If you have a work and that work require the usage of the ladder then you should know how to secure a ladder properly before doing that work. So that you do the work risk-free having peace of mind while standing on the ladder comfortably.
Ladders are very useful equipment in daily life for completing some tasks which are at some height. This is well determined by keeping the risk assessment factor under consideration.
Securing a ladder is important to ensure the safe use of ladders. The ladder if not kept securely can be a risk factor to the user as well as the people in the surrounding area.
Why is it necessary to secure a Ladder?
Ladders are a potential risk factor towards the safety of the person in case if the ladder slips away from the wall or any surface of supporting the ladder. The major number of cases reported against fall from height involves ladders and stepladders, and these cases or accidents occurred can be avoided if the equipment or ladders were safely secured.
Therefore, it is necessary and very important to secure a ladder to prevent or avoid such accidents happened due to the falling or slipping of ladders.
How To Secure A Ladder
There are many methods to secure and stabilise a ladder. The condition of securing a ladder depends on the type of ladder being used for the task and type of task to be carried out with the help of the ladder.
It is crucial to consider the option that will reduce and control the risks that have been identified for the specific task to be carried out. Some of the most common ways or methods to secure a ladder are to tie the stiles, use a ladder stability device and foot of the ladder.
Always before securing your ladder safely in a place, first carry out the pre-use inspections of the ladder as well as ensure the environmental conditions such as weather and surface of the wall or support.
If the elder person is using an elderly ladder and they dont need any support while climbing and while doing the task then the surface should be plain and the foot of the ladder should have rubber for a stable grip.
Tie the Stiles
Checked the condition of ladder stiles during the pre-use inspection, use the ladder only if it is in good condition. Do not try to use the ladder if you found that the stiles are damaged or bent. In this case, you may lose your footing or it can also lead to the collapse of the ladder stiles.
To secure the ladder stiles you can tie it with a rope or strap for safety. You can tie both the ladder stiles with the rope to a suitable point, like a handrail or a solid window frame. It is one of the best options to secure a ladder but this can only be determined under the risk assessment for a particular task.
Ladder Stabilisation Device
Tying the stiles cannot be the option in every single case so as an alternative to the former you can use a ladder stabilisation device.
The base support and stand-offs are the two types of a ladder stabilisation device which are commercially available in the market.
Base support is the one which can be attached to the bottom of the ladder. It provides the support to hold the ladder and distributes the weight on the ladder.
The stand-off is the device that makes sure of the strong resting point at the top of the ladder maintained easily. This device can be used in the condition if the ladder is against any weak surfaces such as plastic gutters or glazing. It holds and supports the ladder so that it does not directly rest against the weak surface.
Footing the Ladder
This method is the last option if any other method is not been achieved to secure the ladder. In this method of footing the ladder another person physically holds the base of the ladder in place using the strength.
The person secures the ladder by maintaining the grip of the tiles when the user ascends or descends on the ladder while working. The footing the ladder method should not be used according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This is not practically safe in case of long ladders.
Securing ladders in the right way ensures the safety of life and health of the user. The method and device are always depended on the task to be completed using the ladder.
Securing of the ladder also does not ensure that there won’t be any cases of any kind by applying some safety measures.
Always follow the safety procedures and training before using the ladder.