(c) allows of considerable play, but is fairly safe if the ladder has a fixed footing.
6. No ladder serving as a means of communication in, on, or about a scaffold or building in course of construction or repair should have an additional smaller ladder attached to or spliced on to it for the purpose of obtaining extra length.
Ladders are often spliced especially for light work. The danger arises from the displacement of the usual handhold and also foothold, if the tying slips or gives sufficiently, so that the rungs, where the lap takes place, are not on the same level.
7. Openings within the working platforms through which workmen could fall a distance greater than 8 feet should be surrounded with a guard-rail fixed at a height of 3 feet 6 inches above the working platform.
A guard-rail may at times interfere with the free use of the platform, and where this occurs an alternative is to fit the well hole with trap doors which can be closed when the well is out of use.
8. No loose putlogs or other timbers should be allowed to remain projecting from the face of the scaffold where hoisting or lowering of material or plant is carried on.
The danger from any projecting timbers is a real one. If loose the transport of material may disturb it by contact, or the material itself may fall. The face of the scaffold would be an imaginary line drawn from standard to standard on their outside.
9. Baskets when loaded should not be slung from the handles only, but the sling should be passed round the bottom of the basket. Provided always that if means have been taken in the construction of the basket to prevent its handles and bottom breaking out, this suggestion need not apply.
Several baskets are now on the market with wire ropes &c. used in their construction, and which prevent the handles &c. breaking away. The life of an ordinary basket in constant use averages about a fortnight, but much depends upon the material carried, slates, for instance, having a particularly wearing effect.
10. All poles before being used in the construction of the scaffold should be barked.