MaOMINGnow that every month in the UK 1000 people end up in hospital due Whether you are a professional or an individual using roof access ladders you need to have your full awareness about using it safely.

The use of any type of ladder requires paying attention to safety but roof access ladders are used at more significant height and therefore the risks involved can be more complex.  

Before doing anything at all you need to assess if you really do need a roof access ladder for the job.  If you do then the next step is to make sure you or whoever will do the work is a “ladder friendly” person; as some people aren’t.

Some people are not good at heights and others do not have a good sense of balance.

After choosing a suitably fit and trained person for the work the next stage is to do a risk assessment.  This entails a thorough assessment of the job itself, the area in which you will be working and the condition of the equipment.  Be fully aware of dangerous weather conditions such as strong winds as then the work should not be carried out.

Always fully pre-check the roof access ladder.  Never become casual about your safety and the safety of those working with you and around you. The users should be trained and instructed in the use of roof access ladders.

Workers need to be wearing sensible footwear such as safety shoes/boots or trainers.  Shoes should not have any dangling laces or soles hanging off, nor be slippery or thick with mud.

Workers should also be in a fit state as certain medical conditions and some medication are not suited to using ladders.  Additionally any alcohol or drug abuse should not be part of working with roof access ladders. iCn the home involving step ladders? In other words every day there will be about 30 people waiting in casualty for treatment because of a step ladder incident. Falls from height in general is still a serious problem although increased awareness and health and safety practices are helping decrease the incidents. In the workplace a HSE report includes details of a man who died after falling from the second rung of a ladder and hit his head on the floor when he fell. These following tips are to help you work safely when using step ladders and increase awareness in good safety practices. Before rushing into using your step ladder automatically, think about the details and requirements of the task and also about you the user. Can you accomplish the task safely with good reach and safe working conditions, and is it safe to carry out the task by yourself, or does it require assistance? How long will the work take? It is not safe practice to be on the step ladder for more than 30 minutes. Will you need to move around much when you have mounted the step ladder? What kind of objects are involved in the job, are they either bulky or heavy? How is the environment for the work? Are the floors clean and dry? Also be aware of how you feel. Some days a person may feel more tired or distracted, so this is not the ideal state for working on step ladders. How is your physical fitness? Be honest with yourself and if necessary ask for help. Maybe you are not that keen on heights, so get someone to help you that it good with heights. You can still be part of the job in other ways. If you know that you are fine to do the job then apart from assessing if you could do with someone to assist with handing you objects or any other help-be aware of sudden distractions that could break your concentration. Mobile phones are best turned off or else ask your assistant to answer your phone while you are working with step ladders.