Is it safe to clean your own gutters? Ladder safety basics

Steps

1. Use the right ladder. WorkSafe Victoria's guidance on portable ladders says workplace ladders should be industrial-grade with a safe working load of at least 120 kg. Check the feet, rungs and locks before you climb.
2. Stand it on firm, level ground at 4 to 1. For every 4 metres of height, the base sits 1 metre out from the wall. Not in a garden bed, on loose gravel, or on a slope you haven't levelled properly.
3. Extend it past the step-off point. If you'll step from the ladder onto the roof, it needs to reach 1 metre (about 3 rungs) above the gutter, and should be secured so it can't slip. Never stand on a rung less than 1 metre from the top.
4. Keep three points of contact. Two feet and one hand on the ladder at all times. That means a scoop in one hand and the bucket hooked to the ladder, not both hands busy.
5. Don't overreach. Keep your body between the rails. Climb down and move the ladder every metre or so. It's slower, and that's the point.
6. Look up for power lines. The service line comes into the house near the roof. Keep well away from it, and WorkSafe says to use a non-conductive ladder, such as fibreglass, wherever there's an electrical hazard.
7. Have someone with you. Someone to foot the ladder, pass things up and call for help if needed.
8. Leave two storeys to people with fall protection. At that height you need a roof anchor and harness or edge protection, and the training to use it. Without that, don't go up.
9. Stay off wet, mossy or steep roofs. Wait for a dry, still day. Tiles can crack underfoot and cause leaks, so if you can reach the gutter from the ladder, stay on the ladder.

If that didn't help

• WorkSafe's rules are written for workplaces, but they're a good standard at home too. Read the full portable ladders guidance before you buy or borrow a ladder.
• Want to know whether the gutters need doing before anyone goes up? The ground-level checks answer that without a ladder.