Firefighters use ladders nearly every day in their work; whether for rescuing people from burning buildings, out of crashed cars or getting cats down from trees the ladder is a vital piece of equipment for their work.  It is no surprise then that firefighters used their ladder skills as a fundraising technique and crews from Manchester's fire department undertook a two-part ladder carrying challenge to raise money for Maggie's Manchester, a cancer charity based in the city.   The first part of the challenge saw crews carrying a 16 foot steel ladder through the city, starting in Sale and ending at Manchester Airport on a route that measures seven miles.  The [...]

The popular children's board game Snakes and Ladders took a step into reality recently as researchers from Kyoto University and the University of Electro-Communications unveiled a robotic snake that can climb up and down ladders.  The robotic snake, made from several hinge-jointed sections, twists itself around the rungs, propelling itself up to the next rung and so on.  The robot descends the ladder the same way.   It is currently still in the development stages and will need more refinements before the technology is ready to be widely used – it is still powered by a cable plugged into the mains so isn't suitable for combat deployment or search and rescue [...]

Every home needs a step ladder.  Without one changing light bulbs and accessing high cupboards and shelves means balancing precariously on a chair, trying not to fall off while you carry out your tasks at height.  Using a step ladder makes this much safer, and it is far easier to climb the rungs of a step ladder than step straight up on to a chair seat.    Unfortunately, those who prefer a minimalist look to their homes may eschew a step ladder if there is nowhere to keep it, or if it must be on display all the time, in favour of maintaining the look and feel of their home.  Designers [...]

Although the spate of hot weather has somewhat slowed the growth of garden plants and trees, and even made mowing the lawn impossible there are still plenty of jobs that can be done outdoors, and once the summer rains start everything will suddenly shoot up, leading to more pruning, taming and cutting back for anyone with an outside space.   Those of us that are lucky enough to have a garden big enough to grow plants and trees in have a responsibility to keep these plants in good shape and to maintain a weed-free, pleasant outdoor space for entertaining, playing or relaxing, ideally all three!  Hedges, fruit trees, tall border plants [...]

Having a swimming pool is a real luxury in the UK – we might not get a long summer but we like to make the most of what we get and that means barbecues and pool parties at every chance.  Although a permanent built in swimming pool is beyond the reach of many families, an above ground pool can offer a budget friendly alternative; which can be packed away over the winter when it is not needed or left set up for the adventurous winter swimmer.   Having an above ground swimming pool means having a ladder to get in and out and there are many designs on the market.  A [...]

Caravanning holidays are becoming more popular nowadays as people opt to save money and holiday at home, and the influence of shows like George Clarke's Amazing Spaces help inspire people to build their own travelling vehicle for quick getaways and long weekends.  Caravans and other live-in vehicles are small inside by nature and most people will be able to reach the top shelves and cupboards with ease, but children will struggle.  If you want your kids to pitch in with the washing up then a safety step is a great option.  The single steps can be used indoors to allow kids to reach the countertops and the sink; they can also [...]

We love a good animal rescue story and this time, it is bears that have caught our attention for their antics.  Wildlife rangers in Wisconsin were called after a bear cub was seen trapped in a basement, which was under construction.  The homeowners had been woken up by a crying sound from their construction site and investigated to find see the mother bear pacing around the edge of the basement and her cub in the hole, so they called the wildlife rangers.  The cute cub wasn't very old, and the rangers joked they could just go down there and get him, but they settled on using a ladder to get the [...]

When planning the jobs that need doing in the garden it's important that we spend some time preparing to get those jobs done properly and safely.  It's a good idea to draw up a list of tasks that need doing and assigning them a priority, as well as whether they need to be done on a sunny day (outside) or a rainy day (inside).  Armed with this list we then need to get the right equipment for each job, and ladders are likely to be on that kit list for most jobs.   Tripod ladders are the ladder of choice for many garden tasks, as the unique design provides access into [...]

Having a conservatory is a joy in the summer, it serves as a great holding area for food and drinks for a party and when the sun starts to go down the heat retained inside will create a lovely place to sit and enjoy the summer twilight in comfort.  One thing that puts people off having a conservatory is the cleaning involved.  The inside may get cleaned during the normal household cleaning routine, but the outside can accumulate dust, grime and bird droppings all year round, and sometimes developing green filmy algae to add to the dirt.  There are companies that you can hire to clean and valet your conservatory, and [...]

Commercial and industrial racking is a feature of every warehouse, many DIY depots and the archive rooms of various institutions from The British Library to your local college or university.  Accessing items held on these shelves is usually preceded, in the public sector at least, by a lengthy training session on the correct use of ladders.  We're not saying this should be bypassed, far from it, but if the use of ladders by untrained people is a serious concern then looking at the type of ladder available might be worthwhile from a health and safety point of view.   Already a common sight in warehouses and tool centres, shelf ladders are [...]