Better Ladders - Safer Work

You've all seen it - the late night infomercial for the Little Giant Ladder.  You may even have one for getting to some of those difficult to reach places.  This year at LDI, these guys outdid themselves BIGTIME.  They introduced a extensible A-Frame ladder with a safety cage work platform at the top.

R.I.P.

"Alas, the old trestle ladder, 'Rickety' was unceremoniously taken out to the dumpster, cut to pieces with a chain saw, and laid to rest.  A few onlookers mourned his passing, as they held-back signs of PTSD from sitting atop it with their legs entangled in the rungs while they wrangled a twenty pound ellipsoidal light into position.  Splintery's friend, 'Skateboard' was also cut to shreds and tossed into a cold, dark dumpster to be forever forgotten.  Even his wobbly, non-locking casters were committed to the recycle bin in a final tribute to stupidity.  The local laundromat is expected to see a sharp decline in stained underwear noted one person.  "For every inch the trestle ladder shifted unexpectedly while you were on it, there was a proportional brown streak in my whitie-tighties" they reminisced."

Don't be fooled by the picture at the right -- the new CAGE ladder can extend the working platform height to 13'-4", providing a reach range to 19'-10".  This can get you up to many electric battens and pipe grids while providing a easy to move, stable work platform.  Imagine being able to SAFELY use BOTH HANDS AT ONE TIME.  What a radical concept for a ladder!

Notice the wide stance, too.  And the best part is that ONE PERSON can move it around.  The fiberglass frame is electrically non-conductive while providing a strong structure that is lightweight like an aluminum ladder.

More info about this can be found at:
www.littlegiantcage.com

Ladder Safety now a smartphone application

NIOSH has released its first smart phone application (app) for mobile devices.  This free app is aimed at improving extension ladder safety by providing real-time safety information delivered via the latest technology.  Falls from ladders are a persistent source of workplace injuries.

Misjudging the angle at which an extension ladder is set-up is a significant risk factor that can be reduce and prevent falls. If an extension ladder is set too steeply, it is more likely to fall back or slide away during use, and if it is set too shallow then the bottom can slide out. The NIOSH Ladder Safety phone app has an angle of inclination indicator which uses visual and audible signals making it easier for workers and other users to set an extension ladder at the proper angle of 75.5 degrees.

The NIOSH Division of Safety Research tested and patented the concept of the app’s inclination indicator. They compared existing ladder positioning methods and found that the indicator improved both the accuracy and efficiency for extension ladder positioning. The Ladder Safety app also includes other information about ladder safety including ladder selection, inspection, accessorizing, and use. While it may seem obvious, we have to say it: for your safety, use the app to set the proper ladder angle before climbing an extension ladder.

 The app can help workers prevent falls and is also a tool for employers who want to ensure a safe workplace. The app is available through the NIOSH website, the Apple App-store, and Android Apps on Google Play. It works with most SmartPhones that have inclination sensors.

OSHA Hammers Away AGAIN About Ladder Safety

Falls from ladders continues to be a leading cause of injuries and deaths, so OSHA has teamed-up with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the American Ladder Institute, the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety & Health (elCOSH), and The Center for Construction Research and Training to bring you more training materials.

Visit the Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction at:
http://stopconstructionfalls.com

Previous discussions about Ladder Safety can be found at:
http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/osha-campaigns-for-ladder-safety.html

Industrial Safety and Health (ISHN) magazine has a good article on fall prevention:
ISHN September 2013 - PPE - Serious About Preventing Falls

The following flash video provides testimony from accident victims, family members of those that didn't make it home, and provides good examples and advice about how to select and use ladders.

The OSHA web site is full of downloadable fliers, posters, training guides, and information, too: https://www.osha.gov/stopfalls/

Working in the theatre is just like working on a construction site, so treat it with respect.

Risk Management for Rigging from ProSoundWeb

Andrew Martin, the originator of ATM Flyware, wrote a good guide for managing your show rigging assets in the March 28, 2013 edition of ProSoundWeb.  The article provides a short overview of Risk Management Guidelines and provides a series of example graphics to show you specific points of concern to watch-out for.

Example of SpanSet / Round Sling Inspection Points

The article can be found here:  www.prosoundweb.com/article/hanging_out_risk_management_for_rigging

OSHA Campaigns for Ladder Safety

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration unveiled a new bilingual English-Spanish booklet, "Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely."  The short guide, part of OSHA's national campaign to prevent fatal falls — the leading cause of  death  in construction — provides clear, easy-to-follow information about ladder hazards and how to use ladders safely, featuring illustrations and plain language writing.  The falls prevention campaign now enters its second year and OSHA is working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Occupational Research Agenda on outreach.

You can download the booklet here:  www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3625.pdf

Don't be 'that guy' !

 ----------------------

Follow-up:  Janet Sellery at Sellery Health + Safety in Canada sent me the following picture.  She commented that you'd think that just maybe this guy had access to a taller ladder, or maybe scissor lift, or  . . .

Ladder Safety Should Be A High Priority

Ladder Safety is an ongoing concern in the performing arts as more and more venues are constructed with inadequate access to the working parts of a production facility. Powered Manlifts are one possible solution, yet many administrators somehow think that they are less expensive than a trip to the hospital.  Even with a Powered Manlift, ladders are frequently found around many workplaces because they are a convenient way to access many items

Make a concerted effort to train students, co-workers, and administrators about Ladder Safety so that there is a consistent perspective on the subject throughout your organization.

The AFL-CIO's Construction Trades Department has produced an 8-page Ladder Safety Guidebook that can be downloaded free at: www.sprick.net/ARES060808/LadderSafety.pdf

OSHA QuickCard on Ladder Safety: www.osha.gov/Publications/portable_ladder_qc.html

OSHA Training Tools - Falls from Scaffold, Ladders, & Roofs: www.osha.gov/dte/grant_materials/fy08/sh-17787-08.html

American Ladder Safety Institute:  www.laddersafety.org

Don't use other junk for Ladders!

Safety Standards Protect Workers — Improve Productivity

The American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI) publishes safety standards for the workplace.  These standards are key to ensuring worker safety, protecting the environment, and improving productivity.

You can find standards for ladder safety, construction, clothing, equipment, workplace surfaces, signage, occupational health, fire safety, handling of chemicals and gases, labeling and safeguarding standards for equipment, noise, and vibration, and more at www.webstore.ansi.org/safety_standards.  Download individual copies or explore multi-user site licenses.  If you are part of a school or university system, they may already have a site license that you can benefit from.

Searches are available for a wide range of safety standards from these organizations:

• American Ladder Institute (ALI)
• American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE)
• American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM)
• National Eletrical Equuipment Manufacturer's Association (NEMA)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• International Standards Organization (ISO)
• International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)
• American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA); and many others.

Rung for your life!

Ever have to make one of those reeeally long ladder climbs?  Didja wonder if you were ever going to get to the top (or the bottom, for that matter)?  Your hands can get sweaty and your boots might have a bit 'o crud on them . . . you get a bit tired . . . next thing you know:  you lose your grip, or your foot misses the mark.  This may be an annoyance, or it could be a lot worse.

Fall protection systems for ladders are only required for ladders more than 15 feet tall (you can see the harness attachment rail at the center line of this one).  This may keep you from falling to the ground, but you may still bust your face on the ladder before you regain you composure (yet another good reason to have a chin strap on your hard-hat!).

Many of the ladders you may encounter are right at or just short of the 15 foot limit, so all you have to protect you is your good grip on the ladder.  You can install fall arrest devices on ladders less than 15', too, and it is a really good practice.

Safeguard Technologies has a solution:  Formed fiberglass overlays that are fabricated to fit a variety of ladder rung diameters from 3/4" to 2" diameter.  The covers have hi-traction grit embedded in the material to provide a slip-resistant texture to the surface.  These can be applied to scaffold climbing rails, too, which are notoriously slippery - why do the scaffolding manufacturers coat these with glossy powder-coat paint?!

A ladder rung cover being installed with adhesive.

Ladders rungs nicely visible and with very high traction.

Now for the cool part:  Since these are made-to-order to fit the rung width and rung diameter of your facility's ladders, they can fabricate the rung covers with photoluminescent pigment in the fiberglass binder.  This can help you find your way down from the catwalk or gridiron in the dark should the power go out.

Resource:  Safeguard Technology (http://www.safeguard-technology.com/)

Chutes and Ladders

Ladder wells can be dangerous places, as they are a transition point from a stable work space and a location where you are on uneven footing and must use your hands as well as your feet. In the picture below you can see a ladder-to-catwalk transition that does not meet the ANSI standard / OSHA required railing arrangement. You have to climb between the railing and the toe board (kick-plate) to make the transition. It is really quite awkward, and therefore, dangerous.

Here is a ladder transfer platform that is clearly marked and has a spring-hinged safety gate.

PS Doors Safety Gate

This is a gravity-hinged safety gate.

Intrepid Industries DG series Safety Gate

As mentioned in other posts, it always a good idea to have both emergency lighting (i.e. 'frog-eye' battery-powered light packs) and photoluminescent marking stripes along your catwalks and ladders so when the lights go out and your battery-pack fails, you still can find your way to the ladder - and down it.

Resources:

Intrepid Industries (www.intrepidindustries.com/Index_Gates.htm)

PS Doors (http://psdoors.com/safetyProduct.php?item=LadderSafetyGate)

ANSI A14.3 - "American National Standard for Ladders−Fixed−Safety Requirements"

OSHA - U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration – "Regulations 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D (Walking-Working Surfaces)"

PIP - Process Industry Practices document "STF05501 - Fixed Ladders and Cages"

Ladder, ladder, on the wall . . . how many ways can you make me fall?

This ladder may have been 'legal' when it was installed (probably circa 1951), but it doesn't meet today's ANSI / OSHA standards.

For starters, access is on a platform that is about 8 feet above the stage (not visible, but off to the left of the ladder). There is no railing along the edge of this platform. To correct this situation (other obstacles to come, stay with me), a safety railing would have to be installed to protect the worker on the platform, then a cage would have to be installed to enclose the ladder. Since the ladder is almost adjacent to the railing, additional guards would have to be installed between the top of the railing and the bottom of the ladder cage so that the worker could not fall over the railing as they climb the ladder.

Note that there is also a wire-guided line set intruding into the climbing space of the ladder.

The next thing that is encountered is the opening through the proscenium wall. A platform is required here so that the worker can enter the door without hanging off of the ladder.

• Side note: The door was found open, thus violating the fire wall integrity. This door is a 'shorty' - its only about 48-50" tall. They built them that way to meet the square footage requirement for penetrations through the fire wall. Curious, as there never was a fire curtain installed to separate the stage and house - why would they worry about the size of the fire door?
• Second side note: On the other side of the fire door there was a light switch to illuminate the attic catwalk, but if you didn't know this, you would enter in the dark to find a 2 foot wide catwalk that turns immediately left. This catwalk has no guard rail or toe boards, beyond which was about a 20-25' drop down into an interior wall void that goes all the way down to the auditorium floor level. If you fell down in there they wouldn't find you until your body started to stink-up the place. Don't fall in on the last day of school - you'll be there all summer! Did I mention that all of this was fully accessible to the students?
• Third side note: There was no grab-rail or anything to get a hold upon as you climb off the ladder into this 'shorty' door way - you have to reach in blindly and get a grip on anything that you can feel for - that was scary. Climbing back out of the door to get on the ladder was 'fun', too!

So, assuming you have added the requisite landing at the attic access door level, you now have to get up to the gridiron level. The existing ladder over-hangs the access door opening on the right, and runs into the headblock beam on the left. Time to re-group and think this over.

Plan B: Lets put the ladder to the right of the door, far enough off-stage that you can go past the electrical conduits with the proper clearance. This way we don't need the railing-to-ladder-cage filler panels, and we get out of the way of the wire-guided line set. We would have two platforms: One at the access door level, and one at the gridiron level. Of course, both platforms will require proper railings.

When you connect the platform to the gridiron you find that there is no railing along the headblock beams. (Imagine climbing the existing ladder, working your way around the off-stage headblock beam, over the loft well between the headblock beams, only to find that the gridiron was built with 2x6's set on-end with about 6" gaps between them. So much for having a good footing and a 'non-combustable' structure . . .)

Oh yeah, did you notice that there was NO loading gallery? Need to add one of those, too. Looking at the picture you can see that a loading gallery floor would likely encroach into the platfrom area for the attic access door. Dang! Wuddle we do?

We could use all motorized line-shaft rigging, but that is a fairly expensive solution. The saving grace is that the facility is now a 6th-grade only school that does not have a theatre arts program. The wire-guided rigging system was pretty well shot, and all the drapes need replaced, so the movable rigging will probably all go away and the battens will be dead-hung. The facility still needs a proper ladder access to the attic and gridiron, but at least it won't need a loading gallery, too.

One last note: Did you see that 2x4 fluorescent light fixture bolted to the bottom of the wood 'gridiron' joists? There were about a dozen of those that need to be serviced . . .

Ladders on skateboards

How many of you have one of these? Raise your hands . . . now, take them to the dumpster. You can't add casters to a ladder. I know, it makes moving that ladder a lot easier to put it on wheels. It also makes it a lot deadlier. Why do you think that ladder manufacturers DON'T sell ladders like this? Because they can't sell an obliously dangerous product.

When you modify a ladder (i.e. cut it, drill holes in it, or otherwise change it) you have absolved the manufacturer of any liability for any accidents that happen after that. It's not just about lawyers, lawsuits, and insurnace -- its about doing the right thing.

Loose the casters.

A Long Way To Fall - Ladders Without Cages

This is a legacy ladder which was installed before OSHA even existed. However, that does not exempt the owner from correcting the situation. Ladders of this height must have an ANSI standard cage around them and a fall protection device installed.

Fall protection can be provide in two ways:

a.) There can be a continuous cable or track that runs the length of the ladder (usually up the centerline) with a special trolly attachment that ties to the front of the worker's fall protection harness.

b.) There can be a retractable fall arrest lanyard secured above the top of the ladder way that attaches to the back of the worker's fall protection harness.

Since the worker has to transfer backwards from the ladder onto the catwalk near the top, the retractable fall restraint would probably be the safer solution. Otherwise, the worker would be required to attach a secondary lanyard to the catwalk fall protection anchorage point before he could disconnect the front trolley and he would have to do that while standing on the ladder.


At the top of the ladder you can see that there is a fire sprinkler pipe crossing the travel path of the worker. This would have to be repositioned to provide proper clearance for the ladder cage. Right above the sprinkler pipe is the end of the Loading Gallery catwalk, which would also have to be moved back to allow a clear passageway. Fortunately, I had on my hard-hat when I climbed this ladder -- when I reached the sprinkler pipe I hit my head hard enough to dislodge the inner suspension. Had I not been wearing the hard-hat it could have knocked me out or made me lose my grip on the ladder.

A secondary problem with this stage design is that a full fly house really should have a Lower Loading Gallery in addition to the Upper Loading Gallery. The Lower Loading Gallery is typically situated about 10-12 feet (~4m) below the Upper Loading Gallery so that weights can be added / removed from the counterweight carriage (arbor) when the batten is about the height of a backdrop and/or scenery flat.

Of course, once the ladder has a cage around it and the end of the catwalk is repositioned, it will need a safety gate at the catwalk to keep someone from inadvertently stepping-off into the open hole. Something like this (from a different facility):

If you look closely you will see several interesting items in this picture:

• On the left side (on stage), there is a railing that meets the 4" sphere rule (as if there was going to be a baby crawling around up there !? I guess they figured it was OK if the baby crawled under the safety gate . . .). There should be a steel plate or mesh that extends up about the 18-24" level to prevent the unused ( stored) counterweights from spilling over onto the stage floor below. Also note the 'stored' counterweight left along the off-stage side of the catwalk as a trip-hazard.
• The on-stage side railing is also about 40" tall, enough to keep you from falling over it. A 42-48" railing would be more appropriate here.
• On the right side (off stage, toward the counterweight arbors) there are railings at 8", 24", and 40". Just enough of them to keep you bonking your head as you try to man-handle the counterweights. There is not any OSHA required fall protection anchorage to allow the worker to wear a fall protection harness and safely lean-over the railing and do their work.
• The floor of the Loading Gallery is fabricated from open pattern bar grate, which acts like a cheese grater on your knees when you kneel down on it. It is also open weave, so any grit on your shoes gets scrubbed-off and drops onto the crew working below you. A better solution is to have a closed floor decking (sheet metal) that has a dense rubber mat on it. This provides a non-slip surface, is quieter when setting-down counterweights, and keeps the grit from raining down on those below.
• And the coup de grâce is that there is not an Index Strip Light at this level, so you are working in the dark (all that light you see is from the camera flash). There wasn't any emergency lighting packs either, so if you get caught up there in the dark, good luck getting down!

As a side note, it is always good to paint the working surfaces facing the catwalks a light color like white. This is good for floors, railings, uprights -- everything. If the masking drapes are all properly positioned, no one will see the catwalk from the audience seating area. Place glow-in-the-dark marker tape along all gate and floor openings so you can find your way out in the event of a total power failure.