center of the ladder at all times even with an arm extended beyond the side rails of the ladder, and
- the worker maintains 3-point contact whenever the worker extends an arm beyond a side rail. [1]
Sources used for this answer
[1] Occupational Health and Safety Code (Alberta Regulation 191/2021)
Page 93
Open source documentSource excerpt
# Part 8 Entrances, Walkways, Stairways and Ladders Entrances, Walkways, Stairways (cont.) ## Constructed portable ladder (cont.) Section 135 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE Part 8 AR 191/2021 (a) has a centre structural rail along the length of the ladder, (b) is at least 1 metre wide, and (c) is constructed of materials that are substantial enough in size to accommodate the maximum intended load. ## Manufactured portable ladder 135 An employer must ensure that a portable ladder manufactured on or after July 1, 2009 meets the requirements of (a) CSA Standard CAN3 Z11-M81 (R2005), Portable Ladders, (b) ANSI Standard A14.1-2007, American National Standard for Ladders - Wood Safety Requirements, (c) ANSI Standard A14.2-2007, American National Standard for Ladders Portable Metal Safety Requirements, or (d) ANSI Standard A14.5-2007, American National Standard for Ladders Portable Reinforced Plastic - Safety Requirements ## Securing and positioning - 136 A worker must ensure that (a) a portable ladder is secured against movement and placed on a base that is stable, (b) the base of an inclined portable ladder is no further from the base of the wall or structure than 1/4 of the distance between the base of the ladder and the place where the ladder contacts the wall, and (c) the side rails of a portable ladder extend at least 1 metre above a platform, landing or parapet if the ladder is used as a means of access to the platform, landing or parapet. ## Fall protection 137(1) An employer must ensure that a worker working from a portable ladder from which the worker may fall 3 metres or more uses a personal fall arrest system. 137(2) Subsection (1) does not apply while the worker is moving up or down the portable ladder. - 137(3) Despite subsection (1), if it is not reasonably practical to use a personal fall arrest system, a worker may work from a portable ladder without fall protection if (a) the work is a light duty task of short duration at …