Issues with using Ladders on Stairs
Working on a ladder is not in any way easy. This is especially true if you have to work on it while placed on the stairs. Aside from the obvious safety issues, there are also a lot of negative effects on our total productivity.
Safety Issues
Ladders were specifically designed to work on an even ground. The footing of any ladder is usually flat so they are most productive and safe on flat floors like pavements and courts. However, there are certain situations when we have to use ladders on stairs.
Physical injury is one of the direct effects of unsafe use of ladders. We can consider ourselves lucky if none of the bones are broken. There are a lot of other severe cases.
Productivity Issue
Ladders on stairs will prevent you from working with vigor. All your movements will have to be extra calculated to make sure that the ladder will not swing and let you fall.
Platforms
Platforms are one of the best ways to support a ladder on the stairs. This allows you to have some kind of leveled ground where the ladder would be safe and stable.
Wood is a material that is readily available and can be accessed anywhere. This makes it the best material to be used as a makeshift platform.
If you don’t have time to build a platform, a table will do. You just have to make sure that the table is strong enough to hold the weight.
The ladder can also work on its own without a platform depending on the angle of the area you are working on. If it is on the opposite side of the stairs, the ladder will still have a leveled ground and will not need a platform.
In case that you will have to use wood, measurements will be very important. Measure the difference between the upper level and the lower level of the stairs. The difference should be the height of the platform. This technique will work in any height of the said stairs.
Aftermarket Ladder Tools
There are also aftermarket ladder tools which can be used. This particular tool can serve as a platform for uneven ground and can serve as a plate to put your tools while working on the ladder.
The best thing about this is the fact that you don’t have to build the platform and it can work under any condition. It has also so many uses which make you turn it into an investment rather than a temporary tool.
The non-skid material is also something to boast. This adds extra safety to the material. It can carry a lot of weight since it is made out of heavy duty material.
This aftermarket ladder tool is very easy to use on any ground especially on stairs. The triangular shape allows you to place it in any position.
Image source: provisiontools.com
You just have to find the flat area and make sure it levels with the upper step of the stairs. And then you can use the ladder in the position of your choice.
Suspended Ladder Platform
If you have multiple ladders, then a platform might not be needed. You can use two ladders and a plank of wood to work on the stairs. Just suspend the plank on specific steps of the ladder to make a leveled ground. The only requirement is that the ladders should be standing safely.
You can also use the ladder as the platform in itself. It can be suspended as a leveled ground on top of another ladder and on top of the stairs. This technique requires experience in walking in high ground.
Image source: www.thisoldhouse.com
Ladders with Adjustable Feet
You can also work on a ladder on the stairs without the use of a platform. There are ladders sold in the market with their own adjustable feet. This means that you will not need a platform or another ladder to make it work on top of the stairs.
The best thing about this is that it is really easy to use. It can also be folded easily to be kept inside small spaces. The adjustable feet have their own safety locks to keep the ladder level on any uneven ground.
This makes all the work faster and safer. You will not have to find a platform to keep the ladder leveled and you will not have to balance yourself harder to keep yourself safe.
Image source: www.brierleyhose.com.au
Mandatory Safety Precautions
Safety is something we cannot ignore and even if we have all the reason to believe that these methods are safe, we have to have protection. After all, this is our safety we are talking about.
Gear
Safety gears are always around and are supposed to be used. Helmets, is one of the most important parts of the safety gear kit. It protects your head weather from falling objects or you falling from the stairs.
The safety materials will also have to depend on the thing which you are working on. If you are welding a piece of metal while on the ladder, then there are also corresponding safety gears.
Harness is also very important whatever it is you are working on. The harness will keep you tied to your place in case the ladder will fail to hold you up. This is especially important if you are working on really high ground.
Specifications
Each of your tools has specifications. Most of the times, ladders will come with their specifications especially about the weight they can carry. There are different kinds of ladders and all of them have different capacities.
You have to make sure to adhere to these capacities to prevent any misuse. If these cases ever happen, the manufacturer will not be responsible for any liabilities because there is a failure in your side of the bargain.
You also have to make sure that the equipment, especially the ladder, is being used in the proper way. In the stairs especially, safety precautions should be mandatory. Check all possibilities before starting your work.
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