March is ladder safety month. And while ladder safety may seem pretty far down the list of priorities, as spring approaches and outdoor activities around the house increase, it is important to take a moment to address the safety side of home repairs. Accidents involving ladders is a leading cause of injury and death in the construction industry (source: OSHA). And that is with people that should know better!
At Carrigan Painting, safety is at the top of our list. If we can not do a job safely, we won’t do it. Nothing is worth ending up in a wheelchair or worse! This goes for homeowners as well! So below I will list some common things to look out for when dealing with ladders.
Ladder Safety Inspection
Always inspect a ladder prior to use. Any cracks or broken pieces on a ladder, such as cracked, bent or broken rungs, or side rails render a ladder junk and dangerous to use. While ladders can be pricey, being able to walk afterword is pretty important!
Never paint a ladder! Paint can hide cracks.
Never attempt to repair a broken ladder.
Never straighten a bent part of a ladder. The initial bending of the metal, created micro cracks in the metal that will worsen if you attempt to straighten it, causing the ladder to potentially break when you least expect it!
Broken ladders should be permanently destroyed by cutting the ladder length-wise to prevent someone from ever using the ladder. Then go buy a new one.
Ladder Safety:
Weight Ratings
Do not overload a ladder. All ladders are designed to carry X amount of weight. And have class ratings. That includes you the worker, and any materials or tools you need to complete the task. Overloading a ladder can cause serious injury or death. Use the correct sized weight rating for your given task. The higher the weight rating, the more expensive the ladder. But also the safer the ladder is. Often there is no warning prior to failure due to overloading. This is especially true for aluminum ladders.
How to choose the right ladder.
How to: Safely Set a Ladder
There is a diagram on the side of extension ladders showing you the correct angle in which to set your ladder. A good rule of thumb is that when the ladder is set up, with both feet at the bottom of the ladder, your arms should be straight out in front of you resting on the rung directly ahead.
Set Your Ladder: To check if a ladder is ‘set’ and probably won’t move when you get to the top, stand on the bottom rung, and pull the ladder away from the house about 8″ -12″ and set it back down. If the ladder is unstable doing this will cause the ladder to slide right or left. If it does, you can step off the bottom rung and reset the ladder until it doesn’t move side to side. Be gentle with this maneuver. This is only to “set the ladder”! Once the ladder is set, you can now typically safely ascend. Never assume a ladder is set, always check it before attempting to climb the ladder. Its safer to dig than it is to put objects under the feet of a ladder!
When setting a ladder against the side of your home, its recommended to use ladder bumpers. These are soft rubber caps that go over the end of your ladder. They help protect the surface your leaning the ladder against (Such as 30 year old brittle vinyl siding) as well as help to greatly reduce the possibility of the ladder sliding side to side. For the $15 for bumpers, they are absolutely worth the investment.
Be mindful when setting a ladder against an aluminum gutter. Ladders love to slide on gutters.
Another major safety concern is the pivot effect. If your ladder rests on an object midway up the ladder, the ladder will want to pivot on this point and cause the ladder to kick out. A ladder should never rest on a point midway up the ladder. Ladders are designed to flex as you move up and down. If its resting on say a fence, bushes or trees, or a lower roof line, when traversing the ladder it will want to pivot on this midpoint and kick out and slide down. Taking you with it.
Working on a slope: This is sometimes unavoidable. With extension ladders, you can use blocks of wood to stabilize the ladder. However its important to also have a helper stand at the bottom of the ladder and hold it to provide better stability. For step ladders, they have a tendency to want to “walk” down the slope by themselves. All four feet of a step ladder should be firmly planted prior to ascending. If the step ladder is unstable, it could twist causing you to lose your balance and fall. A 6 foot fall can be deadly!
Remember to look UP!
Pre Plan your route before moving your ladder. Its often easier to control and carry a ladder that is vertical than horizontal – this does require a bit of upper body strength! However be mindful of overhead obstructions such as trees and wires. Aluminum conducts electricity. While fiberglass ladders are generally safe in this regard, the rungs on a fiberglass ladder are aluminum. Wood ladders are safer from electricity but are often much heavier to lift than a fiberglass or aluminum ladder. A small branch is enough to cause you to lose control of the ladder, so avoid overhead obstructions whenever possible.
If you lose control of a vertical ladder and drop it, causing it to fall over, if it hits anything the damages could be in the thousands of dollars (for instance hitting a vehicle) We recommend moving vehicles away from the area when moving extension ladders around outside. Not only is dropping a ladder potentially expensive, its also potentially dangerous if the falling ladder hits someone. If you drop a ladder, always perform a close inspection for damage to the ladder prior to re-using the ladder.
Never set an extension ladder on a drop cloth. Always place the ladder directly on the floor or ground. The ladder will often slide on the drop cloth which can scratch the floor, or cause you or the worker to fall. This is especially important on blacktop and foyer floors!
Ride the Ladder
If your on an extension ladder and it begins to slide side to side or down, your first instinct may be to jump off the ladder. This is a really bad idea! Always ride the ladder to the ground. It’s better to land on top of the ladder instead of the ladder landing on you. As crazy as it may sound, the ladder will help break the fall for you. After changing your shorts, make sure to get checked out by a doctor for injuries. Then carefully inspect your ladder for damage. If damage is found, discard the ladder and buy a new one. Never use a broken ladder!
Falling off a ladder doesn’t hurt. Its the sudden stop when you hit the ground that hurts!
Read the labels
The labels on the side of ladders are there to protect the user. They didn’t have a bunch of ladder safety labels laying around and decided to put them on all these ladders. Its a safety thing. Read and understand the warnings. They can help you stay out of a wheelchair.
Do not over reach!
A big part of ladder safety is over reaching when on a ladder. Your hips should ALWAYS stay centered between the rails of your ladder. This goes for step ladders as well. When your hips are outside the rails, that changes the center of gravity for your ladder and can cause you to lose your balance and fall. If an area is out of reach, get down and move the ladder over. Don’t stretch to reach it. The 5 minutes your hoping to save by moving the ladder, could cause you a lifetime of pain and misery. It is not worth it!
In closing, ladder safety is often overlooked and under valued. When it comes to safety, especially ladder safety, a cautious, calculated approach is warranted to ensure that no one gets hurt. And remember, if you need a taller ladder, you can rent one very reasonably. For instance it costs $150 per day to rent a 40′ extension ladder, versus buying one for $600+
Due diligence and a cautious approach, can save years of pain and suffering.
Disclaimer: Carrigan Painting, is not liable if you get injured or worse while using a ladder.
With over 25 years of experience in residential construction, Dave specializes in ceiling repairs and high-end interior painting, often exceeding contractual obligations to ensure the highest level of craftsmanship. His ability to maintain exceptional customer satisfaction in such a demanding field is a testament to his expertise, integrity, and dedication to quality.
Dave Carrigan Jr. is the owner of Carrigan Painting, a 5-star-rated residential painting and plaster repair company serving the first- and second-ring northern suburbs of Buffalo, NY. For 15 consecutive years, Carrigan Painting has maintained a perfect 5-star reputation—an achievement nearly unmatched in the industry.
As the author of The Painter’s Plastering Blog, Dave shares expert insights on home improvement, plaster restoration, and industry trends. He also personally manages Carrigan Painting’s website and YouTube channel, providing homeowners with valuable resources and a firsthand look at the company’s craftsmanship.
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