Chapter 8 Ground Ladders

What are the main uses of ground ladders?

Accessing upper stories and roofs, and reaching below-ground areas such as drains, trenches, and pits.

How many firefighters may be needed to carry and raise a ground ladder?

One to six, depending on ladder length.

What is a ladder beam?

The main structural member supporting the rungs or rung blocks.

What is the bed section, and what are its other names?

The lowest, widest extension ladder section; also called the base or main section.

Which section maintains contact with the supporting surface while an extension ladder is raised or lowered?

The bed section.

What is the butt of a ladder, and what are its other names?

The bottom end placed on the supporting surface; also called the heel or base.

What are butt spurs, and what do they do?

Metal plates, spikes, or cleats at the butt ends of the beams that prevent slipping.

What is a fly section?

A movable upper section of an extension ladder or some combination ladders.

What are footpads or shoes?

Swivel plates at the ladder butt, usually with rubber or neoprene bottom surfaces.

What are extension ladder guides?

Wood or metal strips, slots, or channels that guide the fly section during movement.

What is a halyard, and what is another name for it?

The rope or cable used to raise and lower fly sections; also called the fly rope.

What does a heat sensor label's color change indicate?

Heat exposure requiring removal from service and testing before further use.

What are roof ladder hooks?

Curved metal devices near the tip that secure the ladder over a roof peak.

What are pawls, and what are their other names?

Devices holding an extended fly section in place; also called dogs or ladder locks.

Where are pawls attached?

Inside the beams of the fly sections.

What are protection plates, and where are they used?

Metal strips at chafing points, such as the tip and apparatus bracket contact areas.

What is a ladder pulley?

A small grooved wheel through which the extension ladder halyard runs.

What are rails on a trussed ladder beam?

Two lengthwise members separated by truss or separation blocks.

What are ladder rungs?

Cross members between the beams that provide footholds for climbing.

What are ladder stops?

Wood or metal pieces that prevent the fly section from extending too far.

What are tie rods?

Metal rods beneath wooden ladder rungs that extend between the beams.

What is a ladder tip?

The extreme top of the ladder.

What is a truss block?

A spacer between trussed ladder rails that may also support a rung.

What four ground ladder types are typically used in the fire service?

Single, roof, extension, and combination.

Why might commercial ladders be unsuitable for emergency operations?

They may not meet NFPA requirements for emergency use.

What is a single ladder, and what are its other names?

One fixed-length, nonadjustable section; also called a wall or straight ladder.

How is a single ladder's length defined?

By the overall length of its beams.

What are single ladders commonly used for?

Quick access to windows and roofs of one- and two-story buildings.

Why are some single ladders trussed?

To maximize strength while reducing weight.

What lengths does the chapter give for single ladders?

Overall range: 6-32 feet; more common lengths: 12-24 feet.

What distinguishes a roof ladder from an ordinary single ladder?

Folding hooks that anchor it over a roof ridge or another roof part.

How does a deployed roof ladder help a firefighter?

It lies flat on the roof, distributes the firefighter's weight, and helps prevent slipping.

What is the roof ladder length range, and can it serve as a straight ladder?

12-24 feet; yes, it can also serve as a wall or straight ladder.

How does an extension ladder adjust its length?

One or more fly sections move within guides or brackets above a bed section.

How is extension ladder size identified, and can it use intermediate lengths?

By its full extended length; it can be adjusted incrementally.

What extension ladder length range appears in the chapter's ladder-types section?

Generally 12-39 feet.

What configurations can a combination ladder provide?

A self-supporting A-frame stepladder and a single or extension ladder.

What lengths does the chapter give for combination ladders?

8-14 feet, with 10 feet the most common.

What must hold a combination ladder open?

Positive locking devices.

According to the chapter, what does NFPA 1932 address?

Use, maintenance, and service testing of in-service fire department ground ladders.

How often should ground ladders be inspected according to the chapter?

After every use and monthly.

What should be investigated if a ladder part has excessive wear?

The cause of the excessive wear.

What signs may indicate heat exposure on a ladder without heat sensor labels?

Heavy soot deposits or blistered paint at the tips.

What may discoloration on fiberglass indicate?

Heat exposure.

What should inspectors check on rungs, bolts, and rivets?

Rungs for damage, wear, and tightness; bolts and rivets for tightness.

What defects should be checked in ladder welds, beams, and rungs?

Weld cracks or defects; beam and rung cracks, splintering, breaks, gouges, checks, wavy patterns, or deformation.

Where should inspectors look for vibration-related wear?

At contact points with the apparatus or other ladders.

When must heat sensor labels be replaced?

When their expiration date is reached.

Why must wooden ladder bolts not be overtightened?

They may crush the wood.

What must happen after direct flame contact, high heat exposure, or a heat sensor color change?

Remove the ladder from service for testing.

What must happen if ladder damage is found?

Remove it from service until repaired and tested.

What happens to ladders that cannot be safely repaired?

They must be destroyed or scrapped for parts.

What condition must ladder markings and warning labels remain in?

Legible.

According to the chapter, what does NFPA 1931 address?

Manufacturers' design of fire department ground ladders.

Where must designated ladder length be marked?

On each beam within 12 inches of the butt plate.

What date information appears on a manufacturer's nameplate?

The month and year of manufacture.

What locally assigned identification may appear on a ladder beam?

An apparatus designation or inventory number.

What do a white or reflective tip and a stripe commonly indicate?

The tip marking improves visibility in smoke or darkness; the stripe identifies the balance point.

Why should wooden ladders not be painted over?

Paint can conceal wood damage.

What does a manufacturer's certification label indicate?

That the ladder meets the applicable standard.

What do electrical hazard and positioning labels communicate?

Electrical danger, the climbing angle, and which side must face away from the building.

Which ladders require heat sensor labels, and where are they placed?

Metal and fiberglass ladders; inside each beam below the second rung from the tip of each section.

What temperature and date information apply to heat sensor labels?

Preset to 300°F (149°C), with an expiration date shown.

What material-specific damage should be checked on metal ladders?

Heat damage, corrosion or rust, cracks, bends, and other deformation.

What material-specific damage should be checked on fiberglass ladders?

Cracks, chipping, heat damage, and corrosion or rust on metal components.

What shared hardware and accessory defects should be checked on metal and fiberglass ladders?

Loose or missing fasteners, loose or damaged rungs, damaged or missing footpad rubber, and halyard dry rot or damage.

What does blistered or blackened varnish on a wooden ladder indicate?

Heat exposure.

What do dark streaks in ladder wood indicate, and what action is required?

Wood deterioration; remove the ladder from service until service tested.

What other defects should be checked on wooden ladders?

Chafed or scraped finish, marred or worn parts, cracks, splinters, rounded or smooth shoes, and water damage.

What should be checked on roof ladder hook assemblies?

Easy operation, no rust or deformation, and firm attachments without looseness.

How should pawl assemblies and pulleys operate?

Pawl hooks and fingers should move freely; pulleys should turn freely.

What should be done with a worn or damaged halyard?

Replace it.

How should a halyard cable feel when bedded, and why?

Taut, to ensure proper synchronization of the upper sections.

What should be checked about extension ladder guides?

Their condition and whether the fly sections move freely.

When are ground ladder service tests required?

Before initial service, annually while in service, and after high heat exposure or rough treatment.

Who should service test ground ladders, and what caution is necessary?

The fire department or an approved agency; avoid ladder damage and personnel injury.

When should ladders be cleaned, and why?

After every use; accumulated debris can harden and interfere with operation.

What should be used for basic ladder cleaning?

A soft-bristle brush and running water.

How should tar, oil, or grease be removed from a ladder?

With mild soap and water or environmentally safe solvents.

What guidance controls ladder lubrication?

Departmental SOPs and manufacturer recommendations.

What should firefighters do while cleaning and immediately afterward?

Look for damage or wear, report defects under SOPs, and wipe the ladder dry.

How does ladder maintenance differ from repair?

Maintenance keeps it useful and ready; repair restores or replaces damaged or worn parts.

Who performs routine ladder maintenance, and who performs repairs?

Firefighters perform routine maintenance under SOPs and manufacturer recommendations; trained ladder repair technicians perform repairs.

What conditions should ladders be protected from during storage?

Moisture, weather, vehicle exhaust, and engine heat.

For what purposes and within what limits does the chapter allow ladder identification paint?

Identification or visibility; limit painted areas to 18 inches at the top and bottom of the beams.

What physical preparation and PPE are needed for ladder handling?

Adequate upper-body strength and full PPE, including gloves and a helmet.

What is the correct body technique for lifting a ladder below waist level?

Bend the knees, keep the back as straight as possible, and lift with the legs.

What determines the needed number of ladder handlers?

Ladder length and type, plus conditions at the scene.

What electrical clearance does the chapter specify, and when must it be maintained?

At least 10 feet (3 m) from energized lines or equipment during raising, use, and lowering.

What name does the chapter use for the minimum electrical clearance?

The Circle of Safety.

When should overhead electrical hazards be checked?

Before choosing placement and again immediately before raising.

What should be done if the ladder's raising path approaches electrical equipment too closely?

Change the method or location; a parallel raise may avoid the hazard.

Can any ladder material conduct electricity?

Yes, especially when wet; contact with a power source can electrocute anyone touching the ladder.

What should be grasped while extending or retracting a ladder, and why?

The beams, to keep fingers from being pinched between sections.

What must be checked about pawls before climbing?

Their hooks must be seated over the rungs.

What must be checked about a ladder's supporting points before climbing?

Both butt spurs must contact a stable surface; roof ladder hooks must be firmly set.

What loading guideline does the chapter give for ground ladders?

One firefighter every 10 feet or one per section, without exceeding rated capacity.

What should secure a firefighter working from a ground ladder?

A leg lock or ladder belt.

When may a positioned ladder be relocated?

Only when ordered.

How should an unattended ladder's foot be secured?

Tie it to a stationary object with rope.