What should you do if you find a ladder is damaged?

• A. It should be tagged and stored for later use.
• B. It can be used if a supervisor approves.
• C. It should be removed from service and tagged until repaired or discarded.
• D. It must be replaced with a new ladder immediately.

Answer: (C)

Damaged ladders create a real fall hazard, so the safest step is to remove the ladder from service and tag it so no one uses it until it’s repaired or discarded. The tag communicates immediately that the equipment is not safe to operate, preventing accidental use and guiding maintenance or disposal decisions. Simply letting someone approve continued use doesn’t make the ladder safe, since the underlying damage can fail unexpectedly. Tagging and storing for later use still leaves the hazard present and can lead to someone reusing a compromised ladder. Replacing it right away is not always mandatory; the key action is to remove it from service and tag until a proper repair or disposal is determined by the safety policy.