OSHA - "ARE YOU USING THE EQUIPMENT IN THE MANNER IN WHICH THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS? HOW DO YOUR WORKERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO WITH THAT EQUIPMENT? WHERE ARE THE DECALS? SHOW ME DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR TRAINING."
So, you're a regular roofer or painter and decide to take that extension ladder apart and attach a ridge hook, or SLATOR bracket to it to do some cool things to . . . work safer, work faster, not damage the roof (creating more work/risk), and go home and do it again the next day right?
Working smart right? Yes and no. Sure, that's smart and ridge hooks and ladders have been used for decades, however . . . as soon as you've used the ladder in a manner not intended or designed by the manufacturer, then you've just violated OSHA's 1910 rules on ladders. Everyone who can read and takes the time to examine any extension ladder, also knows that they are not intended to be used separately, or . . . on a roof. Are 50,000 roofers and painters wrong in doing so? No, of course not. Just be prepared, have a plan and train your team. Labeling and training are extremely important for worker safety. OSHA cares about worker safety and will ask for documentation of that training as well as proper labeling.
And, once you've designated a ladder as a specialty roof ladder piece of equipment (removing all feet, latches prior decals), DO NOT use the ladder for anything else - especially as a ground ladder ever again. Always make sure you decals are easy to read, so that your equipment will pass an inspection.
What do you do now?
If you are ready to cross your "t"s and dot your "I"s, then watch the video. Fix your roof ladders according to our decals instructions, apply the decals, train you workers and document your training.
Working smart right? Yes and no. Sure, that's smart and ridge hooks and ladders have been used for decades, however . . . as soon as you've used the ladder in a manner not intended or designed by the manufacturer, then you've just violated OSHA's 1910 rules on ladders. Everyone who can read and takes the time to examine any extension ladder, also knows that they are not intended to be used separately, or . . . on a roof. Are 50,000 roofers and painters wrong in doing so? No, of course not. Just be prepared, have a plan and train your team. Labeling and training are extremely important for worker safety. OSHA cares about worker safety and will ask for documentation of that training as well as proper labeling.
And, once you've designated a ladder as a specialty roof ladder piece of equipment (removing all feet, latches prior decals), DO NOT use the ladder for anything else - especially as a ground ladder ever again. Always make sure you decals are easy to read, so that your equipment will pass an inspection.
What do you do now?
If you are ready to cross your "t"s and dot your "I"s, then watch the video. Fix your roof ladders according to our decals instructions, apply the decals, train you workers and document your training.