If ladders are used they must be selected to suit the task to be undertaken. They should only be used for light work of short duration that can be carried out safely on the ladder. While this prohibition applies to construction work, the use of ladder platform brackets at any workplace in Queensland is strongly discouraged.Įxtension or single ladders should generally only be used as a means of access to or egress from a work area. Under section 306M(7) of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 a person conducting a business or undertaking performing construction work must not use, or allow another person to use, a ladder to support a platform. Ladder platform brackets must not be used for construction work in Queensland. Ladder manufacturers generally do not supply or approve the use of ladder platform brackets. the bracket becoming dislodged – due to the locking mechanism not being engaged and/or poor design of the mechanism.excessive point loading applied to ladder rungs by the bracket – the point load is more concentrated than the load applied by a worker's foot and the rungs are more likely to be damaged, which can lead to premature rung failure.A worker walking on a single plank supported by a ladder platform bracket may only have one point of contact the worker falling off the plank – to minimise the risk of falling off a ladder a worker should have three points of contact at any one time.the ladder falling backwards with the bracket attached to the front of the ladder – it is more likely for this to occur because the centre of gravity is further back compared to when the worker stands directly on the ladder rungs.the worker falling off the ladder - the worker is required to climb up and over the scaffolding plank when the bracket is on the front of the ladder.The use of ladder platform brackets increases the risk of: Photograph 2: Ladder platform bracket fitted to back of ladder Contributing factors Photograph 1: Ladder platform bracket fitted to front of ladder Photograph 2 shows a ladder platform bracket attached to the rear of a ladder.
Photograph 1 shows a ladder platform bracket attached to the front of a ladder in a similar setup to that involved in the incident. The worker lost his balance and fell off the plank supported by the ladder platform bracket. BackgroundĪ worker was seriously injured when he fell approximately 4.5 metres from a plank supported by a ladder platform bracket on an aluminium extension ladder. The purpose of this safety alert is to highlight the risks associated with attaching ladder platform brackets onto ladders.
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