New Ladder Safety Guidelines
Prevention of fall in construction – selection and safe use of portable ladders
Worksafe have just released their Falls Prevention Guidelines
Background
Falls from ladders in the construction industry have resulted in a significant number of serious and fatal injuries, even when working at relatively low heights. You can eliminate or significantly reduce the risk of these incidents occurring by properly planning fall protection and providing the necessary supervision.
While ladders are often considered to be the first option when working at heights, they should only be used if safer alternatives such as scaffolding, elevated work platforms (EWP) or order pickers (commonly known as chariots) have been assessed first and are not reasonably practicable for the task.
The following information will help you determine whether a ladder is the right tool for the job, what you should look for when purchasing or selecting a ladder and how to safely use and maintain a ladder.
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