How do you know if your ladder is still safe to use?
Did you know that ladders are involved in 81% of construction workers fall injuries?
Inspecting a ladder is a quick and easy thing to do, but it is also very easy to forget. We’ve all been there: they look fine, they stand straight… What else is there to see? Well, it turns out there’s actually a few very important things to check up before using one.
Yes, Louisville Ladders are engineered to meet or exceed all ladder safety standards set by ANSI and OSHA. But even though our ladders are tough and able to withstand abuse, we always encourage everyone to do a yearly ladder inspection.
Homeowners use their ladders sparingly, maybe just a few times per year, so the assumption is that they’re always safe to use. And what about professionals? The company they work for must care for its equipment, right? Besides, they’ve only been using their “new” ladder for two months! Of course it’s still up to par... but is it, really?
Well, there’s only one way to find out: inspect it. The more informed we are, the lesser the chance of being involved in an accident.
A ladder inspection will take you less than 10 minutes, and it can and will save you money, pain and suffering. There’s absolutely not a single reason to skip it, in fact, think of it as the warm up before exercising: sure, you can go straight into the action, but you’re potentially trading saving 10 minutes of your life for a hospital visit (and in many cases a hospital bill, too.)
How to quickly inspect your ladder:
- Download Louisville Ladder’s free inspection checklist PDF
- Print it
- Quickly assess the state of your ladder
If you find that your ladder does not conform to minimum ladder safety standards, don’t risk it. Let us say that again: don’t risk your health --or even your life-- because you need to save some time or a few bucks. It’s not worth it. Talk to a professional, borrow a safe ladder from a friend, or get a new Louisville Ladder online or from a store near you.
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