The risk from working at Heights
In 2004/ 2005 53 people died in the UK and nearly 3,800 were seriously injured as a result of a result of a workplace fall. Falls are the most common cause of death at work.
If you work at height for any task then your employer has a duty under the Working at Height regulations which places a duty of care on employers to protect their employees safety at all times who may be at risk of personal injury from a fall from height.
Latest projects launched by the Health and Safety Executive highlight the risk to the health of workers who conduct duties whilst at height but do insist that this does not mean a ban on the use of ladders as previously reported in the media.
The working at height regulations do not outright the ban in the use of stepladders but place emphasis to employers that they must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks connected with the working duties. This also entails finding reasonable alternatives if possible for not working at height in the first place. As an example of good working practice the use of a tower scaffold rather than the use of a stepladder is always the safer option.
Designers also have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to design products which do not place people at risk during maintenance tasks etc.
A typical example of this connected with the Working at Heights regulations would be that designers construct windows which can be rotated in their frames so that they can be cleaned without someone working at height or design new coatings which protect the glass and self clean like modern ovens.
The most common area of accidents connected with working from heights are connected with window cleaners, electricians and cleaning maintenance personnel. Recent cases provided evidence that a cleaning company was fined ?15,000 after one of its employees fell seven metres fracturing his skull. The employee was cleaning gutters at the time when he tried to cross a roof and fell through a plastic roof light. In another recent case a decorator died as a result of his stepladder collapsing.
Stepladders and ladders should only be used for low risk, short duration work.
A visual inspection should be carried out before any use of ladders to ensure the safety of the equipment, any cracks or deterioration of the equipment must be logged and the equipment removed from service until repaired and signed to warn other people of the hazard.
Employer's management requirements include assessment of risk, suitable safe systems of work communicated to the employee, supervision, task briefing or toolbox talks on the risks connected with the task, training, method statements communicated, using the safest equipment possible and routine checks on the equipment.
The regulations also require all working at height to be properly planned and supervised. With this hierarchy of control measures in place;
Avoid working from heights if practical
Provide working platforms, guardrails, toe boards or using elevating platforms
Providing nets or air bags if a working platform cannot be used
Safety harnesses but do rely on the employee to wear them.
Faux Wood Mini Blinds
Though wood blinds and shutters are the most popular window coverings sold in America, these two products are among the most expensive. Faux wood Blinds offer nature's rich, subtle colors and unique textures at a fraction of the cost of real wood shutters. Moreover, wood does not last long in high moisture areas. Manufacturers have introduced quality alternatives to wood blinds in the form of faux wood blinds.
Faux wood blinds are made of vinyl, vinyl compounds, and a combination of wood and vinyl. The wood look-alikes are either a wood-polymer mix or 100-percent polymer.
Since these use vinyl for at least a portion of their slats they have two inherent advantages to wood blinds: they cost less, and they resist moisture.
All of the faux wood blinds require more ladders than wood blinds. The sturdier the blind, the farther apart the ladders can be placed and therefore will require fewer ladders.
Many interior designers favor faux wood...
Ladders > Faux Wood Mini Blinds
Little Giant SkyScraper Ladders for Those Working High
Author Name: Konstantin Kravchenko
As thousands of years ago, ladders are the most commonly used equipment both at the large and small jobsites. This article is about extra tall A-frame step ladders in general and Little Giant Skyscraper ladder series in particular in the form of observation authors made over the years
of sales and service of these products.
Brands and availability. There are only a few manufacturers in US making step ladders over 16 ft. tall, namely Green Bull, Louisville, Werner, and Wing Enterprises with the tallest ever 21 ft. tall Little Giant Skyscraper ladder.
These ladders are generally not available at the home
improvement warehouses and you would have better luck contacting authorized distributors for the abovementioned companies.
Price factor. Several factors contribute to the relatively high prices of tall step ladders. Special material requirements, assembling difficulties,...
Ladders > Little Giant SkyScraper Ladders for Those Working High
The Art Of Gutter Cleaning
Many homeowners clean their own gutters or hire someone each season to properly maintain their homes. What you may not realize is that most gutter systems should be cleaned 3-4 times a year with each season. You may be wondering why should I clean out my gutters so often? The reason is each season trees go through various cycles that can clog up your gutters. In spring, most trees drop seedlings and dead twigs. Spring is also the best time to inspect your gutters for any damages that may have occurred during the winter snow.
In summer, trees lose leaves from heavy storms and high winds. In early fall, you should remove leaves that have fallen early to keep your gutters flowing freely. At the end of fall or early winter, you want to make sure everything has been properly cleared from the gutter system to help prevent ice dams or buildup of ice in your gutters. The extra weight of frozen water in your gutters can easily cause them to pull away from the fascia and in many cases,...
The Art Of Gutter Cleaning
Ladders > The Art Of Gutter Cleaning
Little Giant SkyScraper Ladders for Those Working High
Author Name: Konstantin Kravchenko
As thousands of years ago, ladders are the most commonly used equipment both at the large and small jobsites. This article is about extra tall A-frame step ladders in general and Little Giant Skyscraper ladder series in particular in the form of observation authors made over the years
of sales and service of these products.
Brands and availability. There are only a few manufacturers in US making step ladders over 16 ft. tall, namely Green Bull, Louisville, Werner, and Wing Enterprises with the tallest ever 21 ft. tall Little Giant Skyscraper ladder.
These ladders are generally not available at the home
improvement warehouses and you would have better luck contacting authorized distributors for the abovementioned companies.
Price factor. Several factors contribute to the relatively high prices of tall step ladders. Special material requirements, assembling difficulties,...
Ladders > Little Giant SkyScraper Ladders for Those Working High
Extension Ladders
Extension ladders are ladders whose length can be extended for reaching higher areas.
Generally, they can increase up to almost double their height. In an extension ladder, two ladders of the same size are combined, and then one is slid up to increase the height. Since some portions of the ladder overlap, the actual height is not truly double but a few feet less than double. Thus, whatever the height you want to reach, the length of the extension ladder should be a few feet more than the point you want to access.
Some extension ladders come in a combination of three ladders.
Extension ladders are mostly used for outside jobs that require reaching extended heights. Small size extension ladders can slide out by pulling with your hands. Larger ladders come with rope loops to help them extend to their maximum height. Once opened, it is very essential to secure these ladders properly. For this purpose, stay locks can either be secured with hands or tools to tighten...
Ladders > Extension Ladders
Attic Ladders
An attic ladder is a set of folding steps that can be accessed easily, and folded up when not in use. For homes, garages and warehouses, it is preferred to use this ladder rather than a staircase since it frees up ground space when not in use. Attic ladders are used for entering an overhead area of storage, called an attic. To open an attic ladder that is folded up, a pull cord or a ring is provided for pulling it down. Once opened, the ladder should touch the ground at an angle so that it is easy to climb up.
It is better if attic ladders are fitted with 3 to 5 inches rungs that should be slip resistant.
An attic ladder is a set of folding steps that can be accessed easily, and folded up when not in use. For homes, garages and warehouses, it is preferred to use this ladder rather than a staircase since it frees up ground space when not in use. Attic ladders are used for entering an overhead area of storage, called an attic. To open an attic ladder that is folded...
Ladders > Attic Ladders
Ladders
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