As one of the UK's leading suppliers of ladders, you would expect Midland Ladders to have a wide range of accessories and you would be right!  We have pretty much everything you need in terms of extras and consumables for professional and home use.  Here's a little look at our range and what these ladder accessories can do. If you are responsible for the inspection and maintenance of ladders in a professional capacity then you need inspection tags and labels to ensure everyone knows which ladders have been inspected and passed as safe.  Self adhesive inspection labels produced by the Ladder Association are specifically designed for ladders and stepladder used in commercial, office and education environments where other types of tag cannot be fitted.  They show at a glance who carried out the last inspection and when the next inspection is due.  They can be replaced easily and are supplied in packs of 50 to make it easy to comply with the Working At Height Regulations (2005). The same regulations are the inspiration for Lyte's ladder inspection labels.  These are designed for use in the building and maintenance trade, as they are permanently riveted to the ladder. The clear plastic holder contains a plastic inspection card that contains the record of inspection on one side and a red warning label on the other.  If a ladder is deemed unsafe, the red side is displayed and acts as a clear visual warning not to use the ladder.  On sites where there may be workers who do not speak much English, this colour-coded system is invaluable: red is an internationally recognised danger colour.

Lock Up Your Ladders

For keeping your ladders safe and secure, there is a set of roof rack clamps available.  Not only do these clamps keep your ladders safely on to top of your vehicle for transportation, they come with two padlocks that provide overnight security for your access equipment.  For even more secure overnight storage, wall mounted storage brackets lock your ladders to a building and can be used inside and out.  Because they can be fixed to any wall they offer a lot of versatility in terms of where to store your ladders and will fit most ladders up to double section industrial standard ladders.  As the brackets are epoxy coated they are resistant to corrosion so will provide years of service outdoors.  We should tell you that quite a high percentage of our business comes from people replacing stolen ladders and we reported recently on how ladder thefts increase in the summer months.  With either of these locking ladder storage ideas you can keep your ladders safe. Stand off brackets are an invaluable piece of kit for anyone who regularly uses ladders outside to access the exterior of buildings. Most homes and other buildings have external features such as guttering, windows and external pipework, all of which can interfere with the placement of a ladder.  When you can't position your ladder in the exact place because of wall furniture, a stand off is the only solution.  These devices brace the ladder away from the wall and therefore over any such obstacles and they are also useful for correcting the angle of a ladder that is being used to access a roof. This stand-off ladder brackett allows the ladder to be placed on the corner of a wall as well as flat against it, straddling pipework and other features.  For clearing guttering this is a great tool, as the top of the ladder can be placed slightly further away from the gutter, giving you a more comfortable and safe angle to work from.  A pricier, yet more versatile option is the Square Wheel Ladder Stay, which allows you to roll a ladder up a wall without damaging it. When pressure is applied to the ladder (such as when it is being climbed), the rubber wheels adapt to have a flat base, giving superior grip.  This model can be used on roof tiles, unlike most other options, which is very useful when accessing a roof and making the transition from straight ladder to roof ladder.  It is also recommended by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) so you know it's a reliable piece of kit.  It might be a lot more expensive than the other option, but the safety features and the fact it can be left on the ladder at all times makes it a great choice for satellite installers and other engineers who regularly need to access the exterior of homes.

Levelling Your Ladder Legs

When it comes to the stability of your ladder, uneven ground and steps can pose a problem.  Leg levelers and stabilisers are the answer and there are a lot of different types on the market. The Basemate is the best option for those who find themselves regularly contending with uneven or sloping ground.  The unit attaches permanently to the base of the ladder and offers a wider base to the ladder even when used on flat ground, improving the stability. It automatically adjusts to height differences of up to 20cm, then locks in place, all operated by the levers at the base of the ladder.  Just tap one of them with your foot and the Basemate will find the optimum position before locking into place.  The rubber covered feet offer extra grip on slippery surfaces and adapt to uneven ground as well, making this the best ladder leveller on the market. A cheaper option, one designed by a window cleaner to cope with the challenges of differently sloping ground on each customer's property, is the LadderMat Ladder Leveller.  This device comprises four rubber mats joined by a metal loop that can be deployed under one or both of the ladder legs.  The rubber surface of the mats provides extra grip on poor surfaces and can be used to provide extra grip even when the ground is level.  It also helps stop ladders sinking into soft ground by spreading the load, so this is more than just a leveller, it performs a lot of other functions. Even if you have flat, level ground to work from, the surface can pose a problem.  Slippery wooden decking, gravel, grass and ice all pose a problem for ladders as they are not stable surfaces to place a ladder on. There is a risk of slipping and sinking from all these surfaces, so the solution is to use a ladder stopper.  These are designed to grip into difficult surfaces and spread the load.  The cheapest option is The Stopper: a T-shaped device that stops backslip and helps with grip, as the unit has a rubber covered base with a thick tread pattern, making it virtually immoveable when pressure is applied. The next model up, price-wise, is the Maxistoppa, which is wider than the other model and so can accommodate any width ladder. This is made entirely from rubber, again with a deep tread pattern on the underside to provide extra grip, 1.5 square feet of grip to be precise.  That's a lot more than the grip provided by the rubber tips on ladder feet. The high-end option is the LadderM8rix ladder base anchor, which has two grip surface options: rubberised tread or ice picks.  The ice pick side consists of over 2,000 small pins which grip into surfaces such as ice, carpet or gravel without marking or damaging it.  This device has a back plate that stops backslip, like the others, but by offering two grip surfaces the user has the choice of which to use.  This device, like the others, eliminates the need to have someone footing the ladder, meaning you can work alone and not worry about the stability of your ladder at the base. There are other devices available to help stabilise a ladder at the base: the Laddermate base stabiliser fits between the bottom two rungs of any ladder to provide a safe brace against a wall.  This also gives you the right angle instantly and eliminates the need for someone else to foot the ladder. There is a cheaper option, the Ladderbrace, which does the same job as the Laddermate, but also allows you to use any straight ladder as a freestanding ladder, instantly creating a step ladder out of your standard straight ladder.  It is permanently attached to the ladder, but folds away when not in use without interfering with the use of the ladder as normal.  It eliminates ladder bounce, instantly making the ladder feel more stable and secure. It prevents backslip and toppling sideways, all the while providing access to areas that would normally require a tall step ladder or scaffold platform.  Each strut is telescopically adjustable, meaning this can be used on uneven ground with no problems and the angle of attachment mean this can be used to create a 90 degree step ladder that sits flush against any wall. Stay tuned to this blog for more on our range of accessories to turn your standard ladder into something special. Or come on over to our main shopping website for our whole range of ladders, www.midlandladders.com, we have a great range of ladders at great prices with free U.K. delivery.