We’ve all seen photographs of ‘idiots on ladders,’ most of the time these involve the ladder being placed on ridiculously dangerous surfaces, or resting on a stack of bricks. We may laugh at the stupidity of these people, and seeing these images you can understand why accidents involving ladders are all too common. However, the majority of accidents are not caused by ladders being precariously balanced; often it’s a simple case of a ladder slipping outwards at the base, or tilting at the top.
So with this in mind, here is our Simple Guide to Ladder Accessories
Working On Uneven Ground
The HSE states that the rungs of a ladder must be levelled before use. Ideally a ladder should be placed on a firm level surface, but as we all know that’s not always possible. You may find that you need to set the ladder up on grass, earth or uneven ground.
Products such as the Anchor Fix are designed to widen the base of the ladder and provide stability. It also allows the ladder to be set on a slope up to 15°, levelling the base to the best position to allow you to work safely and securely
Preventing Outward Slip
Ladder Spurs are quick and easy to fit and prevent outward slip by increasing the base of the ladder and helping to reduce the chance of a sideways slip at the top.
The spurs simply wrap around the ladders stiles and can be attached at any height position to allow for sloping ground. Using ladder spurs also overcomes the need for ‘second man footing.’
Overcoming Obstructions
We know it’s not always possible to place a ladder against a solid surface, more often than not there will be a downpipe or window in the way.
Ladder Stand-Offs are designed to keep the ladder away from the wall. They typically feature a ‘V’ shape which fits directly onto the ladder to create a 300mm gap between the ladder and the wall. This allows the ladder to span around an obstruction or rest on the corners of buildings and is ideal for gutter cleaning or working under eaves.
Tools & Equipment
Of course these are by no means the only products you should use to ensure you're working safely off ladders. The primary concern is obviously to stop you falling, but you also need to think about the tools you will be using. There are a number of accessories available to make sure tools and equipment are not dropped when you’re working at height off a ladder. For example, Ladder Bucket Hooks simply attach to the ladder and provide a safe hook for buckets, leaving your hands free and preventing the bucket from tipping. Ladder Paint Trays fit onto the rungs of a ladder and provide easy access to paints or tools. Finally, tool lanyards, lassos and cords are designed to be tethered to the user or the ladder to stop injury or damage from a tool being dropped.
If you have any questions about working safely off ladders, or would like to speak to us about these and our other ladder safety products, please call us on tel: 01767 691812 or email: [email protected]