National Ladder Safety Month: How to Properly Inspect your Industrial Ladders
Ladders are critical tools for a wide range of applications and businesses. They are used in agriculture, factories, research, construction, war, aviation, manufacturing, and much more. March is National Ladder Safety Month, a movement dedicated to promoting ladder safety and decreasing the levels of injuries and fatalities related to ladders.
At Strongwell, our customers’ safety is our number one priority. So in honor of National Ladder Safety Month, we have written a guide to help you to properly inspect your industrial ladders and enhance your and your workers’ safety whilst using them.
Why Choose an Industrial Ladder?
Industrial ladders are extremely strong and durable, able to withstand constant use. Strongwell fiberglass ladder rails are produced and tested in compliance with ANSI A14.5 – the American National Standards Institute Code governing fiberglass ladders in the USA. Fiberglass rails are used in step ladders, extension ladders, articulating ladders, step stools, mobile maintenance platforms, and other specialty ladder products.
Fiberglass is Stronger Than Other Materials
Fiberglass is stronger than both aluminum and wood ladders and is not subject to corrosion or rotting. Fiberglass industrial ladders have low conductivity properties, meaning the electrocution risk is significantly lowered which is beneficial for applications contacting high voltage power lines.
Tips for Inspecting Industrial Ladders
Ladder checks are a key aspect of ladder safety. A general check should be completed before every use, however, a full check should be carried out every 3-6 months. The first thing to check is the ladder’s rails (sometimes referred to as handrails or stiles). If they appear bent or split this could lead to the ladder collapsing. The feet should also be checked regularly to ensure they are not missing or damaged. After this, the rungs must be checked to ensure they are not missing or misshapen.
As well as these daily checks, regular ladder inspections should be carried out by a designated professional regularly. These must all be logged in a ladder inspection document, ready to be shown to a health and safety officer if required.
Ladder inspectors must be trained with the appropriate theoretical and practical knowledge and certified by the ladder association. The ladder inspector must also check for signs of corrosion and deterioration, and if any of these issues are suspected the ladder should not be used. Are you a training manager wanting to get employees within your organization trained on ladder safety? Click here for free training.
Find Out More
If you’d like to learn more about National Ladder Safety Month, visit https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/ or the American Ladder Institute, of which Strongwell is an associate member.