Ladder protocols

[Tom Dunlap]

In a current "Awakenings" thread it's reported that a climber fell from a ladder and got hurt. Like most accidents that are reported here there is little more detail about what lead to the accident.

TK wrote that it's company policy to be tied in when leaving the ground, ladders or rope access.

What is the policy of other companies?

Also, how do you deal with nursery or step ladders? There are precious few hedges that would allow a climber to tie into them with a secure anchor. Currently, the Z133 addresses ladders but doesn't separate step ladders from the mix. At the last Z meeting in October of '05 this issue was tabled for discussion during the next writing of the Z. There are all kinds of potential directions that the Z committee could go with this issue. It would be nice to hear about some solutions before the discussion starts.

 

[FTLTreeman]

Tom, good question, I don't leave the ground without being tied in. I require the crews to do the same, way too often I see landscape companys having men trim palms with ladders, using chainsaws without saddles & lanyards.

We all know it only takes a minute to be safe, but how often does it happen that we don't take that extra step to do the right, safe thing.

 

[Norm_Hall]

We have to be tied in at all times when body thrusting or footlocking. If we are climbing an ext. ladder, we can climb to the 3rd rung from the top, lanyard in and climb on from there, or advance our climbing line to a branch union suitable for climbing. We cannot work off an ext. ladder without being tied in. No policy to be tied in while working off a step ladder.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Norm,

That protocol sounds reasonable.

The difficulty is when using ladders above anything that could be a secure tie in point~~~~

 

[thattreeguy]

orchard ladders mixed with hedges suck..i love them ladders,but for added stability its nice to have a set of leg levelers.or several ladders and a plank to make a scaffold.

 

[Alves]

How can you work on an extension or orchard ladder above a secure tie in point, wouldnt the ladder itself reguire something secure to be wieghted on. In the case you dont have a secure enough tree, can you just use a step ladder?