What is the 4-to-1 rule for ladders?

For every 4 m (or 4 ft) of height to where the ladder rests, set the base 1 m (or 1 ft) out from the wall. That gives an angle of about 75 degrees.

Can I stand on the top step of a stepladder?

No. Ontario's construction rules forbid standing on the top cap, top step or pail shelf, and CCOHS says you are too high if your knees are above the top cap. Use a taller ladder.

Does this course count as ladder or working at heights training?

No. It is background knowledge only. Your employer must train you for the ladders and fall protection at your site, and in Ontario, construction workers who use fall protection must take working at heights training from a provider approved by the Chief Prevention Officer.

How often should a ladder be inspected?

CCOHS says before every use and after it has been dropped. In British Columbia, the regulation requires an inspection before use on each shift.

Is the certificate accredited or officially recognised?

No. It is a private certificate of completion for knowledge only. It is not recognised, accredited or approved by any government, licensing body, regulator or educational institution, and it does not replace any licence, certification or training required by law.

Ladder Safety Course 2026

Question 1 of 25

A fixed stairway is available to reach the area where you need to work. What should you do?

Ask a coworker to hold a ladder for you
Use the ladder anyway, since it is quicker
Use the stairway instead of a ladder
Use the ladder, but only for short jobs

Show answer

Answer: C. Use the stairway instead of a ladder

CCOHS says not to use a ladder when a fixed stairway, scaffold or other safe access is available.

Question 2 of 25

Under BC's OHS Regulation, what must be provided if a job cannot be done from a ladder without hazard to the worker?

A written warning signed by the worker
A work platform
A second worker to hold the base
A taller ladder

Show answer

Answer: B. A work platform

Section 13.6 of BC's OHS Regulation says a work platform must be provided if the work cannot be done safely from a ladder.

Question 3 of 25

Which grades of portable ladder are allowed on an Ontario construction project?

Grade 3 for short jobs
Any grade, if it is new
Grade 2 or 3 only
Grade 1, 1A or 1AA

Show answer

Answer: D. Grade 1, 1A or 1AA

Ontario Regulation 213/91, s. 80, requires portable ladders on a project to meet CSA Z11 Grade 1, 1A or 1AA.

Question 4 of 25

Under the CSA Z11 grading system, what kind of ladder is a Grade 3 ladder?

Heavy duty
Extra heavy duty
Special electrical duty
Light duty

Show answer

Answer: D. Light duty

CCOHS lists Grade 1 as heavy duty, Grade 2 as medium duty and Grade 3 as light duty.

Question 5 of 25

What weight must a ladder's load rating cover?

Your body weight plus the tools and materials you carry
The weight of your tools only, since you are not counted
Your body weight only, without any tools or materials
Only the weight of the ladder itself, as marked on it

Show answer

Answer: A. Your body weight plus the tools and materials you carry

CCOHS says to check that the load rating covers the user plus the equipment and materials for the task.

Question 6 of 25

You must work near electrical equipment. Which ladder is the better choice?

A fibreglass ladder
A wet wooden ladder
An aluminum ladder
A steel ladder

Show answer

Answer: A. A fibreglass ladder

CCOHS says a fibreglass ladder should be used where electricity is a hazard. Metal ladders, such as aluminum or steel, conduct electricity.

Question 7 of 25

How far does CCOHS say to keep ladders and tools from power lines?

At least 3 ft (1 m)
At least 1 ft (30 cm)
No distance if you wear gloves
At least 10 ft (about 3 m)

Show answer

Answer: D. At least 10 ft (about 3 m)

The CCOHS extension ladder fact sheet says to keep ladders and tools at least 10 ft away from power lines; local rules may require more.

Question 8 of 25

When does CCOHS say a portable ladder should be inspected?

Before every use and after it is dropped
Once a year by the manufacturer
Only after someone has reported a problem
Only when it looks dirty or worn

Show answer

Answer: A. Before every use and after it is dropped

CCOHS says to inspect ladders when new, before every use, after a drop or fall and before storage.

Question 9 of 25

Under BC's OHS Regulation, how often must a ladder be inspected?

Once a year
Before use on each shift
Only when it is new
At least once every calendar month

Show answer

Answer: B. Before use on each shift

Section 13.3 of BC's OHS Regulation says a ladder must be inspected before use on each shift.

Question 10 of 25

During your check you find a cracked side rail. What should happen to the ladder?

Wrap tape around the crack and keep using it
Tag it and take it out of service
Use it only for jobs that take a few minutes
Paint over the crack to seal it

Show answer

Answer: B. Tag it and take it out of service

Defective ladders are tagged and removed from service. CCOHS says not to make temporary or makeshift repairs.

Question 11 of 25

Why should a wooden ladder not be covered with opaque paint?

Paint is only allowed on metal ladders
Paint makes the rungs too rough to grip
Paint can hide cracks and other defects
Paint makes the ladder too heavy to carry

Show answer

Answer: C. Paint can hide cracks and other defects

CCOHS says not to paint wooden ladders, because the paint may hide defects. A clear sealer is fine.

Question 12 of 25

The top of an extension ladder rests 4 m up a wall. Using the 4-to-1 rule, how far out should the base be?

About 1 m
About 2 m
About 25 cm
About 4 m

Show answer

Answer: A. About 1 m

The 4-to-1 rule puts the base 1 unit out for every 4 units of height, so about 1 m for 4 m. This gives an angle of about 75 degrees.

Question 13 of 25

In Ontario's construction rules, where must the base of a leaning ladder be if the ladder is not securely fastened?

Between one-half and two-thirds of its length out from below the top
A distance equal to the whole length of the ladder
Right against the wall, directly under the top support
One-quarter to one-third of its length out from below the top

Show answer

Answer: D. One-quarter to one-third of its length out from below the top

Ontario Regulation 213/91, s. 81(2), sets the base between 1/4 and 1/3 of the ladder's length from the point below the top.

Question 14 of 25

A leaning ladder is used to get onto a roof. How far should it extend above the roof edge?

About 3 m (10 ft)
It should stop just below the edge
About 10 cm (4 in)
About 1 m (3 ft)

Show answer

Answer: D. About 1 m (3 ft)

CCOHS says at least 1 m (3 ft), BC requires about 1 m, and Ontario's construction rules require at least 900 mm above the landing.

Question 15 of 25

Why should a leaning ladder be secured at both the top and the bottom?

Securing the foot does not stop the top from slipping sideways
Ties are only needed when two people are on the ladder at once
A tie at the top makes the ladder lighter to climb
The bottom tie is only for when the ladder is stored

Show answer

Answer: A. Securing the foot does not stop the top from slipping sideways

CCOHS notes that securing a ladder at the foot does not prevent a side slip at the top, so both ends are secured.

Question 16 of 25

What part of a leaning ladder should rest against the top support?

One side rail
A window pane
The top rung only
Both side rails

Show answer

Answer: D. Both side rails

CCOHS says ladders must rest on both side rails, not on the rungs, and the top must not rest on a gutter, window pane or anything that can break or move.

Question 17 of 25

You have to set up a ladder in front of a doorway. What should you do?

Set it up only when the building is busy
Lock the door or barricade it and post a warning
Ask people to walk past it quickly
Leave the door wide open so people can see you working

Show answer

Answer: B. Lock the door or barricade it and post a warning

CCOHS says to barricade doorways and passageways or lock doors, and post warning signs, so nobody knocks the ladder.

Question 18 of 25

What must you do before climbing a stepladder?

Lean it folded against the wall
Set it on a box to gain more height
Open it halfway for a smaller footprint
Open it fully and lock the spreaders

Show answer

Answer: D. Open it fully and lock the spreaders

A stepladder's legs must be fully spread and the spreaders locked. Ontario's construction rules (s. 83) also require this.

Question 19 of 25

Under Ontario's construction rules, which part of a stepladder may a worker NOT stand on?

Any step that has a warning label on it
The second step from the bottom
The bottom step
The top cap, top step or pail shelf

Show answer

Answer: D. The top cap, top step or pail shelf

Ontario Regulation 213/91, s. 83(2), forbids standing on the top cap, top step or pail shelf of a stepladder.

Question 20 of 25

How should you choose the size of a stepladder for a job?

About 1 m taller than the highest point that you must reach
About 1 m shorter than the highest point you must reach
The tallest one in the storeroom, whatever the job
Exactly as tall as the highest point you must reach

Show answer

Answer: B. About 1 m shorter than the highest point you must reach

CCOHS says to pick a stepladder about 1 m shorter than the highest point you need to reach, which gives a wider base.

Question 21 of 25

What does "three points of contact" mean when you climb a ladder?

Two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand
Two feet on the rungs and your chest on the ladder
Both hands on the side rails and one knee on a rung
One hand, one foot and a tool belt on the ladder

Show answer

Answer: A. Two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand

Three points of contact means two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, on the ladder at all times.

Question 22 of 25

How should you get a heavy toolbox up to where you are working on a ladder?

Raise it with a hand-line, hoist or bucket
Carry it in one hand while you climb
Balance it on your shoulder as you climb
Toss it up to a coworker once you reach the top

Show answer

Answer: A. Raise it with a hand-line, hoist or bucket

CCOHS says not to carry tools or materials in your hands while climbing; raise them with a hoist, hand-line or bucket.

Question 23 of 25

The work is just out of reach from where your ladder stands. What should you do?

Stand on the top step to reach
Climb down and move the ladder
Shift the ladder while standing on it
Lean out past the side rail

Show answer

Answer: B. Climb down and move the ladder

Overreaching can tip a ladder. CCOHS says to work from the centre of the ladder and to climb down and move it if you cannot reach.

Question 24 of 25

On an extension ladder, what is the highest rung CCOHS says you should climb to?

Any rung, if the ladder is tied off
The top rung
The fourth rung from the top
The second rung from the top

Show answer

Answer: C. The fourth rung from the top

The CCOHS extension ladder fact sheet says not to climb higher than the fourth rung from the top.

Question 25 of 25

In Ontario, a worker on a construction project will use a fall arrest system while working from a ladder. What training is required?

No training, if a coworker holds the ladder
A first aid certificate from any training school
A ladder permit issued by the city's building department
Working at heights training from an approved provider

Show answer

Answer: D. Working at heights training from an approved provider

Ontario requires construction workers who use fall protection to take working at heights training from a provider approved by the Chief Prevention Officer. It is valid for 3 years.

Ladder Safety Course 2026

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