How to climb a ladder safely

Climb that ladder safely.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• ladder

1. Set the ladder at the proper angle by creating a right triangle with your body, as shown in the photo.
2. Make sure the feet of the ladder can’t slip backward. On soft ground, flip up the ladder shoes so the spurs poke into the ground. On decks, screw down a cleat.
3. Make sure the top of the ladder is resting on a flat surface and doesn’t slide or wobble when you put weight against it.
4. When climbing the ladder put your hands on the outside of the ladder and let it slip through your hands as you climb. Do this rather than grabbing from rung to rung. With this technique your hands will never be off the ladder if a sudden change of conditions were to make you unstable. If you're not able to do this then make sure you always have at least three points of contact at all times. Move only one arm or one foot at a time.

Tips & Warnings

• Use add-on accessories to help stabilize the top of ladders. Rubber or soft plastic "mitts" that slip over the top of the ladder rails provide a good grip on the siding and protect it from ladder damage. Ladder stabilizers are another great add-on accessory. The large rubber pads grip almost any surface to keep the top from slipping sideways and help spread out the load to prevent damage to fragile siding materials like vinyl or aluminum. Stabilizers also span window openings and hold the ladder away from the building to allow work on gutters and overhangs.