We've all been in the situation where your ladder may be slightly too short for the task you're carrying out. So, what do you do in this situation? The first thought would be to add something beneath the ladder, or to use it on a raised platform. For example, if you have a scaffold tower you may think about setting it up on the platform to extend the reach of your ladder.
Unfortunately, this will do you more harm than good. Here's why it's a really bad idea to make your ladder taller using a platform...
It Increases Your Risk of Injury
Ladders are the leading cause of workplace injuries, and they can lead to death in some extremely unfortunate cases. When you place your ladder on a higher platform, you dramatically increase your risk of injury due to the ladder's excessive and unnatural height and instability.
Ladder injuries are no joke due to the height and impact of the fall you could take. Even falls from a few metres can break bones and cause damage!
It's Unstable
If you put a ladder on a platform to make it taller, your ladder will become unstable. Using a ladder on anything but solid, even ground is extremely risky. The traction will be reduced, and your ladder could wobble or slip more than usual. This is extremely dangerous, especially if you're trying to make a ladder taller using a scaffold tower.
If you want to know how to use a ladder safely, take a look at this previous blogs.
You could potentially slip, fall or wobble, and go over the bars of the scaffold tower from a great height, resulting in nasty and painful injuries.
It Will Void Your Warranty
If you use a ladder in any way that the product specifications say you shouldn't, this could affect your warranty and any relevant insurance. This means, in the event of a fall, ladder damage or breakage, you will not be able to claim insurance or any money back due to using it inappropriately and incorrectly.
It will make all warranties void, which leaves you susceptible to further costs. Furthermore, it goes against the HSE ladder safety guidelines for safe ladder use. In other words, it is extremely unsafe to put your ladder on a platform to make it taller.
How Do I Make My Ladder Taller?
If you think about it, no injury is worth it in comparison to buying a suitable ladder! You're better off just buying a taller ladder, or a taller scaffold tower. It's a worthwhile investment, especially when you consider the long-term effects of the ladder injury that you may endure.
At Ladders UK Direct, we specify how tall our ladders are on every single product to ensure that you buy the perfect ladder for your task. If you want to make your ladder taller, take out the middle man, and buy a ladder that's tall enough in the first place!
Trust us - for yourself, and for the safety of others, it's worth it.
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