If a ladder is determined to be unsafe for use, it should be ___.

If a ladder is determined to be unsafe for use, it should be ___.

• A. removed from service at the end of the workday
• B. returned to the manufacturer immediately
• C. all of these
• D. tagged "Do Not Use" and removed from the work area

Answer: (D)

When a ladder is found to be unsafe, the immediate goal is to prevent anyone from using it and to set it aside for proper handling. Tagging it with a clear warning like “Do Not Use” communicates the hazard to everyone and, by removing it from the work area, ensures no one will climb it. This makes it possible to have the ladder inspected, repaired, or replaced by the right personnel without risking an injury. Waiting to deal with it at the end of the day still leaves a dangerous condition in place, and there isn’t a standard in-field requirement to return unsafe ladders to the manufacturer as the immediate action. Therefore, the correct practice is to tag the ladder and remove it from the work area.

When a ladder is found to be unsafe, the immediate goal is to prevent anyone from using it and to set it aside for proper handling. Tagging it with a clear warning like “Do Not Use” communicates the hazard to everyone and, by removing it from the work area, ensures no one will climb it. This makes it possible to have the ladder inspected, repaired, or replaced by the right personnel without risking an injury. Waiting to deal with it at the end of the day still leaves a dangerous condition in place, and there isn’t a standard in-field requirement to return unsafe ladders to the manufacturer as the immediate action. Therefore, the correct practice is to tag the ladder and remove it from the work area.