An incident in which a window fitter suffered broken ribs and a broken thumb is a reminder of the importance of safety ladders so workers can reach upper levels without unnecessary risk. In this case, reported by the HSE following a successful prosecution, the windows that were due to be installed were being carried up […]
Safety ladders are one part of a category that constitutes 40% of the UK access equipment market, according to a report from AMA Research. The publication, entitled Access Equipment Market Report – UK 2014-2018 Analysis, was published recently, and AMA Research summarised its key findings in a blog post. Among them is the fact that […]
An incident in which a man fell through an abattoir roof serves as a reminder of the value of safety ladders for safe access to roofs, and of walkovers to prevent people from falling through their more fragile sections. In this instance, the HSE reports that the married father of two was given a ladder […]
A trio of HSE incident reports since the start of April have highlighted the need for edge protection to protect passers-by, and safety ladders to provide safe access to elevated positions. In terms of safety ladders, two incidents involved workers falling from ladders; in the first, a Stockport man was installing an alarm system when […]
If you need to work at height, the correct aluminium ladders and aluminium walkways can create a platform that does not leave you at risk of overbalancing or falling. Aluminium walkways have lots of applications, from acting as walkovers on fragile roofs, to creating a level surface on pitched and other uneven roofs. Meanwhile, aluminium […]
New figures from the HSE show how construction sites without the right safety ladders, roof rails and other safeguards against falls from height are at risk of having their work halted completely. Following a month-long crackdown on construction sites, the HSE found 40% of nearly 1,750 sites it visited did not have adequate safety measures […]
The Health & Safety Executive investigated a report of unsafe working conditions by a member of the public – and found builders using an astonishing alternative to safety ladders. When inspectors attended the site in Kingsley, Cheshire, they found a scaffold tower was being used to access a roof in order to carry out construction […]
Safety ladders offer several ways to protect their users, from surrounding ‘hoops’ to reduce the risk of falling backwards, to interstitial platforms designed to allow climbers to rest on a secure surface partway up or down. But a further consideration is how much toe clearance is left between the rungs of the ladder and the […]
Safety ladders can provide a more secure means of reaching an elevated position, without the risks that are attached to a free-standing ladder; however, during construction projects, installations, maintenance work and cleaning tasks, it might be difficult to be certain of whether they are needed. A suitable risk assessment can reveal the truth, and if […]
Safety ladders, walkovers, and safety barriers used as a form of edge protection can all help to reduce the risk of an injury, but it is also important to ensure staff are properly trained in how to use them or how to work near them. The British Safety Council says young workers are 50% more […]