The revised AS 1657 says the spacing between the bottom rung and the landing needs to match the spacings of the remaining rungs.
“If the stiles and or the treads on the vertical ladder are too close to the wall, it increases the potential for someone to fall because they haven’t got good stable support of their foot to stabilise their centre of gravity over the tread,” Professor Caple said. The Professor explained the spacings, radius or width and even the distance from the wall, of rungs were all important. The design of treads and rungs also influenced the likelihood of injury. Speaking about the findings of his unpublished 2013 study, Professor Caple said, “What ladder users need to maintain is good support using their three points of contact regardless of whether it’s an angled or a vertical ladder, particularly as they transition from the top of the ladder on and off the landing.” Spacing for an even footing Instead, the Code specifies a landing space where workers can stand comfortably before releasing their three points of attachment.Įxploratory research by prominent ergonomist Professor David Caple revealed the transition between rung ladders and a landing deserves special attention. This means workers do not have to stand on the ladder while opening the gate. The entry gate to an inclined fixed rung ladder fitted with a cage, for example, is now located away from the ladder. The changes make sense because the way people use ladders is taken into account. _ _ _ _CLICK TO VIEW At the top of the ladder
The revised Code stipulates that ladders meet the requirements of AS 1657, which was also recently updated.Ĭhanges to the Code and the Australian Standard are timely, given that ladders are the number one cause of fatalities due to falls from height. The OHS policy body published a revision of the model Code of Practice, Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces (“Code”) in March. That precarious moment when you step off or onto the top of a ladder has been the focus of new material released by Safe Work Australia.
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