Manitoba Ladder Safety
This material has been extracted from the Acts and Regulations of the Province to help students understand the subject. It is not an official source of information and must not be used for any other purpose.
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Workplace Safety and Health Regulation
Regulation 217/2006 Registered October 31, 2006
PART 1 DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL MATTERS
"portable ladder" means a ladder that is not fixed in place, and includes a stepladder. (« échelle portative»)
"portable wood ladder" means a portable ladder constructed out of wood. (« échelle portative en bois»)
(b) a ladder-jack scaffold, being a platform that is supported by brackets attached to ladders;
PART 13 ENTRANCES, EXITS, STAIRWAYS AND LADDERS
LADDERS — GENERAL
Loads
13.7 Every ladder provided by an employer for use at a workplace must be designed and constructed and maintained to safely support any load that will be or is likely to be imposed on it. Worker to inspect ladder
13.8 An employer must ensure that a worker inspects a ladder for defects prior to each use. A ladder found to be broken or defective may not be used until it has been repaired and restored to its original design specifications. Metal ladders near electrical equipment
13.9 An employer must ensure that no worker uses a metal ladder or metal reinforced rails on a ladder near any exposed energized electrical circuits or equipment.
Coatings on wood ladders
13.10 An employer may not apply anything to a wood ladder, except
(a) a transparent protective coating; and
(b) a small identifying mark or symbol, which may be non-transparent.
PORTABLE LADDERS
Commercially manufactured portable ladder
13.11 An employer must ensure that a commercially manufactured portable ladder used at a workplace
(a) complies with the applicable requirements of the following standards:
(i) CSA Standard CAN3-Z11-M81 (R2005), Portable Ladders,
(ii) ANSI Standard A14.1-2000, American National Standard for Ladders — Wood — Safety Requirements,
(iii) ANSI Standard A14.2-2000, American National Standard for Ladders — Portable Metal — Safety Requirements,
(iv) ANSI Standard A14.5-2000, American National Standard for Ladders — Portable Reinforced Plastic — Safety Requirements; and
(b) is used and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and safe operating instructions. Site-fabricated portable wood ladder
13.12 An employer must ensure that a portable wood ladder fabricated on the worksite for use by a worker
(a) is constructed entirely from straight-grained, construction grade or better lumber that is free of
(i) loose knots, or knots greater than one-third the width or thickness of the material, and
(ii) sharp edges, splinters or shakes;
(b) has side rails that are
(i) at least 400 mm but not more than 500 mm apart, and
(ii) not notched, tapered, lapped or spliced;
(c) has evenly spaced rungs that are
(i) nailed directly to the edge of the side rails,
(ii) not more than 300 mm on centre,
(iii) at least nominal 25 mm ×100 mm, and
(iv) supported by filler blocks, of the same thickness as the rung, fastened between the rungs or secured by a single continuous wire; and
(d) if its length is
(i) 5 m or less, has side rails measuring at least nominal 50 mm ×100 mm, or
(ii) more than 5 m, has side rails measuring at least nominal 50 mm ×150 mm.
Double width site-fabricated portable ladder
13.13 An employer must ensure that a portable wood ladder fabricated on the worksite for use by a worker which is of double width
(a) is constructed entirely from straight-grained, construction grade or better lumber that is free of
(i) loose knots, or knots greater than one-third the width or thickness of the material, and
(ii) sharp edges, splinters or shakes;
(b) has side rails that are not notched, tapered, lapped or spliced;
(c) if its length is
(i) 5 m or less, has side rails measuring at least nominal 50 mm ×100 mm, or
(ii) more than 5 m, has side rails measuring at least nominal 50 mm ×150 mm;
(d) is composed of three rails that are evenly spaced;
(e) is at least 1.5 m wide; and
(f) has evenly spaced rungs that
(i) are not more than 300 mm on centre,
(ii) are at least nominal 50 mm ×100 mm,
(iii) extend the full width of the ladder, and
(iv) are supported by filler blocks, of the same thickness as the rung, fastened between the rungs or secured by a single continuous wire.
Extension ladders
13.14(1) An employer must ensure that an extension ladder used by a worker
(a) is equipped with locks that securely hold the sections of the ladder in the extended position; and
(b) does not exceed
(i) 14.6 m in length, if it consists of two sections, or
(ii) 20 m in length, if it consists of more than two sections. 13.14(2) An employer must ensure that, if a section of an extension ladder is extended, the extended section overlaps another section for at least
(a) one metre, for a ladder less than 11 m in length;
(b) 1.25 m, for a ladder between 11 m and 15 m in length; or
(c) 1.5 m, for a ladder over 15 m in length.
General limitation re length
13.15 An employer must ensure that no single portable ladder and no section of an extension ladder exceeds 9 m in length.
Portable ladders
13.16(1) When in use at a workplace, an employer must ensure that a portable ladder is secured against movement at all times during use and is placed on a stable, level base. 13.16(2) Without limiting subsection (1), an employer must ensure that
(a) where a portable ladder is used as a means of access to a platform, roof or other landing, it extends at least one metre above the platform, roof or other landing; and
(b) for a portable ladder other than a stepladder, it is placed against a structure so that the slope of the ladder is no more than 1:4.
Stepladders
13.17 An employer must ensure that a stepladder
(a) is not more than 6 m high when set for use; and
(b) has legs that are securely held in position by metal braces or an equivalent rigid support.
Workers using portable ladder
13.18 An employer must ensure that a worker using
(a) a stepladder or other commercially manufactured portable ladder does so in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and safe operating instructions; and
(b) a portable ladder other than a stepladder
(i) does not extend any part of his or her body, except his or her arms, beyond the side rails of the ladder, and
(ii) maintains a three-point contact on the ladder at all times. Prohibitions re use of portable ladder
13.19 An employer must ensure that a worker does not perform work from either of the top two rungs, steps or cleats of
(a) a portable ladder other than a stepladder unless the manufacturer's specifications for the ladder permit it; or
(b) a stepladder, unless
(i) it has a railed platform at the top, or
(ii) the manufacturer's specifications for the stepladder permit it.
FIXED LADDERS
Fixed ladders 13.20(1) An employer and an owner must ensure that a ladder that is permanently fixed to a supporting building or structure
(a) is designed by a professional engineer, as is its permanent attachment system to the building or structure;
(b) is constructed, erected and installed in accordance with the specifications certified by a professional engineer;
(c) is equipped with a suitable safety gate, or equally effective means of protection from falling, at all access openings in floors, platforms and rest platforms;
(d) where it is in a vertical position or at an angle of not more that 25/ to the vertical, it
(i) meets the requirements of the ANSI Standard, ANSI 14.3-2002, Safety Requirements for Fixed Ladders American National Standard for Ladders — Fixed —Safety Requirement,
(ii) has side rails that extend at least one metre above any platform, roof or other landing on the building or structure to which it is fixed,
(iii) has an opening in the platform, roof or other landing that does not exceed 750 mm × by 750 mm, and
(iv) is equipped, if it is more than 5 m high, with ladder cages and rest platforms, at intervals of not more than 5 m, or a fall protection system that meets the requirements of Part 14 (Fall Protection); and
(e) where it is fixed at an angle of more than 25/ to the vertical or more than one horizontal to two vertical, it is equipped with
(i) a handrail that extends its entire length and is between 800 mm and 920 mm above the front edge of the treads,
(ii) treads that are level and uniform in width and depth and in the vertical distances between them throughout the length of the ladder, and
(iii) on an open side, both a handrail and an intermediate rail or equivalent safeguard.
13.20(2) Clause (1)(c) does not apply to
(a) a landing that is serviced by more than one fixed ladder; or
(b) a fixed ladder installed before the coming into force of this regulation.
Fixed ladders re multi-level buildings
13.21 An employer and an owner must ensure that a fixed ladder that complies with the requirements of section 13.20 is used to provide access to every level of a multi-level building that is more than 4 m above the preceding level.
Ladders attached to extending boom
22.21(1) An employer must ensure that
(a) if a ladder is a permanent part of an extending boom on powered mobile equipment, no worker is on the ladder when the equipment is being moved or the boom is being articulated, extended or retracted; and
(b) if outriggers or stabilizers are incorporated into powered mobile equipment, no worker climbs a ladder attached to an extending boom unless the outriggers or stabilizers are deployed and used in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. 22.21(2) An employer must ensure that a worker who works from a ladder attached to an extending boom on power mobile equipment complies with Part 14 (Fall Protection).
Ladder systems
24.4(1) An employer must provide an appropriate ladder system for use by a worker who is required or permitted to climb on a lead. 24.4(2) A worker must use the ladder system when one is provided.
26.14(2) If a worker is required or permitted to enter an open excavation or trench that is more than 1.5 m deep, an employer must provide a ladder, stairway or ramp as a means of entering and leaving the excavation or trench.
26.14(3) If a ladder is used as the means for entering and leaving an open excavation or trench, an employer must ensure that the ladder
(a) extends 1 m above the top of the excavation or trench; and
(b) is located not more than 3 m from the worker, when a ladder is used in a trench.
PART 28 SCAFFOLDS AND OTHER ELEVATED WORK PLATFORMS
28.1(2) Except for work of short duration that can be done safely from a ladder, an employer must ensure that a worker engaged in work that cannot be done from the ground or other safe elevation is provided with a scaffold or an elevated work platform.
Additional criteria: scaffolds of particular height
28.7 An employer must ensure that a scaffold is equipped with each of the following that applies:
(a) if the scaffold platform is 3 m or more above the level a worker may fall, the scaffold platform is equipped with a guardrail on the open sides and ends of the platform that is in line with the outer edge of the platform;
(b) if a scaffold is more than 6 m in height, it is equipped with a suitable hoisting device for hoisting materials;
(c) if a scaffold is 9 or more metres in height, it is equipped with
(i) an internal stairway or ladders, and
(ii) if any ladder under subclause (i) exceeds 3 m in height, the ladder is equipped with fall protection attachments.
Ladder-jack scaffold
28.15(1) An employer must ensure that a ladder-jack scaffold is not more than 5 m above grade. 28.15(2) For a ladder-jack scaffold, an employer must ensure that it is designed and constructed
(a) in compliance with the requirements of ANSI Standard A10.8-2001, Safety Requirements for Scaffolding — American National Standard for Construction and Demolition Operations; and
(b) so that it has ladders that are spaced not more than 2.5 m apart and that it bears on
(i) both the side rails and the ladder rungs, or
(ii) the ladder rungs only, but only if the bearing area of each rung is at least 254 mm. 28.15(3) An employer must ensure that
(a) a ladder-jack scaffold is maintained in as level a position as possible;
(b) no more than two workers are on a ladder-jack scaffold at any one time; and
(c) if there is a risk that a worker using a ladder-jack scaffold may fall three or more metres, the worker uses a fall protection system that meets the requirements of Part 14 (Fall Protection).
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