Quality Access Ladders Maximise Workplace Safety and Efficiency
Guest Post
Quality access ladders are a cost-effective solution to providing safe access to any high areas, whether indoors or outdoors. Thus, if you need to provide your employees with a safe way to reach roof areas, between roof levels, maintenance platforms or ceiling areas, access ladders are your best bet.
Access Ladders and Efficiency
Access ladders are an excellent solution for any application where workers need to reach various high areas on a regular basis. They are certainly more cost-effective than using telescopic lifts and once installed are available round the clock. Additionally, access ladders can be used for indoor applications, where a machine might not have access or even room.
While a scissor-lift might be excellent for outdoor applications or in a warehouse – depending on what’s being stored – it is completely useless in most other indoor situations, such as an office building, where a fold-down ceiling ladder fits the bill perfectly.
And when work does have to be performed, there is no need to wait for a scissor-lift to arrive or pay rental costs. Access ladders are permanent fixtures and work can be completed in a timely manner as you aren’t forced to rely on someone else for access to your own roof. This is especially important for properties that are being rented out, whether commercial or industrial, as tenants expect a certain degree of service and that includes repairs being done as soon as possible.
Safety Comes First
Access ladders do offer access but with all the accessories available, they can also be incredibly efficient height-safety systems. For example, good quality access ladders can be fitted with a variety of fall protection accessories, including safety rails, vertical fall arrest lines or safety cages, depending on the height and application. Thus, to increase workplace safety, consider installing a safety cage at the very least and if the area requiring access is really high, then a vertical fall arrest line is mandatory. For comfort and ease of use, safety rails are also a great option.
Ladder security is also essential, especially if your access ladders are in public areas. Thus, to prevent access of unauthorised personnel, consider installing a lockable cage gate or lockable ladder door. These types of accessories are especially useful in commercial applications to prevent access to the public. Remember, children are extremely curious and there’s nothing worse than an accident involving a child on your property because you didn’t have proper ladder security systems in place.
Choosing the Right Ladder for Your Application
Most access ladders are either fixed rung ladders or fold-down ceiling ladders. The type you choose will depend on your application, but you need to ensure that any ladder you purchase is fully OHS compliant and industrial rated.
The good news is that a quality provider of access ladders will be able to advise you on the best and most cost-effective option for your particular situation, including what safety features are absolutely mandatory. Thus, the best solution would be to contact a professional and experienced company for advice on access ladders as well as installation.
Height-safety solutions are critical for any workplace involving the need for work to be done at heights and access ladders provide easy and safe access to a wide range of high areas, indoors and outdoors. Not only should avoiding workplace accidents be a top priority, but an effective height-safety system tailored to the particular situation in question is a must to be OHS compliant.
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