Choosing a Roof Ladder

When choosing which roof ladder is the best for the work at hand, it is recommended to evaluate in accordance with these guidelines laid out by the HSE.

Firstly you need to assess if the work requires work at height and if it does then you need to choose the best roof ladder available in order to prevent falls.  

The basic guidelines to help you decide to use a roof ladder are if the job will be:

1. Will you remain in one position for no more than 30 minutes?
2. Will the job be light enough as if it is too strenuous then you need to carry out a detailed manual handling assessment?
3. Can you maintain three points of contact (hands and feet) in the working position which should include a handhold?

Once you have deemed that the roof ladder is correct for the task then you can choose the best roof ladder for the job.  There are several types of roof ladders on the market many workers used the standard ladder with roof hooks.  There is another type which consists of two hooks which are bolted to the rails of the ladder.

For safety a roof ladder which has a heavy-duty section roof hook is very good.  Look out for a roof ladder which has an industrial rung section and a heavy-duty box section stiles, complete with bearer bars which help distribute the weight evenly.

Once you are up on a roof ladder remember to never overreach or overload it.  Do not take anything up that is higher than the load stated on the ladder safety instructions.

Before buying roof ladder confirm with the manufacturers that the ladder is suitable for your worst case work scenarios.

Every home should have one! If your home does not already have a step ladder or if it is time to retire an old and worn out step ladder, the following ideas can help you make a sound choice for choosing a new step ladder. Or perhaps you need to use a step ladder for work purposes then by evaluating the nature of the work you can choose the model most suited to you. When you are buying a new step ladder in the UK the first thing to check is that it has the correct certification which for Class 1 Step Ladders should be BS 2037 Certified. This class of step ladders are suitable even for industrial use and have a vertical load rating of 175kg and a duty rating of 130kg. Typically you can expect a choice of what are called treads, essentially the amount of steps including the top, from 3 to 10. In order to choose the best step ladder for your needs whether at home or at work, you will need to assess the kind of work you intend to use it for. If for example it is little tasks around the house where you may have been tempted to stand on a chair before a 3 step ladder could be perfect for the job. Being lightweight and easy to manage this type of step ladder is perfect to help you do those jobs safely and effectively. However if the tasks have more variation and especially if you intend to paint some of the rooms in your home, then a 5 step ladder is a better option giving you more reach for the work you wish to do. If it is more industrial or heavy duty work that will be carried out then check out heavy duty quality fibreglass platform step ladders. These are specially designed with treads double riveted for strength which are also slip resistant as well as the feet being slip resistant too. Additionally they are insulated up to 30,000 volts plus have tough reinforced glass fibre stiles. This type of step ladder typically comes in a range of 3 to 12 treads.