Skip to content
Free sample
Español

SAFETY MOMENT, DECEMBER 18

Face the ladder and keep a hand on it

See today's safety momentHow to give a safety moment

Safety moment, December 18

Face the ladder and keep a hand on it

We use ladders so often that it is easy to stop thinking about them. A ladder fall can start with one quick choice: grabbing the wrong ladder, skipping the setup, or reaching too far. Even a short fall can cause a serious injury.

SAFETY MOMENT

December 18

The hazard

We use ladders so often that it is easy to stop thinking about them. A ladder fall can start with one quick choice: grabbing the wrong ladder, skipping the setup, or reaching too far. Even a short fall can cause a serious injury.

The action

Face the ladder when you go up or down, and use at least one hand to grip it while you climb. Do not carry anything that could throw off your balance. Use a tool belt, or raise tools and materials with a hand line. (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(21))

ASK THE CREW

Which ladders on this job are the right height for the work we are doing this week?

Takeaway: Pick the right ladder, check it, set it up right, and keep a hand on it every time you climb.

From the talk: Ladder safety. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.

HOW TO USE IT

How to give a safety moment

  1. Gather the crew where they work, before the shift or the meeting starts. Read the hazard out loud.
  2. Ask the question and let two or three people answer. What they say about their own work counts for more than what you read.
  3. Name the action and point to one place on today's job where it applies, so everyone knows what to do differently.
  4. Write the date and the names on a sign-in sheet.

A safety moment is short and does not replace the full talk. When you want to go through a topic with the crew, pick a free toolbox talk.

PRINT AND EDIT

365 safety moments, $29

One moment for every day of the year in the same format as this one: the hazard, the action, the question and the source talk with its citation. Print a page a day or show a slide.

  • 365 safety moments, one per day
  • Dated PDF calendar, a page a day
  • PowerPoint with one slide per moment
  • English and Spanish
  • Each moment links back to its cited toolbox talk

Instant download. 30-day refund, no questions.

Free 52-week toolbox talk calendar (PDF)