STAIRWAYS AND LADDERES - Essay Example

Ladders and Stairs: Ensuring Safety Climbing up and down ladders and stairs seems so simple but then looking at the number of fatalities the exercise causes needs us to consider the matter deeply. The figures provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding accidents from ladders and stairs serves as an indication that the efficient use of ladder and stairs is fully applied. Regardless of this, ladders and stairs are integral pieces of tools in our societies. For this reason, everyone who uses ladders and stairs at any time or the other need training on the effective use and the two tools must always ensure safety in their design.

Many authors and bodies notably OSHA (2003) and Ellis (2012) whose contributions will be reviewed in this essay have addressed the effective design and use of ladders and stairs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012) fourteen percent of all workers deaths is a result of falls, 34% of this occurring in the construction industries where most deaths are due to ladders (quoted in Ellis, 2012). Whereas most of the falls occur from heights above 15ft, falls from low heights prove to be equally fatal.

The cost implications of these accidents are so high and the best we can do is device means to reduce the accidents. Ellis (2012) maintains that the three-point control ladder climbing strategy could efficiently reduce the number of ladder deaths and other injuries. He further assets that changes in process and design offers ladder users better protection from the fatalities. Ellis offers an explanation of what the three-point control involves and how different it is form the three-point contact and then reviews recommendations for the essential design and process changes.

OSHA (2003) stipulates guidelines for the use (when and how) of ladders and stairs. Further, it gives a directive for employers to train workers on how to realize and avoid hazards related to the use of ladders and stairs. OSHA offer several kinds of assistance regarding the safety of ladders and stairs, which are included in the article. To ensure safe use of ladders OSHA dictates that at least one hand must be used to hold the ladder and that one carries only one carries only weight that could not lead to loss of balance.

This OSHA requirement however does not give an indication of how to use the hand on the ladder. Ellis notes that the three-point control contact method is a common practice yet it does not guarantee full safety. This practice provides simply requires that at least one hand be in contact with the ladder. This practice does conform to the OSHA requirement but as Ellis (2012) notes the hand in contact with the ladder may not bear the full body’s weight in case of an emergency. Ellis recommends that when working or moving above the ground, one should use at least three limbs and that one hand must be in tight grip of the land.

To reduce chances of accidents further, the design of ladders need to meet certain requirements. Ellis (2012) offers that ladder system and grab system must consider handgrip capacities, maximum breakaway force, as well as the size, shape, spacing and orientation of grab bars. Horizontal supports are safer in use as opposed to side rails or vertical support. Vertical grabs are ineffective for hand placement since it cannot prevent the hand from sliding down under the magnitude of forces typical in most falls.

For effective application of the three-point control at all time, users must be trained to hold only the horizontal grabs and rungs (Ellis, 2012). These features require provision by design. OSHA (2003) stipulates that for fixed ladder the design of each rung should sustain at least 114 kg of load and prevent slipping off the rung’s end. The three-point control for portable ladder work requires that one hand is used for holding stability on a rung and both feet should rest on one rung or step.

When working from a portable ladder one must always ensure that the materials and tools are light and designed for one hand use. The ladder should also be stable and to a have, its height maintained as low as possible. OSHA (2003) further prohibits the use of single railed ladder or of any ladder with structural defects. Defective portable ladder needs labeling as such to avoid anyone from accidentally using them. Defective fixed ladders should be withdrawn from use until repaired. The three-point control should also be extended to stairs.

This requires that two compatible handrails be available on the stairs. To apply the three-point control one must move the hands in a continuous gripping and sliding motion along the handrails (Ellis, 2012) when stepping on the stairs. The designs of stairs should be in such a way that the stairs are only between 300 and 500 from the horizontal. There should also be no dangerous projections from stairway parts and the stairway must be free from slippery conditions. If every user of the staircase is effectively trained on the best, practices while using ladders and stairs so many accidents will be avoided saving lives and resources.

Manufacturers must also adhere to safe designs to help fight this battle. References Ellis, J. N. (2012). Analysis and recommendation for climbing ladders, stairs, and step bolts. Professional Safety. 57(11), 30-36 OSHA (2013). Stairways and Ladders: A Guide to OSHA Rules. U.S. Department of Labor