A common myth about ladders is that they're banned on construction sites; this rumour started over a decade ago after the Health and Safety Executive recommended that alternative height access methods were considered for each job before a ladder was chosen.  This was to ensure that if there were safer and more appropriate height access methods available, that they would be the first choice over simply opting for a ladder without considering the alternatives.  Ladders are not banned, but those with a safety conscious approach would do well to consider other ways of completing the task.   This risk assessment approach is one that the home gardener ought to take.  When [...]

Relationships involve a lot of compromise and communication, and while the common arguments like whose turn it is to load the dishwasher, or who left a wet towel on the bed are pretty standard stuff (and often easily resolved) there are some differences that talking won't sort out.  We're talking about height differences.   Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are a celebrity couple with a significant height difference; she is 5'4” and he is 6”3”.  This means that the couple have almost a full foot of difference between their eye-line and what they can reach.  A mirror hung for Kutcher to check his hair in would be totally unusable for Kunis, [...]

When we think about who uses ladders daily it's quite common to overlook agricultural use.  Unless we live on or very near a farm we're unlikely to see just how much farmers and agricultural workers use ladders, but they're in use almost daily in this sector.  Whether it is assessing storm damage to a barn roof, accessing a grain silo or even performing some minor tree surgery, ladders are part and parcel of farming life.   The phrase “bought the farm” is apt here – first used in WWII by pilots from the allied forces, it refers to the dream all serving military members had, which was to return home safe [...]

As we embark on a new year we're all keeping our fingers crossed for an improvement on the last 12 months, and looking forward to a better future.  With big plans afoot from the COP26 summit, we’re now looking at our personal goals for 2022 and how we can stay on track with our New Year's resolutions.  This got us thinking about innovative ways we can organise and track our progress, so naturally we've devised a way we can use a ladder to log our achievements and keep us motivated.   This system can be adapted for your household, so whether you live alone or with a multi-generational family the ladder [...]

Whether you're getting the ladders out to hang lights outside, using your loft ladder to get the decorations down or relying on a stepladder to string cards up around the room, we urge all our customers to stay safe on ladders this festive season.  At a time of year when the health services are always under pressure we all want to stay as far from A&E as possible, and being safe on ladders is an excellent way to keep your distance from hospital.  Whatever you're doing to celebrate, having some Christmas music playing to get into the spirit is a must, so we've adapted the underrated Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses [...]

In part 1, we went back to the very early years and looked at how basic the ladder was and we began to cover some of the uses of the humble ladder.  In part 2 we look at the modern ladder.   We can see that ladders have changed the world in many ways.  Originally used to collect food and access safer places to live, the ladder became a vital tool for all early humans.  The Egyptians revered the ladder as a sacred tool and symbol as the triangular shape made by a ladder leaning on a wall was seen as a portal to the afterlife.  Pharaohs were even buried with [...]

Ladders have been responsible for some huge changes in human history.  The first major change was allowing easier access up trees and cliffs that were otherwise inaccessible, allowing access to fruit before it fell and access to wild bee’s nests for honey, which was the only source of sweetness on much of the planet for thousands of years.  This would have improved the diets of early people, while access to cliffs would have opened up many more potential safe places to live in the form of natural caves.  There is evidence that around 10,000 years ago people were using ladders to access naturally formed dwelling places, with some kept for ceremonial [...]

Normally, when we report on an epic ladder climb, it's because of a charity fundraising effort.  Ladder climbs are a popular way of raising cash, whether the aim is to climb the equivalent height of Everest or Ben Nevis.  Lots of firefighters do ladder climbs to raise money for the Firefighters Charity; it's also a popular option for families and group climbs as you don't need a lot of space or equipment apart from a ladder or two.   The latest big climb to catch our eyes was in Canada, where a team of 39 miners became trapped underground after the lift was damaged by a heavy bucket lifting materials to [...]

In recent years telescopic technology has come on leaps and bounds, with telescopic extension ladders now available in a range of lengths, telescopic loft ladders and even telescopic combination ladders on the market.  Now, Little Giant, who are leaders in ladder innovation, have brought out a telescopic work platform for use with their articulating ladder range, such as the Little Giant Classic.  The platform can also be used with other supports, such as trestles or hop-ups, or a different style of articulating ladder.  It could also be used with two step ladders as supports, as long as the rung heights are the same on each stepladder.   The Little Giant telescopic [...]

Normally, a cage ladder is one which is used to access the roof or external walls of large structures such as grain silos and warehouses.  The cage outside the ladder is for the safety of the user, protecting them from high winds and functioning as something to clip on to, or to hold onto by hand.  This post is about a different type of cage ladders – the ones found inside a bird cage.   We love hearing about how different animals use ladders but most of the time these are rescue stories where the animal is in distress.  When birds use ladders they do so for fun and enjoyment – [...]