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By Jesse Balbin, ROII Field Representative

I want to share a recent claim because it’s a good reminder of how easily a ladder injury can happen.

A worker was at a homeowner’s property and used the homeowner’s ladder. The bottom step was broken. He saw it, knew it was broken, and carefully skipped it on his way up.

Then he came back down.

He forgot about the broken step, stepped where it should have been, and fell. The injury was serious enough to require surgery.

Something wrong with the ladder? Don’t work around it. Tag it, take it out of service, and grab a safe one.

A quick ladder inspection before you climb can catch a problem before it turns into an injury. And with Washington’s wet and cold weather settling in, it’s also a good time to pay extra attention to where and how you’re setting up.

Of course, ladder inspections aren’t just a seasonal precaution. Washington L&I requires portable ladders to be inspected before their initial use each shift. If a ladder has structural damage or another hazardous defect, it needs to be tagged or marked and removed from service.

L&I’s ladder safety checklist is also a good reminder to look beyond the ladder itself. Make sure you’re setting up on firm, level footing, and check that the rungs, ladder feet, and your boots are free of mud, water, or anything else that could create a slipping hazard.

Why I like Little Giant ladders

When companies ask me about ladders, Little Giant is a brand I like because they put a lot of thought into safety.

One feature I especially like is Ground Cue®, which provides an audible and tactile alert when you reach the last step, helping you recognize when you’ve reached the bottom. Think about the claim I mentioned earlier. A simple reminder that you’ve reached the bottom can make a difference, especially when your attention is already moving on to the next task.

Little Giant also offers other safety-focused features depending on the ladder, and I like the versatility of their adjustable ladders because crews can configure them for different types of work instead of trying to make the wrong ladder work for the job.

Learn more about Little Giant ladders and their safety-focused designs

But no ladder, regardless of the brand or safety features, replaces a good inspection. Equipment takes a beating on construction sites. Before you climb, take those extra few seconds to look it over.

See something wrong? Don’t climb.

That simple decision could prevent a serious injury.