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Posted By: Joe Tedesco I get chills up my back! - 12/30/01 09:54 PM
When I think about this electrician standing in the top of his ladder to work on this electrical installation!


[Linked Image]


[This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 08-21-2002).]
Posted By: rkukl Re: I get chills up my back! - 12/30/01 10:54 PM
I chastised one of the guys at the shop where I work for just that OSHA violation. I pointed out that the top steps were clearly marked “NOT A STEP”. He told me he wasn’t using it as a step just a work platform!
Posted By: Joe Tedesco Re: I get chills up my back! - 12/31/01 01:46 PM
Please cite the OSHA rule that has been violated here.
Posted By: Mike Wescoatt Re: I get chills up my back! - 12/31/01 03:48 PM
OSHA 1926 Subpart X, specifically 1926.1050, 1926.1053, and 1926.1060. OSHA 1910.333 could be cited, depending on circumstances.
Posted By: Redsy Re: I get chills up my back! - 12/31/01 11:18 PM
Joe,
The other ladder is for higher jobs.
If you turn it upside down it fits perfectly on the top of the other one, and you're good for 3 more feet!!
Posted By: sparky Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/01/02 06:32 PM
Of course ( halo in full glow) WE would never do that!!!
Posted By: Redsy Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/02/02 02:36 AM
Of course I can safely do it, because I know what I'm doing. It's others who shouldn't do it because they... oh sh_t whoooaaa, ouch!!!
Posted By: George Corron Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/02/02 04:13 AM
OK, I was gonna stay out of this, but.....what the heck. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I always used to tell everyone if I stand on that stupid warning, ya couldn't read it [Linked Image] . I had a service truck for about 5 years in the heart of the District of Columbia. Service call one day, standing on top of the ladder (of course), guy asks me if I know where I am, I replied with the address and suite #, he takes me around the corner to the plaque on the wall..... Headquarters of OSHA. I still stood on top of the ladder, but I did hurry up and get out of there.
Posted By: mamills Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/03/02 03:25 PM
The little ladder is a necessity here. The electrician needs it so that he can stand on top of it to work under the awning! [Linked Image]
Posted By: sparky Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/03/02 11:33 PM
[Forum Commandment]Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.[/Forum Commandment]
[Linked Image] [Linked Image] [Linked Image]
Posted By: George Corron Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/03/02 11:58 PM
Commandment!!!!! Heck, that oughta be our Motto [Linked Image]
Posted By: electure Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/05/02 11:32 PM
Some of us have made lots of mistakes. I know this is bad, I've done it.
Posted By: Scotts Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/17/02 08:15 PM
Well I have even worse news for you. At least here in California not only can you not stand on the top of the ladder (obviously) but you cannot stand on the first step of the ladder. The first step is defined as the first step down on the ladder. So that little three step ladder next to the guy is useless. I am not sure if Fed OSHA is that way, but if anybody is interested I can check on that.

Just found this site a couple of days ago and it is great.
Posted By: watthead Re: I get chills up my back! - 01/18/02 03:13 AM
You can see the label on both ladders located on the first step below the top. It says do not stand on or above this step. The guys that work with me ask why don't they just make the ladder two steps shorter. I tried to tell them that if the steps were not there there would be nowhere to put the label. It is hard to work around perfect logic. It would be my guess that some of this logic was the motivation behind the idiot labels in the first place.
Posted By: wirewiz Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/16/02 03:36 AM
looks to me like he was thinking 10' 6'+4'=10'
Posted By: bulldog1955 Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/22/02 11:37 PM
I have a little finger on the right hand just from this very incident. It hurts ten years later and that is besides the three weeks I was off. At least he wasn't standing on a stack of books sitting in a chair.
Posted By: electure Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/24/02 09:15 PM
Scott's
There is a Cal OSHA exception that allows you to stand on that step...and then the top one!!!(But not in this manner)
Bummer, now you guys are gonna make me find it! Honest, it's heresomewhere [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by electure (edited 02-24-2002).]
Posted By: Joe Tedesco Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/25/03 12:20 AM
electure:

I was wondering if you were able to find the rule you mentioned??
Posted By: Elec_VA Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/25/03 02:32 AM
I used to not think much of standing on the top of a ladder until I saw a guy come off of a lift when someone energized the 277V lighting circuit he was working on while standing on the top rail.

Somehow he landed back into the lift but if he hadn't it would have been 30' to concrete [Linked Image] !

So there are two major mistakes that could be deadly! Throwing a breaker when you don't know what is going on in the circuit and standing on any of the rails of the lift. (I have been hit because some yahoo throws the breaker on, and I don’t think that I have been more pissed off at a co-worker in my life!)

We also had a guy come through a ceiling last week who had to be taken by helicopter to the hospital. Almost 35’ to concrete! He’s going to be somewhat all right, but who knows when he will be released from the hospital.

Chills up the back is one thing, it’s accidents like this that put the fear of god in me! [Linked Image]
Posted By: cubby964 Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/26/03 01:08 AM
Just a note:

It's hard to make anything fool-proof because fools are so ingenius.

Jim

PS I've never done this(on anything taller than say - 12').
Posted By: WebSparky Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/26/03 02:49 AM
Hi Joe,

Here are some OSHA references for portable ladders.

Quote
1926.1053(b)(13)

The top or top step of a stepladder shall not be used as a step.

1926.1053(b)(4)

Ladders shall be used only for the purpose for which they were designed.

When reading the manufacturer's instructions attached to a portable ladder, you will see that it says something about "not standing above this step" which is the step before the "top step".

Quote

1926.1060(a)
The employer shall provide a training program for each employee using ladders and stairways, as necessary. The program shall enable each employee to recognize hazards related to ladders and stairways, and shall train each employee in the procedures to be followed to minimize these hazards.

Hope this helps!
Dave

[This message has been edited by WebSparky (edited 02-25-2003).]
Posted By: HotLine1 Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/26/03 02:57 AM
OK, so a 6' ladder is really 5', and a 12' ladder is 11' etc.
Like a few said, "he who is without sin.."
well, it ain't me, or my guys.
John
Posted By: cubby964 Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/26/03 05:33 PM
Hotline1:
A 6' ladder is really 4'!?!

Look at the label on the ladder: it will state the highest standing level: about 3'10" for a 6' ladder.

[This message has been edited by cubby964 (edited 02-26-2003).]
Posted By: Joe Tedesco Re: I get chills up my back! - 02/26/03 05:42 PM
Thanks for all of the valuable information. I have a directory of many images showing the same situation where the top step was used!!
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