Every day 2,000 people are injured in a ladder-related accident. One hundred of those people suffer a long-term or permanent disability. And every day, one person dies; the numbers are continuing to rise.
In just the last few years, more companies have started applying tie-off rules to portable ladders, even though OSHA and MSHA don’t require it. Although the standards vary from company to company, most follow a basic rule: If a ladder operator is working at a height of four feet or more, the operator must tie off to a suitable fall-arrest anchor point. If a suitable anchor point is not available, the operator must work from an approved enclosed platform, either a powered lift or scaffolding.