Ladder accidents are as discreet as burglars in the night. You never know when they’ll happen. You’re working normally, cleaning the gutters, fixing the windows, building scaffolding, and cracking!
Faulty components can cause a ladder to skid or fall apart without warning. Therefore, it’s important to inspect your ladders before you use them.
However, the most common question is how often to inspect a ladder.
The ideal ladder inspection practice is to inspect it every time before using it. But the checking frequency is connected to how often you use them.
Are you using ladders once a month, twice a week, or every day?
Have you ever considered checking ladders as frequently as you use them? How do you properly check ladders for defects? What are the signs of a defective ladder?
I’ll give you the answers to these questions here.
How often should you inspect a ladder?
You should check the ladder every time before you use it. Never use the ladder without checking its footing, steps, screws, and other important components. Most users get on the ladder without checking.
And by this habit, they’re risking themselves to numerous accidents. However, aside from yourself, you should let someone knowledgeable check your ladder every 1 or 3 months.
Inspection isn’t only for ensuring the ladder’s parts are still working. It also determines hazards such as cracks, rusted frames, loose steps, and bends.
How often do ladders need to be inspected? Here’s my answer to the question of ladder inspection frequency:
- Users should check every time before they use the ladder.
- Users should find a ladder technician and let him check the ladder every 1-3 months to look for hazards.
Besides proper inspection, it’s also important to have a good quality ladder that you can confidently rely on because I’ve seen many cases where a new ladder crashed suddenly due to poor design and materials used.
So be aware of purchasing any random ladders.
You can check out my recommended ladder here, and it’s good in quality and affordable.
How to systemize ladder inspection?
A ladder inspection checklist helps to systemize ladder inspection. By systemizing, you’ll check the ladder thoroughly. It helps you determine the specific considerations during the ladder inspection procedure.
Here are some of the questions that your inspection checklist should have.
- Check the joints near the side rails and steps. Are they tight?
- Are bolts, screws, hinges, and rivets not loose?
- Are the steps free from shaking or wobbling?
- Is the footing of the ladder not prone to sliding?
- Is the ladder free from dust, rust, and grime?
- Does the ladder shake when it’s being used?
Ladder inspection requirements may vary from user to user. However, the questions above are general considerations. Memorize them and develop your own.
Which Components Do You Inspect in a 28-feet Extension Ladder?
Of all ladder types, extension ladders need the most attention. Due to their long reach, extension ladders are high-risk. Also, their components are easily worn because of their extendable design.
The first component to check on extension ladders is the footing. Make sure that it’s not worn out or thinning. Worn-out footing isn’t ideal. If the footing isn’t working well, extension ladders might crash down.
The next component is the lock that fixes the extended length of the ladder. Most extension ladders have fixing locks.
If these aren’t in good condition, the extension ladder might collapse while you’re on it. Next is the sliding mechanism of the extension ladder.
The sliding mechanism allows a smooth transition from one length to the next. If it’s broken, the extension ladder might get stuck, and you’ll have difficulty extending it.
Oil the sliding mechanism at least once a month to prevent rust. Finally, check the steps of the extension ladder.
It is important to check the steps of the extendable part of the extension ladder. Due to frequent sliding, the steps of the extendable portion are not surprising to loosen.
Conclusion
Faulty components cause many ladder accidents. To avoid such misfortunes while using a ladder, you only have one simple thing to do.
That is to check the ladder as frequently as you can.
You can read more about it from americanladderinstitute.org.
So, I believe that your confusion about ladder inspection frequency is resolved. Let me know if you believe I’ve missed any point in the ladder inspection procedure.
You can simply leave a comment below in the comment section. I’d love to listen to you. Today, it’s all about ladder inspection.
Have a safer ladder-climbing experience.