How to Properly Use an Extension Ladder

Properly using an extension ladder to reach rooftops or high walls will keep you safe. Extension ladders stretch to heights beyond the reach of a stepladder. You can use extension ladders for heights over 50 feet to paint and repair walls, or to access the top of a roof. Unlike one-piece ladders, extension ladders retract to one-half or one-third of their length for easy carrying and transport. A van or pick-up truck can be outfitted with ladder racks that hold ladders over the roof. Exercise safety precautions to ensure worker safety whenever extension ladders are used.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Ladder jacks or plywood
• Level
• Tie wire
• Tool belt

Instructions

How to Properly Use an Extension Ladder

1. Measure the height of the work area to determine the length of ladder needed. The angle that an extension ladder must lean for safety makes it hazardous for a worker to reach a wall section that is more than four feet below the top support. Use a stepladder to reach sections that are too low for a completely retracted extension ladder.

2. Pull the fly section of the extension ladder up from the base section until the extended length can reach the desired height. Clip on the rung locks to hold that setting. With the top of the ladder against the wall, a worker should be able to reach three feet below and four feet above the top support. Set the base of the ladder at a distance from the wall that is one-quarter the length of the ladder height. For accessing rooftops, set the third rung from the top against the edge of a roof.

3. Level the base. The feet of a ladder have to stand on even ground to prevent it from tipping to one side. Use ladder jacks or cover the ground with a full size panel of plywood sheathing if the terrain is uneven. Use a small level on one of the rungs to indicate when the base is evenly grounded.

4. Support the top of the ladder with equal leaning weight on both rails. Set both footings at the same distance from the wall the ladder leans against to put equal weight on the top of the rails, or top supports, that rest against the wall. Secure the top supports to the work structure anytime they extend higher than the first floor. Use tie wire to secure the ladder to the frame of the building or the rafters.

5. Step onto a ladder from the front, not from a side. Carry tools in a tool belt so you can climb using both hands. Keep your face forward and look at the rungs as you climb up or down. Keep one hand on the ladder or one leg over the rung at thigh level if work requires both of your hands.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not stand on the top two rungs. Do not step from one ladder to another, unless both ladders are securely tied to a sturdy structure to keep them from sliding sideways. Do not stand a ladder on anything to extend its reach. Never attempt to tie two ladders together for extended length. Do not reach so far to the side that your hips are not between the rails. Lateral reaching can cause the ladder to fall sideways. Some people experience dizziness while standing on ladders. If this happens, grab the rung at shoulder level with both hands, lean your forehead on the backs of your hands and close your eyes until the dizziness subsides. Do not work on ladders if you are unable to stand on one without getting dizzy.

References

• Safe use of extension ladders from Ladder Safety dot org
• Step ladder usage from The National Ag Safety Database