Little Giant has solved the ladder tie-off problem.
Every day in the United States of America, two thousand people are injured while using a ladder. One hundred of those people will experience a long-term or permanent disability from that injury. And every day, today in fact, one person will die from a ladder accident. For most industrial companies, ladder-related incidents account for the single largest injury-related expense. The financial burden can be staggering, but it does not add up to the terrible human cost. What is the cost to the individual who never works again, or to the family of a lost loved-one?
Every year, I visit hundreds of companies across dozens of industries as I try to help them prevent injuries and hopefully save lives. I work with the best safety professionals in the world with the best training and incentive programs, and yet they still have people getting hurt. OSHA says every ladder accident is preventable (and they’re right), but why are they increasing?
Ladders Last
It’s not because safety pros aren’t doing their jobs. I can tell you that. I have visited several companies that have actually put restrictions on the use of ladders, forcing supervisors and operators to seek better options. One of the largest general contractors in the world has created and is promoting a new “Ladders Last” program requiring operators to get written permission before using a ladder on the job, forcing them to look for a safer option first. Such a policy is sure to slow production, but in this company’s estimation, that’s better than a serious injury.
Tie-Off Rules
One of the world’s top mining companies has also decide to remove ladders from their sites completely. Other industrial companies have begun to apply tie-off rules to portable ladders, even though OSHA and MSHA currently do not. Standards vary from company to company, but most of them follow a basic rule: Operators working at a height of 6 feet or more must tie off to a suitable fall-arrest anchor point. If such an anchor point is not available, the operator must work in an approved, enclosed power lift or scaffolding. I’ve visited several companies that have reduced the height limit even more: to 4 feet.
Hierarchy of Control
When it comes to safety equipment, the highest form of design is to design out all dangers. This is outlined in the hierarchies of control. Simply put, engineer the danger out. If you cannot engineer the danger out, guard against it. If you are unable or unwilling to adequately guard against it, then warn, train and provide personal protection equipment. Unfortunately, long ago someone decided that the traditional design of a ladder couldn't be improved, that they couldn’t or would rather not engineer the danger out. So they just put a lot of warning labels on them and force safety professionals to hold countless training meetings where they tell people not to do the things we all know they’re going to keep doing anyway. Everything else has improved with technology; it's time we started improving ladders.
The Safety Cage
Little Giant engineered the Little Giant Safety Cage enclosed platform to be a versatile, safe alternative to tying off.
The Safety Cage allows operators to work hands-free in any direction in complete safety because, unlike platform stepladders, its “wrap-around” guardrail actually wraps around the operator completely in total compliance to tie-off rules. The Safety Cage helps protect operators from the most common causes of stepladder falls, including standing on the top cap and over-reaching.
As many as 20 percent of injuries occur when the operator accidentally misses the bottom step while descending the ladder, which commonly results in severe ankle, knee, and back injuries.
The Safety Cage features Little Giant’s patent-pending Ground Cue? bottom-rung signal. The Ground Cue trains the operator to feel and hear an audible alert reminding him or her it is safe to step off the ladder.
The Safety Cage is constructed of nonconductive, high-strength fiberglass-resin composite. The Safety Cage is mobile and lightweight compared to other enclosed platform options like scaffolds or powered lifts, so you can use it in areas like stages or interstitial levels where a mechanical lift or ordinary stepladder could never go. The Safety Cage is rated Type IAA – 375 lbs and stores in a very slim, easy-to-carry profile.
The Safety Cage stores in a compact footprint and is easy to store and transport. Time- and energy-saving Tip & Glide? Wheels make it quick and easy to move from job to job. The Safety Cage is available in 4, 6, 8, 10-foot sizes (platform heights of 2, 4, 6, and 8 feet respectively).
Safety pros know it takes more than great training and incentives. It takes innovation and a willingness to think outside of the box. That's what I have seen companies like DBI-Sala do for decades. And now I see Little Giant doing it to.
Fleet Management ? Lean Management ? Strategic Initiatives ? Life Cycle Optimization ?Really Cool Trucks & Equipment
8 年Great article.
Safety and Health Professional
8 年This is actually a very cool ladder. The problem with articulated Little Giants, and all related ladders, is one has to be 100% certain the locks are in place after adjusting the ladder. Our rescue squad has one on every truck because they are so versatile. But like any other tool on the truck, it needs to be handled properly and with due attention to safety (and the user must be trained in its use). Since Little Giant makes more than just their signature product I just make sure than any purchased are duty rated (not all of their product line is). They are a great ladder company, they make more than just the articulated or expanding ladders.
Human Performance Improvement (HPI)/Workplace Learning and Performance Improvement Professional
8 年This is interesting. I am an instructional designer who works with safety managers and safety trainers a lot. So admittedly, I'm not a safety expert. That said, I just completed an OSHA 10 course and the instructor somewhat randomly mentioned how much he dislikes Little Giants for all the safety hazards they posed. In response, a safety manager in the class said her company had prohibited them. I have no specific information about why they said that; it all happened pretty quickly but caught my attention. One reason it caught my attention is because I have one at home. I find it very helpful. That said, I have to admit there have been several times when I've been pretty close to getting my finger(s) caught or pinched in the folding or sliding mechanisms of the ladder. In addition, my fiancée also uses the ladder. She's a small woman and, for her, the ladder is quite heavy. One time when I was out of town on business, she was painting the house and using the Little Giant. She tells me she was trying to move it and, because it is so heavy, it wound up pinning her between the ladder and the wall. I guess she couldn't move it for a while. Anyone else hear anything about bad experiences with these?
Helping the world sail through compliance.
8 年Good news. Thanks for sharing
Leadership, Engagement, Consultancy I Shell Real Estate HSE I Fire & HazMat First Responder I USCG Safety-Security-Stewardship
8 年Good article. Fan of LG & definitely will take a closer look.