Ladder Accident with Broken Spreader Bar
Unfortunately, accidents involving ladders often end up in the news. Recently, we came across a story involving a man who was injured when he was using a bad ladder. He noticed the ladder was bad and reported it to his supervisor, who sent him home. About a week later, the man returned to the job site and used a ladder that looked safe, but when he climbed it, he fell eight feet to the concrete floor due to a cracked spreader bar.
What lessons can we learn from this accident?
Inspect, Inspect, Inspect
The worker did do an inspection a week before the accident, and he caught damage. Unfortunately, the second time, his inspection did not catch a major issue. Before climbing a ladder, it is crucial to check each piece of the ladder to make sure it's working properly. Every piece of the ladder, the rungs, the rails, the spreader bats, needs to be in good shape before climbing. If any part of the ladder is damaged, the ladder should be taken out of service until it is serviced or disposed of.
Be Observant
As the safety officer, it is important to check on the ladders around a job site and take the broken or damaged ones out of service. From the article, it sounds like the person who should have been checking on the ladders didn't do a good job of fixing or disposing of them. Remember, saving a life and focusing on safety is more important than the inconvenience of replacing a broken ladder.
