How do I use a ladder safely?

Ladder accidents are rarely caused by the ladder failing. They are caused by the base slipping, the ladder being on uneven ground, or the user reaching sideways until the centre of gravity moves outside the stiles.

Safety

What you'll need

• A ladder in good condition
• Someone to foot it (optional)
• Ladder stabiliser (optional)

Step by step

1. Check the ladder before using it.Rungs secure, stiles undamaged, feet present and not worn smooth, locking mechanisms working. A damaged ladder should be discarded rather than used carefully.
2. Set it on firm level ground.Not on soft earth, not on a slope, never on a board or brick to level it. Use a ladder leveller if the ground is uneven.
3. Use the four-to-one rule.The base one metre out from the wall for every four metres of height. Too steep and it tips backwards; too shallow and the base slides out.
4. Secure the top or have someone foot it.Tie it off where you can. A person standing on the bottom rung is the minimum for anything above a couple of metres.
5. Extend it at least a metre above the landing point.If you are getting off at the top, you need something to hold. Stepping off at the very top of a ladder is dangerous.
6. Keep your hips between the stiles.This is the rule that prevents most falls. If you have to reach past that, get down and move the ladder. Every time.
7. Maintain three points of contact.Two feet and a hand, or two hands and a foot. Carry tools in a belt or hoist them up rather than holding them while climbing.
8. Do not work from the top three rungs.There is nothing to hold and no margin. If you cannot reach from a safe rung, you need a taller ladder or different access.

Tips

• A ladder stabiliser bar spreads the load and stops it slipping sideways. It is inexpensive and it makes a meaningful difference.
• For gutter work and anything requiring both hands, a tower or platform is far safer than a ladder and can be hired cheaply.
• Never use a ladder in wind or rain. Both dramatically increase the risk and neither job is urgent enough to justify it.

Common mistakes

• Reaching sideways rather than moving the ladder — It shifts your centre of gravity outside the stiles, which is the direct cause of most ladder falls. Get down and move it.
• Setting the ladder too steep or too shallow — Too steep tips backwards, too shallow slides out at the base. The four-to-one rule prevents both.
• Standing on the top rungs — There is nothing to hold and no margin for error. If you cannot reach safely, the access equipment is wrong for the job.

Questions people ask