A team of engineers from Christchurch, New Zealand, have designed and manufactured a ladder safety bracket for safer roof access. Derek Sutherland came up with the idea after learning that a friend had fallen off a ladder at work and badly injured his spine.  Sutherland and his workmate Karl Hofstee designed and built the prototype, and with the help of another engineer, Anthony Elley, formed Heightsafe NZ. The ladder bracket is designed to provide a secure point to fix a ladder in order to access a flat roof, such as a warehouse or industrial building, without the need for a permanent ladder in place.  It is bolted to the wall at the top of the building and consists of arms to hold the top of the ladder in place and prevent it from slipping to the side which allows you to climb up more safely.  Handrails at the top mean the ladder does not need to be in the way as you climb on to the roof, allowing for three points of contact with the system at all times.  Between the arms, the top rung of the ladder can be attached to the bracket, securing the ladder to the building and eliminating the risk of the ladder falling and being stuck on the roof, as well as eliminating the need for the ladder to be footed. Heightsafe NZ have seen their creation installed in energy sites, police stations, bakeries and schools and they were even nominated for an award.  All three of the team have had injuries from falling off ladders, so they know how dangerous they can be, and that's why their invention is simple, easy to install and use. It's always good to see ladder safety equipment in use : make sure you are using yours. If you have any questions about any safety equipment, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0300 303 22 99.