Do you have workers who are required to use ladders on the job?   If so do you have annual ladder safety training?   You may ask why this is important as it is only a ladder and everyone knows how to use a ladder.   This recent court case illustrates why ladder safety is required.

A worker employed by a greenhouse in the Burlington area was required as part of his job to climb a ladder to water the top of eight foot tall bales of potting soil.   The workers was on the ladder and went to switch the watering wand from one bale to another when he missed a step and fell.   The worker suffered head injuries and died in hospital several weeks later.   The greenhouse pleaded guilty to failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker and was fined $100 000.

If you have workers who use ladders you should be doing ladder safety training with them when they are hired and again on a yearly basis.   Your training should include the following:

-transportation...on a vehicle, plus proper carrying techniques

-storage....including proper tie offs

-inspections...what defects to look for, this should be done each day you use a ladder and a written record should be kept

-set-up...how to properly set-up both step and extension ladders, 

-safe usage...including maintaining 3-point contact, how to deal with carrying equipment up the ladder and what not to do.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety's website is a great resource for finding this information.  Lastly, if your work falls under the construction portion of the Green Book, you may need to make sure your workers are getting ministry approved Working at Heights training  like the one offer by Redhead Health and Safety.