With the festive period nearly upon us and the yearly trip up to the loft just a couple of weeks away, we must make sure we are not putting ourselves in any unnecessary danger, besides we are sure that nobody wants to have an accident so close to Christmas.
CHECK YOUR LADDER
Loft ladders can often be overlooked when it comes to ladder safety as it is stored away out of sight and only used once or twice a year. People assume that a loft ladder will always be safe and ready to use, but this is not always the case. You must always check the condition of the ladder before every use.
Before climbing into your loft, ensure there are no visible cracks, dents or damage to the ladder before you start to use it. If carrying heavy items up and down from the loft, take into account the weight loading of your loft ladder. Maximum weight loads for loft ladders include the user and whatever tools or items they are carrying. Take care when lifting objects in and out of the loft. Should a fall occur, this means the weight of the item you are carrying is also likely to fall on top of you as well.
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDING
No matter what ladder you are using you should always make sure you are aware of your surroundings and ensure people around you know what you are doing.
Does everyone in the house know you are going up into the loft and what for? You want to inform everyone in the house you are going in the loft should you have an accident, this also ensures that no one is going to accidentally lock you in or cause an obstacle for when you are coming down. It is also best to have someone to help you at the bottom of the loft ladder to ensure it is always safe for you to climb out and help carry down anything that requires two hands.
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION
Whenever you go up into the loft always ensure that you have a light source with you. Even if it is just your phone (just make sure you don’t forget it up there). Obviously brighter is better and a dedicated, permanent light source is preferable but any light source is better than nothing to help prevent any trips and falls and to make your job easier.
IT’S A TWO PERSON JOB
As mentioned above it is always preferable to have someone on the ground helping you, even if you only think it is going to be a quick job, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. You should always have three points of contact on any ladder and when ascending or descending a loft ladder is no exception. If you find yourself carrying an item that requires both hands then would suggest to instead tag team with someone else and either pass the item down to the person on the floor, alternatively have the person on the ground pass the item up to eliminate any scenario where someone is having to ascend or descend the loft ladder without having three points of contact.
Ladderstore prides itself on being the specialists at working at height, which allows us to have one of the most extensive ranges of loft ladders online. If you are looking for a loft ladder with a hatch, a telescopic loft ladder or folding loft stairs we have you covered.
If our full range of loft ladders is rather daunting. Then take a look over our best selling loft ladders. If you are still feeling unsure, then why not give one of our experts a ring? On 01204 590 232.