Ladders are very practical and are usually the best way to work at height but you should always make safety your number one priority.
Wobbly ladders contribute to the 300 fatalities and 130,000 injuries reported each year. If your ladder is wobbling you definitely shouldn't be on it.
View our huge range of extension ladder accessories to help you stay safe when working at height.
This blog article will look at the five ways that you can stabilise your ladder and stay safe.
1. Pre-Checks and Ladder Feet Ankalad Ladder Stabilisers Pre-checks should be carried out by the user before use and after the conditions have changed. For example, moving the ladder to a different location. You can find out more about pre-checks in our blog post from Health and Safety week on "How to Inspect and maintain your ladders". During a pre-check, if you notice the feet are damaged or worn this may be the cause of your wobbly ladder and you should get them replaced. Contact us with the ladder model and our team will help you replace them. Alternatively, the Trim2fit Replacement Feet may be an ideal solution.
2. Ladder Stabilisers - EN131 Classification Changes Ladder stabilisers are extremely important and this is being recognised even more by health and safety professionals. Under new legislation which is expected to be enforced next year, ladders classified as EN131 compliant must be fitted with a stabiliser. If you are looking to get ahead of the game the Zarges Skymaster is 6 ladders in 1 and comes fitted with a stabiliser as standard.
3. Stability at the top of the ladder often people associate ladder stability with the bottom of the ladder but if you are having stability issues with your extension ladders a Stand-off could help. The Stand-off increases stability and allows you to work away from the wall which makes tasks such as clearing the gutters easier and safer.
4. Anti-Slip Safety Accessories The use of safety accessories helps stability when you are using ladders on un-even or sloping ground. If we could recommend two products to help stability we would choose the Laddermat. which can even be used on Ice! We would recommend these products as they are so simple to use and are effective.
Did you know... The Laddermat was invented by a window cleaner who needed something to stabilise his ladder. There are plenty of ways to stay safe when working at height and by carrying out pre-checks and regular ladder inspections as well as using safety accessories when appropriate you can lower the risk of a fall.
If you have any questions or you require any further advice, don't hesitate to call our expert team on 01204 590 232