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Posted By Steve Derby
Our employees are regularly required to enter loft spaces in private dwellings. I need to advise on safe access, no problem with guidance whilst they are in the loft space, but having lots of conflict with safe means of getting up and down. Looked at folding ladders, but I'm told they are very difficult to unfold in situ. Looked at short fixed ladders, but who foots them? Our employees work on their own, invariably they cannot be tied at the top. Many employees seem to favour step ladders but I don't like the idea of employees stepping off the top platform and there are of course manual handling and fall risks whilst they actually enter and exit the loft in this manner.
I would like to advise them to use existing loft ladders where fitted AFTER careful inspection, but these are few and far between and i'm not confident about defending this practice should such a ladder fail.
Any one else tackled this can of worms?
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Posted By Chris Pope
Standfast in Bristol can supply a telescopic surveyors ladder
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Posted By Robert Leonard
I have always used the telescopic ladders. Great bits of kit. The only problem with them being people always coming up to you saying "OOHHH thats good where do you get one of them from, i've never seen them before etc etc etc..." Gets a little tiring after a while.
Other than that highly recommended. Just shop round on tinternet. I think i paid around £160 for one.
Regards
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Posted By Ron Hunter
Agree telescopic or folding ladders are probably as good a solution as you're likely to find.Some proprietary footing devices will assist - some work just as well indoors as out(e.g. Rojak type). Also respectfully suggest that your people would benefit from some education on safe use, particularly if they favour the use of stepladders! Projection into loft space (5 rungs) to provide adequate stepping-off point should be stressed. I am mindful that many domestic pattern permanent loft ladders don't provide adequate step-off, and that handrails are either optional or in many instances poorly secured. Obviously, a judgement call is required where a loft ladder is fitted. "No access" may be the result.
Some access hatches, such as those at the top of stairwells in older tenement buildings, will need special consideration!
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Posted By Steve Derby
Many thanks for these replies, a great help. Yes I know some of these folks need educating. Jobs a nightmare!, Once again thanks.
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Posted By CRT
have to agree with previous postings - use tele ladders, however a word of warning, i have known people use the top of the ladder to re-position the loft hatch, when as you may guess, it promptly fell and hit the said person on the head. Also consider where they are positioned on the landing, dont want them positioned with your back to the open stairwell.
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