Use Ladders Safely
Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue (PLFR) has received an increasing number of inquiries about smoke detectors, ranging from installation requests to inspections to battery replacements.
PLFR is happy to come to your homes and assist you. However, if residents chose to take care of these issues themselves, the following are safety tips to prevent ladder injuries. To find these and other tips, go to the Consumer Products Safety Commission website www.cpsc.gov.
Each year more than 164,000 ladder-related injuries occur in the U.S. which are treated in Emergency Rooms. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers the following safety precautions to help prevent these injuries.
The weight of the user plus materials your ladder is supporting should not exceed its maximum load rating. There should only be one person on the ladder at one time.
Do not use a ladder for any purpose other than that for which it was intended.
Do not step on the top step, bucket shelf, or attempt to climb or stand on the rear section of a step ladder.
Never leave a raised ladder unattended. Use a ladder that is in the proper length for the job, a minimum of three feet extending over the roofline or working surface. Do not stand on the three top rungs of a straight, single, or extension ladder.
Straight, single, or extension ladders should be set up a about a 75-degree angle.
All metal ladders should have slip-resistant feet.
Metal ladders conduct electricity. Use a wooden or fiberglass ladder in the vicinity of power lines or electrical equipment. Do not let a ladder made from any material come n contact with live electric wires.
Be sure all locks on extension ladders are properly engaged.
Click to see that the ground under the ladder is level and firm. Large flat wooden boards braced under the ladder can level a ladder on uneven ground or soft ground. A good practice is to have a helper hold the bottom of the ladder.
Do not place a ladder in front of a door that is not locked, blocked, or guarded.
keep your body centered between the rails of the ladder at all times. Do not lean.
Follow the use instruction labels on ladders.
Should you need assistance with your smoke detector or similar issue contact our main station to schedule one of our firefighter crews to come and assist you.