It turns out you don’t actually have to walk under a ladder for it to be bad luck. Using ladders improperly can be dangerous, even deadly. In fact, 6,000 people die each year in this country from accidents involving ladders.

There are five steps that you should take before stepping on a ladder – starting with picking the right ladder, with the right rating and the right height. How you set it up and how you use it are also critical to your safety.

A ladder is a valuable tool for getting the job done. Get it done. Use the right ladder. Safely.

Get a leg up on ladder safety by watching the following video.