[Lee Burbidge]

How many of you guys use ladders with some form of ladder safety device. How practical is your device? Which device works best for you on residential work?
Don't you bother with them, if so why?

 

[richardlingard]

have a look at the rojak ladder stopper, its really good, if on flat ground mate

[bobby p]

i have Ladder Spikes fitted ,these are an absolute godsend if the ground is damp as i can place the spikes into the tiniest of crack and no chance of my ladder slipping away.


Worst safety idea i ever bought was  LADDERMAT. they are rubber mats,sold stating they are very good on smooth or slippy surfaces. i trusted them ,one day mine slid 10 feet on a Quarry tile path and i fell the full drop,damn lucky i didnt break both legs or worse 
  i posted on this forum about it and several replied saying theirs too slipped ,i even contacted the maker but he brushed me off -a total charlatan - dont buy Laddermat if you value you or your staffs lives 
 

[andyM]

i have Ladder Spikes fitted ,these are an absolute godsend if the ground is damp as i can place the spikes into the tiniest of crack and no chance of my ladder slipping away.

Worst safety idea i ever bought was  LADDERMAT. they are rubber mats,sold stating they are very good on smooth or slippy surfaces. i trusted them ,one day mine slid 10 feet on a Quarry tile path and i fell the full drop,damn lucky i didnt break both legs or worse 
  i posted on this forum about it and several replied saying theirs too slipped ,i even contacted the maker but he brushed me off -a total charlatan - dont buy Laddermat if you value you or your staffs lives 
 

How are ladder spikes on patio, tiled and gravel driveways Bobby?
I've never tried them but always thought they were a good idea, but are they any good on hard ground?
And would they scratch exterior tiled floors?

[Window Washers]

a stand off, and articulated feet on the ladder,

[bobby p]

i have Ladder Spikes fitted ,these are an absolute godsend if the ground is damp as i can place the spikes into the tiniest of crack and no chance of my ladder slipping away.

Worst safety idea i ever bought was  LADDERMAT. they are rubber mats,sold stating they are very good on smooth or slippy surfaces. i trusted them ,one day mine slid 10 feet on a Quarry tile path and i fell the full drop,damn lucky i didnt break both legs or worse  
  i posted on this forum about it and several replied saying theirs too slipped ,i even contacted the maker but he brushed me off -a total charlatan - dont buy Laddermat if you value you or your staffs lives  
 

How are ladder spikes on patio, tiled and gravel driveways Bobby?
I've never tried them but always thought they were a good idea, but are they any good on hard ground?
And would they scratch exterior tiled floors?

they work good on hard ground such as concrete,tarmac  ,and very good on gravel as they dig in . i keep mine reasonably sharp but not like a razor !. i have used my spiked ladder inside peoples houses ,i throw down a folded scrim so the spikes dont mark the carpet.  i wouldnt use any ladder on a tiled surface after my fall No Matter What ,i use a pole in those cases

you know what its like when you drag a garden table made of metal over a patio floor,it doesnt drag easily, that why spikes work well,metal doesnt slip along easily

[andyM]

Ok. Cheers Bobby

[carl stanton]

hi,

 I have fitted a set of articulated feet (rubber)
http://www.soapnational.co.uk/acatalog/ladder-accessories.html

and a set of ladder mitts, used to use the ladder pads but the ware and tare is not as good

and common sense 

[Griffus]

Have V stand off's for all ladders and they're great.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADDER-STAND-OFF-V-SHAPE-DIRECT-MANUFACTURE-/180622612707?pt=UK_H_G_Ladders_RL&hash=item2a0df258e3



Also have these, both good when used correctly.

http://www.ladderstore.com/ladder-accessories/ladder-stabilisers-feet/industrial-ladder-stabiliser-m8rix.html

http://www.ladderstore.com/ladder-accessories/ladder-stabilisers-feet/big-grip-ladder-stabiliser.html

As for practicality, the worst thing is finding a place for them on the van. The big grip one is the biggest pain to use but without it there have been times I'd have been stuffed.

Happy to recommend all ove the above from the suppliers linked.

[dazmond]

i use a rojak ladder stopper for the occasional ladder climb if the ground looks a bit dodgy but i wouldnt say its that great.i wouldnt put it on wet decking or imprinted concrete so not that useful really!!

[Dave Willis]

ladder limpets for me every time my ladders are used. I'm wfp so don't use my ladders that often. Can't understand why they went out of business. 

[Lee Burbidge]

have a look at the rojak ladder stopper, its really good, if on flat ground mate

Hey Richard - did you get my text the other day

[Lee Burbidge]

i have Ladder Spikes fitted ,these are an absolute godsend if the ground is damp as i can place the spikes into the tiniest of crack and no chance of my ladder slipping away.


Worst safety idea i ever bought was  LADDERMAT. they are rubber mats,sold stating they are very good on smooth or slippy surfaces. i trusted them ,one day mine slid 10 feet on a Quarry tile path and i fell the full drop,damn lucky i didnt break both legs or worse 
  i posted on this forum about it and several replied saying theirs too slipped ,i even contacted the maker but he brushed me off -a total charlatan - dont buy Laddermat if you value you or your staffs lives 
 

Thank you for this. Very important to know.

[Lee Burbidge]

hi,

 I have fitted a set of articulated feet (rubber)
http://www.soapnational.co.uk/acatalog/ladder-accessories.html

and a set of ladder mitts, used to use the ladder pads but the ware and tare is not as good

and common sense 

How do you get on with ladder mitts, I bought two sets about a year and half ago. Never opened the last set cause the first set I kept knocking the mitts off the top of the ladders!!

[Window Washers]

hi,

 I have fitted a set of articulated feet (rubber)
http://www.soapnational.co.uk/acatalog/ladder-accessories.html

and a set of ladder mitts, used to use the ladder pads but the ware and tare is not as good

and common sense 

used to screw mine on Lee when was trad as I was always losing mine too

How do you get on with ladder mitts, I bought two sets about a year and half ago. Never opened the last set cause the first set I kept knocking the mitts off the top of the ladders!!

[Paul Coleman]

I don't use a ladder very much these days but I always have ladder mitts on the top end to avoid sideways slipping.  Also, a little gem I found for decking (provided the gaps are in the right direction) was this item:

http://www.soapnational.co.uk/acatalog/ladder-accessories.html.

Look for the "Footee Decking Supports".

[Lee Burbidge]

I don't use a ladder very much these days but I always have ladder mitts on the top end to avoid sideways slipping.  Also, a little gem I found for decking (provided the gaps are in the right direction) was this item:

http://www.soapnational.co.uk/acatalog/ladder-accessories.html.

Look for the "Footee Decking Supports".

Cool, they look brill.

[Paul Coleman]

I don't use a ladder very much these days but I always have ladder mitts on the top end to avoid sideways slipping.  Also, a little gem I found for decking (provided the gaps are in the right direction) was this item:

http://www.soapnational.co.uk/acatalog/ladder-accessories.html.

Look for the "Footee Decking Supports".

Cool, they look brill.

That's what I thought too so I spent around £20 on my safety - even though I only use them for one job at the moment (a bit of flat roof work above some decking).  Although the job is only worth £19 a clean to me, I'm sure there will be others come along.  Decking is one of those safety risks that is more obvious and I have a couple of jobs where it's evern tricky walking on the stuff with slip resistant boots.

Something that I really don't get though is why I see so many traditional window cleaners about without ladder mitts.  It's such a basic, cheap, obvious enhancement to safety that I feel like lecturig every shiner I see not using them (I don't of course).  However, I'm not so hot on having things under the ladder.  I find that it's not usually necessary unless there is a clear risk.  In fact, a ladder on grass is safer than many imagine due to it making impressions in the ground.  I even had one job where the safest thing to put under the ladder was flat scrim.  It didn't budge whereas a rojak ladder stopper moved (I did a test with someone "footing" but a few inches from the ladder base).

[4Taz]

When I was a trad wc I used to carry a garden fork with strong but thin prongs. Whenever there was a slightly dodgy ladder pitch on grass I would dig the fork around one of the ladder feet.

Unfortunately I learnt the hard way as I had previously fallen off when the ladder slipped on fine, dry but 'shiny' grass in the summer. One minute I was cleaning the window over the porch & the next I was lying on the front lawn holding the porch guttering in one hand. Instinctively I must have grabbed at something on the way down but it all happened so quickly I didn't have time to think. Luckily I didn't injure myself but their front steps were right next to me. It was the final straw & went wfp very soon afterwards (2004). 

Another thing I used to do on a block paved driveway that sloped away from the porch (it was the house nextdoor to the one I fell off from after a similar scare - the ladder didn't give way completely though!!!) was to touch the front wheel of the car (had van when I went wfp) against the string of the ladder. In that particular situation I don't think I would have trusted any ladder safety device so the car was the only option.

Stay safe.

Dave