It is easier than ever to buy ladders for all sorts of different jobs now. In fact, you can go online and purchase aluminum roof ladders that allow you to climb up to great heights. While this convenience is a great development, is also means that we all need to take responsibility for how they are used. Consider that 43% of fatal fall accidents involve ladders and it quickly becomes clear how important safety actually is. And even if a fall isn’t fatal, it can still be life-changing.
Why You Need Aluminum Roof Ladders
There are many different reasons why people need to have these types of ladders. And there should be no need for people to call in expensive professionals every time they have a little job that needs doing either. Some of the reasons why people may require ladders, be they roof ladders, step ladders, or extension ladders, including:
To clean the gutters, paint their house, or change lightbulbs.
To complete their trade, such as painting, carpentry, or electrical work.
To complete general maintenance or stack goods in warehouses.
The list is endless! But no matter how endless it is, and no matter why someone uses a ladder, safety must come first at all times.
What Never to Do
Never:
Stand on the ladder’s top step, it will make it wobble.
Over-reach. If your belt buckle is outside of the ladder’s rails, you’ve gone too far.
Walk the ladder (standing on it and moving it)).
Place the ladder on unsuitable surfaces (slipper, wet, unstable, uneven).
Use the ladder when under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including medication), while tired, or when injured.
Forget about electrical wires. Aluminum ladders in particular conduct electricity and should not be used near wires at all.
Leave the ladder unsupervised.
What Always to Do
Always:
Make sure the ladder is completely open.
Put the braces securely in place.
Check the ladder is stable by wobbling it on the first step.
Hold the ladder properly.
Take all tools off the ladder’s top before you climb back down or move the ladder.
Work with a partner.
Check the ladder is suitable for your weight and that of the materials you are taking up with you.
Ladders are incredibly useful tools that are used in many different trades, but equally by domestic users, especially when doing home renovations. And that is a good thing. They have enabled us to complete a wealth of jobs, and they have made people more independent as well. Imagine having to call out a tradesman every time there is a leaf stuck in the gutter, or every time you need a lightbulb changing! However, it is incredibly important to remember that ladders are trade tools and they have inherent dangers associated with them. You must respect that fact so that you can use the ladder in a safe and responsible manner that does not cause any danger to yourself or to others.
