The Correct Placement of Extension Ladders

Inspection

• The correct use of an extension ladder begins with an inspection. The ladder should be clean and free of mud and debris. The extension locks should be secured on the ladder, all screws and bolts should be tightly fastened and the rungs should be solid and secure. No one should use a ladder that has loose parts. Check to make sure that the base of the ladder and its non-slip surfaces are intact and undamaged.

Placement

• Metal extension ladders conduct electricity efficiently, so an extension ladder should never be erected in a location where it might come into contact with power lines. The base pieces of the ladder must rest on stable, level ground, not on gravel, sand or mud. Safety experts recommend that you use a large, flat wooden board as a base for ladder placement, especially if you must place a ladder so that the base rests on two different surfaces, such as concrete and earth or carpet and hard flooring.

Extension

• To calculate how far away from a wall you should set up your extension ladder, add 1 foot of distance from the wall for every 4 feet of ladder height. The base of a ladder that extends 12 feet should be placed 3 feet away from a wall, and the base of a ladder that extends 20 feet should be placed 5 feet away from a wall. If the ladder extends beyond a wall to a landing, such as a rooftop, the ladder rungs should extend at least 3 feet beyond the edge of the landing, and the high end of the ladder should be secured by tying the rungs to a structure.

Ladder Safety

• Some ladder safety guidelines apply equally to stepladders and extension ladders. Always maintain three points of contact on a ladder: two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot. Don't carry objects in your hands while you climb a ladder. If you must use an object while on the ladder, carry it in a tool belt or ask someone to hand it to you when you are ready to use it. Don't move the midline of your body beyond the rails of the ladder. Step down and move the ladder if you need to reach to the right or left of its current location.