Occupational Safety and Health Administration Logs

According to OSHA regulations does a person on a ladder need to have someone hold the ladder

I work at an apartment complex and need some light bulbs changed by maintenance. The maintenance man said according to OSHA regs he has to have someone hold the ladder.

Public Comments

1. No. He needs a better ladder or rolling scaffold. Submit a written maintenance request.
2. NO there are no rules to that. He just doesnt want to do that. Go to OSHA online and you will see for yourself. Then CONFRONT this dude with FACTS,
3. It may not be in the reg's, but it's a darn good practice.
4. baloney tell him to show you the regs. there is none
5. Well it really depends on how high up those bulbs are and what type of ladder he is using. Are these bulbs outside, as in security lighting? If so & he's using a long extension ladder, then it's probably a good idea to have someone steady the base of it, but I don't know that it's an actual OSHA requirement. If there are a lot of bulbs and they are more than 10-12 feet above the ground, then the complex should consider buying a tall stepladder or rent a scissorlift and change them all in one shot, whether they're burnt out or not. Then once they start burning out, you'll know the rest will soon follow, so do that again. It's much easier than changing them one by one by one....
6. He just doesn't want to do the work. Call the complex manager and request the lights be replaced. It is their problem if they want to hire a 'ladder holder" but it isn't covered under OSHA regs.
7. I agree that it would depend on how high up the bulbs are. I doubt OSHA says that someone has to hold the ladder, unless maybe this ladder needs to be a couple of stories high. But anytime a ladder gets leaned against a wall, it's always a great idea to have someone at the bottom to hold the ladder. If its a small ladder like one that is used for interior painting, there's NO REASON that he needs someone to hold the ladder....he just doesn't want to do it. You could always change the bulbs yourself and bill him for it if he insists OSHA won't allow it. Good luck!