To prevent falls and injuries when using ladders, it's crucial to follow safety regulations and guidelines. These include proper ladder selection, inspection, setup, and climbing techniques.

Key safety regulations and guidelines include:

• Ladder Inspection: Before each use, inspect the ladder for any defects such as missing or loose cleats, screws, bolts, or nails; cracked, broken, split, dented, or badly worn rungs, cleats, or side rails; splinters on wood ladders; or corrosion on metal ladders. Remove defective ladders from the job site. Ensure rung locks are in working order.
• Proper Ladder Selection: Always use the right ladder for the job. Consider the duty rating label on the ladder and ensure it can handle the weight of the user, tools, and materials. Use Underwriter's Laboratory approved ladders and check OSHA standards for the type of ladder in use.
• Ladder Setup: Set the ladder on a solid, level, and secure surface. Clear away debris and obstructions, and block off the area around the bottom of the ladder to prevent it from being bumped into. Use a 25 percent (4:1) angle on the slope of the ladder. Secure the top of the ladder to prevent it from sliding. When accessing a porch or roof, extend ladder side rails 3 feet above landing. If a ladder must be placed in front of a door, secure the door shut.
• Safe Climbing Practices: Maintain three points of contact with the ladder at all times (two hands and one foot, or one hand and two feet). Face the ladder when ascending or descending, and center your body between the ladder rungs. Use a tool belt or hoist to lift tools and materials. Do not carry tools or materials in hand while climbing.
• Working from Ladders: Keep your belt buckle centered between ladder side rails at all times. Avoid overreaching, pulling, leaning, stretching, or making sudden moves. Do not work from the top three rungs of an extension ladder or the top or top step of a step ladder.
• Electrical Safety: Avoid electrical hazards by looking for overhead power lines before handling a ladder. Use non-conductive ladders (not metal) near power lines or exposed energized electrical equipment. Maintain a minimum distance of 10 feet from electrical lines.
• General Safety Practices: Allow only one person on the ladder at a time. Avoid using a ladder in a horizontal position as a scaffold. Secure the ladder to prevent displacement, or erect a barricade to keep traffic away. Avoid outdoor ladder use on windy days.

Training employees on proper ladder use is essential, and it should be a performance requirement for the job. Training programs should enable employees to recognize hazards related to ladders and train them in procedures to minimize these hazards.