Ladder safety

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<!-- image --> Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Oregon Administrative Rules AO 3-2015 Division 3 - (10) The top of a non-self-supporting ladder shall be placed with the two rails supported equally unless it is equipped with a single support attachment. - (11) Ladders shall not be moved, shifted, or extended while occupied. - (12) Ladders shall have nonconductive siderails if they are used where the employee or the ladder could contact exposed energized electrical equipment, except as provided in OAR [redacted phone] in Division 2/RR. - (13) The top or top step of a stepladder shall not be used as a step. - (14) Cross-bracing on the rear section of stepladders shall not be used for climbing unless the ladders are designed and provided with steps for climbing on both front and rear sections. - (15) Ladders shall be inspected by a competent person for visible defects on a periodic basis and after any occurrence that could affect their safe use. - (16) Portable ladders with structural defects, such as, but not limited to, broken or missing rungs, cleats, or steps, broken or split rails, corroded components, or other faulty or defective components, shall either be immediately marked in a manner that readily identifies them as defective, or be tagged with 'Do Not Use' or similar language, and shall be withdrawn from service until repaired. - (17) Fixed ladders with structural defects, such as, but not limited to, broken or missing rungs, cleats, or steps, broken or split rails, or corroded components, shall be withdrawn from service until repaired. The requirement to withdraw a defective ladder from service is satisfied if the ladder is either: - (i) Immediately tagged with 'Do Not Use' or similar language, - (ii) Marked in a manner that readily identifies it as defective; - (iii) Or blocked (such as with a plywood attachment that spans several rungs). - (18) Ladder repairs shall restore the ladder to a condition meeting its original design criteria, be…

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Division 3 AO 3-2015 Oregon Administrative Rules Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division - (1) When portable ladders are used for access to an upper landing surface, the ladder side rails shall extend at least 3 feet (.9 m) above the upper landing surface to which the ladder is used to gain access; or, when such an extension is not possible because of the ladder's length, then the ladder shall be secured at its top to a rigid support that will not deflect, and a grasping device, such as a grabrail, shall be provided to assist employees in mounting and dismounting the ladder. In no case shall the extension be such that ladder deflection under a load would, by itself, cause the ladder to slip off its support. - (2) Ladders shall be maintained free of oil, grease, and other slipping hazards. - (3) Ladders shall not be loaded beyond the maximum intended load for which they were built, nor beyond their manufacturer's rated capacity. - (4) Ladders shall be used only for the purpose for which they were designed. (5) - (i) Non-self-supporting ladders shall be used at an angle such that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is approximately one-quarter of the working length of the ladder (the distance along the ladder between the foot and the top support). - (ii) Wood job-made ladders with spliced side rails shall be used at an angle such that the horizontal distance is one-eighth the working length of the ladder. - (iii) Fixed ladders shall be used at a pitch no greater than 90 degrees from the horizontal, as measured to the back side of the ladder. - (6) Ladders shall be used only on stable and level surfaces unless secured to prevent accidental displacement. - (7) Ladders shall not be used on slippery surfaces unless secured or provided with slip-resistant feet to prevent accidental displacement. Slip-resistant feet shall not be used as a substitute for care in placing, lashing, or holding a ladder that is used upon slippery s…

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constructed in accordance with the certified design of an engineer. - (4) An employer shall ensure that a temporary catwalk - (a) has a minimum clear width of 450 mm; - (b) is equipped with a guardrail in accordance with the requirements for a guardrail in subsection 142(4); and Clause 146(4)(b) amended: O.I.C. 2000-130, N.S. Reg. 52/2000. - (c) is able to withstand 4 times the maximum load likely to be imposed on it. Subsection 146(5) repealed: O.I.C. 2000-130, N.S. Reg. 52/2000. ## Ladders - 147 An employer shall ensure that a fixed ladder is designed, constructed, installed and maintained in accordance with the latest version of ANSI standard ANSI A14.3 'American National Standard for Ladders - Fixed - Safety Requirements'. Subsection 147 amended: O.I.C. 2013-65, N.S. Reg. 53/2013. - 148 (1 ) An employer shall ensure that a portable ladder used at a workplace is - (a) able to withstand 4 times the maximum load likely to be imposed; - (b) clean and free of grease, oil or other substances that may cause slipping; - (c) maintained in a safe condition; - (d) inspected at all of the following times by a competent person to ensure all components are in an adequate condition and the ladder is safe to use - (i) before each use, - (ii) annually; Clause 148(1)(d) replaced: O.I.C. 2013-65, N.S. Reg. 53/2013. - (e) not used, where the inspection required in clause (d) identifies an inadequate condition with the ladder. - (2 ) An employer shall ensure that a person using a fixed or portable ladder shall - (a) face the ladder when climbing or descending; - (b) when more than 1 m above a safe surface, maintain adequate contact with the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Oregon Administrative Rules Division 2 ## (11) Ladders. - (a) When using portable ladders to climb trees, the ladder shall be tied to the tree or supported by another worker. When working from a ladder during cutting operations, the ladder shall be securely tied or braced, and the worker tied in as required by OAR [redacted phone](1)(a)(A). - (b) Ladders, platforms, and aerial devices, including insulated aerial devices, shall not be placed in a position where they could contact an electrical conductor. Reliance shall not be placed on their dielectric capabilities. - (c) Ladders made of metal or other conductive material shall not be used where an electrical hazard exists. Only approved wood ladders (constructed in accordance with ANSI A14.1-1982, Safety Requirements for Portable Wood Ladders, or nonconductive ladders made of synthetic material equal to or exceeding the strength of approved wood ladders, shall be used. - (d) Metal ladders used where no electrical hazard exists shall conform to ANSI A14.2-1982, Safety Requirements for Portable Metal Ladders. - (e) All ladders shall be inspected daily before use. Unsafe ladders shall not be used. - (f) The attaching of cleats, metal points, and safety feet; lashing; or other effective means of securing the ladder shall be used if there is danger of its slipping. - (g) Ladders shall be supported while in storage so they will not sag. Except when on mobile equipment, ladders shall be stored under suitable cover, protected from the weather, and kept in a dry location away from excessive heat. - (h) Ladders shall not be used as bridges or inclined planes to load or handle logs or other material. - (12) Climbing spurs. Climbing spurs shall be of the tree-climbing type and have gaffs suitable for the tree being climbed. Stat. Auth.: ORS 654.025(2) and 656.726(4). Stats. Implemented: ORS 654.001 to 654.295. Hist: OR-OSHA Admin. Order 27-1990, f. 12/12/90, ef. 2/1/91. OR-O…

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## OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2020 ## Travelways - 16-3 (1) An employer, contractor or owner shall ensure that every travelway: - (a) is strong enough to withstand any traffic to which the travelway may be subjected; - (b) has secure footing for workers and adequate traction for vehicles or equipment; and - (c) is at least: - (i) 600 millimetres wide, in the case of travelways installed before July 1, 1997; and - (ii) 900 millimetres wide, in the case of travelways installed on and after July 1, 1997. - (2) An employer, contractor or owner shall ensure that every travelway that may give rise to a hazard described in subsection 9-2(2) is provided with a guardrail. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s16-3. ## Stairs - 16-4 An employer, contractor or owner shall ensure that: - (a) the widths of treads, the depths of treads and the vertical distances between treads are uniform throughout the length of any stairway and that each tread is level; and - (b) any stairs installed on or after the day on which this section comes into force, including temporary stairs, are at least 600 millimetres wide. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s16-4. ## Ladders - 16-5 (1) An employer, contractor or supplier shall ensure that every ladder is designed, constructed, used and maintained to perform its function safely. - (2) An employer, contractor or supplier shall ensure that: - (a) no wooden ladder or stepladder is painted with any substance other than a transparent coating; and - (b) no ladder is made by fastening cleats across a single rail or post. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s16-5. ## Portable ladders - 16-6 (1) In this section and section 16-7, 'portable ladder' means any ladder that is not fixed in place, and includes a stepladder. - (2) An employer or contractor shall ensure that: - (a) a portable ladder is equipped with non-slip feet;

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Division 2 - (12) Each employee uses at least one hand to grasp the ladder when climbing up and down it; and - (13) No employee carries any object or load that could cause the employee to lose balance and fall while climbing up or down the ladder. - (c) Portable ladders. The employer must ensure: - (1) Rungs and steps of portable metal ladders are corrugated, knurled, dimpled, coated with skid-resistant material, or otherwise treated to minimize the possibility of slipping; Note: Oregon OSHA did not adopt 1910.23(c)(2). Instead, see OAR [redacted phone](4)(a). - (3) Ladders are not loaded beyond the maximum intended load; - Note to paragraph (c)(3): The maximum intended load, as defined in § 1910.21(b), includes the total load (weight and force) of the employee and all tools, equipment, and materials being carried. - (4) Ladders are used only on stable and level surfaces unless they are secured or stabilized to prevent accidental displacement; - (5) No portable single rail ladders are used; - (6) No ladder is moved, shifted, or extended while an employee is on it; - (7) Ladders placed in locations such as passageways, doorways, or driveways where they can be displaced by other activities or traffic: - (i) Are secured to prevent accidental displacement; or - (ii) Are guarded by a temporary barricade, such as a row of traffic cones or caution tape, to keep the activities or traffic away from the ladder; - (8) The cap (if equipped) and top step of a stepladder are not used as steps; - (9) Portable ladders used on slippery surfaces are secured and stabilized; - (10) The top of a non-self-supporting ladder is placed so that both side rails are supported, unless the ladder is equipped with a single support attachment; - (11) Portable ladders used to gain access to an upper landing surface have side rails that extend at least 3 feet (0.9 m) above the upper landing surface (see Figure D-1 of this section);

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## S-15.1 REG 10 ## OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2020 - (b) a portable ladder is secured against accidental movement during use; - (c) a metal or wire-bound portable ladder is not used where the ladder or a worker handling or using the ladder may come into contact with an exposed energized electrical conductor; and - (d) a portable ladder extends at least 1 metre above any platform, roof or other landing to which the ladder is used as a means of access. - (3) An employer or contractor shall ensure that each worker who handles or uses a portable ladder is instructed in the requirements of this section. - (4) An employer or contractor shall ensure that a stepladder: - (a) is not more than 6 metres high when set for use; - (b) has legs that are securely held in position by means of metal braces or an equivalent rigid support; and - (c) when in use, has a front section slope at an angle of 1 horizontal to 6 vertical. - (5) An employer or contractor shall ensure that: - (a) an extension ladder is equipped with locks that securely hold the sections of the ladder in the extended position; - (b) if a section of an extension ladder is extended, the section that is extended overlaps another section for at least 1 metre; - (c) an extension ladder consisting of 2 sections does not exceed 14.6 metres in length; and - (d) an extension ladder consisting of more than 2 sections does not exceed 20 metres in length. - (6) An employer or contractor shall ensure that no single portable ladder and no section of an extension ladder exceeds 9 metres in length. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s16-6. ## Use of portable ladders - 16-7 (1) If a worker uses a portable ladder other than a stepladder, an employer or contractor shall ensure that: - (a) the ladder is placed against the structure so that the slope of the ladder is 1 horizontal to 4 vertical; - (b) the worker does not extend any part of the worker's body except for the worker's arms beyond the side rails of the ladder;…