Working at height using a ladder can be uncomfortable if you are up there for long periods of time.  Balancing puts a strain in your back and legs, plus the soles of your feet start to hurt after being on the rungs for some time.  Remaining in one position for any length of time can also cause sore and stiff muscles, which can lead to further pain and joint or muscle problems.   It's important, therefore, to take precautions against some of these common problems, so here are our top tips:   Wear sturdy soled shoes or work boots that help support your ankles.  Gel or cushioned insoles can help spread [...]

The humble ladder has been used as inspiration for all manner of things, from jewellery to clothing, poetry to songs, and most often, furniture.  Shelving units and side tables made from old ladders, (or made to look like they are made from old ladders), are very popular and have that shabby chic feel, as well as the Scandinavian minimalism aesthetic that is such a desirable look right now.    Argos have capitalised on this trend by introducing the ladder desk. This came about partly as a response to the rise in home working during 2020, and partly as a way to save space, at a time when we may be crammed [...]

Maintaining industrial machinery is hard work, and can be dangerous due to the size and scale of some plant machinery.  Food production, brewing, oil refining and many other industrial practices involve the use of complicated and large equipment.  This equipment needs regular maintenance and repairs, and accessing the parts which need attention requires the right access methods.  Often, engineers will need a large array of tools to hand, which means they need a working platform area with enough space for them and their equipment.   When plant machinery has a problems or breaks, it's vital for production that the fault is rectified quickly.   Using a work platform means engineers can safely [...]

After so much time at home over the past 12 months you might think that everyone's been completing their DIY jobs and that this spring is the time to relax, wouldn’t you? However, there will always be jobs around the home that need doing, such as window cleaning, painting and maintenance.  The loss of income many people have experienced means a lot of people have to carry out these jobs themselves rather than pay a professional, but that doesn't mean using substandard equipment is OK.   For house painting jobs and other external maintenance tasks you need an extension ladder which has enough height to reach the top of the areas [...]

In September last year, disaster nearly struck at Birmingham airport when a step ladder fell from a maintenance truck onto the runway, and was narrowly missed by three landing aircraft.  The stepladder had been loaded into the back of a flatbed truck and secured with a bungee cord; which was stretched so far that it was no longer acting as a suitable method of fastening the ladder.   The maintenance crew did not realise the ladder had fallen from their vehicle as they accelerated towards their next job, and it is astounding that no accident arose as a result.  The sharp eyesight and quick thinking of the pilots who noticed the [...]

For many of us wooden ladders are a thing of the past, nice to use for interior decoration, or for putting in a museum, but not for actually using.  It may not be the easiest thing to find a new wooden ladder, but there are some manufacturers out there still making them.  Wooden or timber ladders are ideal for electrical work as they are non-conductive, and they're environmentally friendly, lasting for decades with proper care, and can be used for firewood or home décor projects when their useful life is over.   There's still a small but persistent market for timber ladders and the Health and Safety Executive recognises that they [...]

As a construction site owner or manager you have a duty of care to your staff and contractors, but also to trespassers and potential thieves.  This may seem unfair, but the law states that the owner or manager of the site is liable for any person sustaining an injury on a site, whether they are there with permission or not.  Of course, most landlords and site managers take this duty of care very seriously, and take measures to ensure the health and safety of everyone on site at all times.   There are many ways that a site owner or manager can ensure health and safety provisions are being met, and [...]

Big vehicles often come with ladders for access – tankers and transporting vehicles have a ladder that provides access to the top of the vehicle, while camper vans also have a rear-mounted ladder which allows the owner access to the roof storage.  Standalone ladders are also used to access vehicles; our tanker ladders can be wheeled alongside the vehicle to provide access to the top, while our lorry ladders connect with the rear of a lorry to provide easy access in and out of the lorry bed.   Large HGVs and tractors also have ladder, but built into the cab to make entering and exiting the vehicle much easier – these [...]

When it comes to DIY and odd jobs around the house our stepladder is the go-to piece of equipment for most of these jobs.  The deeper treads and platform top on most step ladders makes them ideal for casual and novice users, as they're stable and comfortable to use for long periods of time.  Step ladders also have the advantage of a handrail at the top for extra stability and it's these features that mean that the humble step ladder is part of every homeowner's kit.   Projects on the stairs, such as decorating, dusting or replacing light bulbs can be hard to achieve safely as most step ladders don't come [...]

Both professional and domestic ladder users can become the victims of a ladder accident, and although professional users, such as tradespeople and builders, may have more experience and training in safe ladder use, this doesn't guarantee that they won't sustain an injury, or worse, in the course of their day.   A self-employed joiner from Stoke-on-Trent unfortunately died after falling from a ladder on the property where he was working.  The 37-year-old fell while working up a ladder, and police asked for any witnesses, in particular, a woman who is believed to have been walking in the street at the time, to come forward with any information about the fall.  However, [...]