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Guide to Buying a Used Ladder A used fiberglass extension ladder at a third of new price looks like a bargain until you spot the crack running up one rail. The market is full of ladders that were retired from commercial service for good reason, alongside plenty that are genuinely fine. Knowing the difference takes about five minutes and a flashlight. The Three Questions That Settle It Ask what the ladder was used for, how long it was in service, and whether it was ever involved in a fall. A lad …

Working Around Skylights and Roof Openings A skylight looks like a solid part of the roof right up until someone puts weight on it. Roof openings - skylights, hatches, vents, light wells and open shafts - are one of the most common causes of fatal falls in construction, and almost all of them share the same three failures: the opening was not identified, it was not covered, or the cover was not secured. Why Skylights Fail People Glass and acrylic skylight domes age. They chalk, craze and lose s …

Guide to Ladder Wear Parts: Feet, Shoes, Ropes and Pulleys A ladder is a wear item built from parts that are meant to be replaced. The frame lasts years; the feet, shoes, rope, pulleys and rungs do not. Knowing which parts you can swap and which ones end the ladder's life is what decides whether a crew replaces a part or buys a whole ladder four times as often as it needs to. Feet and Shoes The feet are the most neglected part on any ladder and the most common reason a ladder slides on a smooth …

Guide to Setting Up a Ladder on Stairs A stairwell is the one place on a job where every ladder rule gets harder at once. The floor is sloped, the landing is small, the headroom changes as you climb, and the surface you set the feet on is usually finished. Crews get away with bad setups on stairs for years and then have one incident that makes the whole company change how it works. The Two Places a Ladder Goes on Stairs Either the feet are on a landing at the bottom and the ladder leans against …

Guide to Scaffold Load Ratings and Capacity Limits A scaffold is rated for a load, and the rating is not the same as the weight of the crew. Planks, tools, material and the workers all count against the same number, and a bay that held four men yesterday is a different proposition with a pallet of block on the deck. Getting this right is the difference between a working platform and an overloaded one. The Three Duty Classes Scaffolds are built and rated in three working classes: light duty at 2 …