Ladder Safety When Painting

When you need to use a ladder for painting, make sure it’s not too close or too far from the wall. You want a 4 to 1 ratio of height to distance away from the wall, and a simple way to judge that is to stand at the bottom of the ladder and reach your arms out. If the ladder’s angled properly, you should be able to touch it without leaning forward.

Another important safety tip is to make sure your ladder isn’t standing on your drop cloth or it could slip. Of course you want the cloth to protect the floor, but you don’t want it all the way out underneath the feet of the ladder.