Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

2.7 Where an employee is required to move from one level to another that is more than 450 mm higher or lower than the first level, the employer shall install a fixed ladder, stairway or ramp between the levels.

2.8 Where one end of a stairway is so close to a traffic route used by vehicles, to a machine or to any other hazard as to be hazardous to the safety of an employee using the stairway, the employer shall, at that end of the stairway,

• (a) post a sign to warn employees of the hazard; and

• (b) where practicable, install a highly visible barricade that will protect employees using the stairway from the hazard.

• 2.9 (1) A fixed ladder installed after the day of the coming into force of this section shall be designed, constructed and installed in accordance with the requirements of ANSI Standard A14.3-1984 entitled American National Standard for Ladders — Fixed — Safety Requirements, as amended from time to time, other than section 7 of that Standard.

• (2) A fixed ladder that is installed before the day of the coming into force of this section shall, where reasonably practicable, meet the requirements referred to in subsection (1).

• (3) While ascending or descending a fixed ladder, an employee shall

  • (a) maintain a three-point contact with the ladder; and

  • (b) carry any tools, equipment or materials in a pouch or holster or in any other secure manner.

• (4) A fixed ladder shall be highly visible or its presence otherwise brought to the attention of any employee in the area.

• 2.10 (1) Every grain-handling facility that has a manlift or ladder that provides access to a floor or roof over a grain bin or silo shall, in addition to its primary exit, have a secondary exit from the floor or roof that consists of an exterior fixed ladder constructed in accordance with the requirements referred to in subsection 2.9(1).

• (2) A fixed ladder that is installed in a grain-handling facility before the day of the coming into force of this section shall, where reasonably practicable, meet the requirements referred to in subsection 2.9(1).

• (3) A fixed ladder that is installed adjacent to a manlift and that is intended for emergency exit from the manlift shall meet the requirements of section 5.1.9 of CSA Standard B 311-M1979, entitled Safety Code for Manlifts, the English version of which is dated October 1979 and the French version of which is dated July 1984.

• 2.11 (1) Every loading and unloading dock and ramp shall be

  • (a) of sufficient strength to support the maximum load that may be brought to bear on it;

  • (b) free of surface irregularities that may interfere with the safe operation of mobile equipment; and

  • (c) fitted around its sides that are not used for loading or unloading with side rails, curbs or rolled edges of sufficient height and strength to prevent mobile equipment from running over the edge.

• (2) Cross-traffic on dock levellers shall be limited to the portion of the dock leveller where there is no danger of tipping the materials handling equipment.

• (3) Every portable ramp and every dock plate shall be

  • (a) clearly marked or tagged to indicate the maximum safe load that it is capable of supporting; and

  • (b) installed so that it cannot slide, move or otherwise be displaced under the load that may be brought to bear on it.