NIOSH Releases a Ladder Safety App

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a smart phone application aimed at improving extension ladder safety. The Ladder Safety app addresses the major causes of ladder falls by placing a number of interactive and easy-to-use graphic-oriented tools into the hands of the ladder users upon demand. The app features an angle of inclination indicator which uses visual, sound, and vibration signals making it easier for workers and other users to set an extension ladder at the proper angle of approximately 75.5 degrees. A "Selection" tool provides an interactive and easy-to-use procedure to select the minimum required ladder duty-rating corresponding to the user characteristics and task. The app also features an "Inspection" tool which provides a comprehensive, graphic-based, interactive and easy-to-use checklist for ladder mechanical inspection. OSHA regulations and ANSI A14 standards include a set of rules for safe ladder use - the app's "Proper Use" tool presents these rules in a clear graphic format, which is both informative and easy to understand.

The app is available for free through iTunes and Google Play and links can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/falls/.