A ladder guard is a secure cover that prevents unauthorised people from accessing ladders on site. Typically made from sturdy metal, it hooks over several rungs of the ladder, blocking these rungs from use. Some ladder guards feature a padlock for added security.
By restricting access to fixed ladders, ladder guard play a crucial role in mitigating a wide range of risks, including:
Vandalism
Unguarded ladders can act as an open invitation for unauthorised individuals to access restricted areas. Installing a ladder guard could prevent thousands of pounds’ worth of damage caused by vandals starting fires, breaking windows or leaving graffiti and rubbish on site.
Vandalism compromises the safety and integrity of your facility, so it’s always worth taking appropriate preventative actions like installing ladder guards.
Theft
Construction job sites, and industrial settings in particular, are a common target for thieves. Leaving a ladder unguarded potentially leaves valuable equipment—like power tools, HVAC systems and other heavy machinery—vulnerable to theft and tampering, which can seriously affect operations on site and result in costly repairs.
A robust ladder guard should deter trespassers from gaining access to restricted areas where expensive equipment is stored.
Falls from height
Installing ladder guards significantly lowers the risk of falls from height, the leading cause of fatalities and injuries in the workplace. Unauthorised and untrained individuals attempting to climb ladders with no supervision can easily result in serious accidents, which are not only preventable and tragic, but can also lead to potential lawsuits and tarnish the reputation of your company.
Some other added benefits of ladder guards include:
- They can be quickly installed and fitted
- They can clearly display warning and safety signs
- They will not tilt or pull away from the ladder, making them incredibly hard to remove by force
- They can be made out of various materials and come in various sizes to specifically suit your requirements
- They increase on-site and equipment security
Overall, installing ladder guards is not only a smart way to improve your workplace safety and personal peace of mind but they are also a legal requirement by the HSE in order to protect the public.
Here at Ladders UK Direct, we stock a specialist aluminium ladder guard that is designed to meet the latest guidelines. This ladder guard comes in two sizes and includes a padlock for added security as advised by the HSE. Follow the link below to buy your own and ensure your workplace remains safe and secure.
Buy Ladder Guard
A scissor lift is a self-propelled work platform that raises workers and their materials to different heights. Scissor lifts are named after their lifting mechanism, which is typically a criss-cross configuration of tubes that move in a scissor-like fashion when the platform is raised and lowered.
The short answer to the question “can you use a ladder on a scissor lift” is no because it’s not safe. Read on to learn more…
Scissor lift with worker working while elevated. 2 March 2020. Original photo by Justinjkiss. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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When it comes to working with ladders, safety is paramount. Falls from height are consistently the leading cause of workplace fatalities and injuries in the UK – accounting for 40 fatalities and over 5,000 non-fatal injuries in 2022/23.
Most workers are aware of the essential ladder safety rules but there are still some areas of ladder safety that are often overlooked. In this blog, we will be discussing the importance of making sure the area directly below your ladder is clear of any potential hazards.
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Ladders have played a surprisingly pivotal role in all sorts of different video games, from AAA shooters and action-adventure titles to visual novels and cosy life sims.
In our Ladders in Video Games series, we spotlight some of our favourite video game ladders – and today we're searching for ladders in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Animal Crossing is a social simulation video game series developed and published by Nintendo and introduced to the European market in 2004. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the fifth main entry in the Animal Crossing series – it was released on the Nintendo Switch in 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic ramped up and everyone went into lockdown mode. Perfect timing, really!
In New Horizons, the player controls a character who moves to a deserted island after purchasing a getaway package from Tom Nook (a loveable and prominent character in the series who functions as both a shop owner and real estate broker). The player then completes tasks to develop the island as they wish, with the aim being to eventually develop it into a community of anthropomorphic animals.
But we're not interested in the adorable animals today. We're interested in the adorable ladders.
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Falls from ladders are among the leading causes of work-related fatal injuries in the UK. When a deadly fall does occur, it’s usually due to workers either not being aware of or disregarding crucial safety procedures when working with ladders at height.
In this blog, we'll see what bad ladder safety looks like and name five things you should avoid in order to ensure the safety of yourself and others when working with ladders.
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