A Health Letter from the Mayo Clinic offered these 12 tips for ladder safety:

1. Have somebody nearby to get help if you fall.
2. Don't get on a ladder if you're not sure about your physical ability, if you become tired easily, or if you are taking medication that causes dizziness or drowsiness.
3. Before getting on the ladder, inspect it for loose screws, rungs, hinges, etc.
4. Someone needs to hold the ladder to steady it.
5. Ladders need to be on ground that's even, dry, and firm.
6. Ladder braces and locks need to be set.
7. Stick to this ratio: place a ladder one foot out from the wall for every four feet that it is raised vertically.
8. When climbing the ladder, don't go higher than the third rung down from the top.
9. At all times, have two hands and one foot on the ladder—or two feet and one hand.
10. Leaning over the ladder's side is prohibited; your belt buckle must not go beyond the side rail.
11. Watch out for power lines going into the house and keep safe distance. Danger of death.
12. When going up on a roof, the ladder must extend three feet above the roof.