Safety is essential to your loft ladder system, both in terms of the system itself and of course, how you use it. Here, we provide an essential list of loft ladder safety tips to ensure you are both making the most of your loft ladder, and that you’re always safe doing so.
Points of Contact
An essential safety measure to remember is the three points of contact rule whenever using a ladder. Three points of contact mean, well, maintaining three points of contact with the ladder. Essentially, you must keep two hands and at least one foot on your ladder, or, two feet and one hand, at all times. Simpler than it sounds, especially when working quickly, it can be very easy to only maintain a 2-point contact with the ladder, which can represent a significant safety risk.
Ask For Help
Carrying a load that is difficult, awkward or particularly heavy can pose a serious risk if being carried up a set of loft stairs. Heavy loads lead to imbalance and potential falls, whilst the risk of carrying loads too heavy for one person is well-known, leading to potential back, neck and spinal injuries.
Whenever carrying loads up or down your loft stairs, always ask for assistance, to prevent the risk of accidents, injuries or falls. Have a friend or family member stand at the base of the ladder as an additional safety measure, they can be there to help you up the loft stairs and catch you if you fall.
Appropriate Footwear
Whenever using a ladder of any kind, wearing the appropriate footwear is essential to your safety, and this is also true of loft ladders. It’s recommended you wear a flat, closed-toe shoe or trainer whenever ascending or descending a loft ladder to provide yourself with the stability necessary to help prevent falls. Before going up or down a loft ladder, always check your laces are tied correctly and tucked into your shoes, to prevent accidents from occurring on the staircase.
Installation & Inspection
The most important factor in ensuring your loft ladder is safe is an effective and correct installation of the ladder system itself. A properly and professionally installed loft ladder will be fitted to the current safety regulations standards, by ladder installation experts who are trained rigorously to abide by them. Using the best materials and systems available, TopTower will ensure your loft ladder system is installed correctly.
Equally, you should regularly inspect your loft ladder system for issues or faults, particularly if you start to notice a slight instability, or wobble in your system, as this could represent a fault in the loft ladder.
If you’re looking for safe and effective loft ladder systems, shop with Top Tower. We stock a great selection of accessories, perfect for whatever the situation is. Alongside accessories, we have scaffold towers, builders trestles, podium steps and ladders for DIY and professionals. Get in touch with us to find out more about our products, or order products today.
