Roof hatches and fixed ladders

Going up a fixed ladder looks routine, so people get careless. Face the ladder going up and coming down, every time. Keep at least one hand on the ladder at all times, and keep three points of contact as much as you can. Do not carry tools, parts, or a recovery machine in your hands while you climb. That is a load that can pull you off balance. Use a tool bag or bucket on a hand line to haul things up after you get to the top, or use a material hoist if the building has one. Wipe mud, oil, or ice off your boots before you start, and look at the rungs for damage, grease, or loose bolts.

The hatch is where most slips happen. Open it all the way and make sure the hold-open arm locks, so the lid cannot drop on your head or hands. Climb until you can step off onto the roof without pulling yourself up on the hatch frame or a pipe. Once you are on the roof, the open hatch is a hole you can fall through. Close it behind you, or make sure the hatch has a guardrail around it with a self-closing gate. Do not leave the hatch open with nothing around it while you work nearby. When you back away from a unit to look at it, it is easy to step right into that opening.

Coming down is the most dangerous part. You are tired, the hatch opening is behind you, and you cannot see the rungs. Lower your tools first with the hand line. Then turn to face the ladder before you step through, and find the rungs with your feet while holding on with both hands. Close the hatch after you are below it, with one hand still on the ladder. If the ladder has a cage or a ladder safety system, use it the right way. Do not climb on the outside of a cage. If the ladder, the hatch, or the hold-open arm is damaged, report it to the building owner and your foreman, and find another way up.