Below are various news articles that may interest you about the use of ladder guards to help prevent unauthorised access to ladders in the work place, and other environments, where unathorised ladder access may occur:
Ladder Guards For Scaffold Ladders
Standard Ladderguard For 600mm Wide Ladders
Workplace Fatal Injuries Report - 2018/19
One Size Ladder Guard Does Not Fit All!
Protecting The Public; Preventing Scaffold & Ladder Access
NASC Guidance; Ladder Guards Prevent Unauthorised Ladder Access
Designed specially to fit standard metal scaffold pole ladders, with a rung length of approximately 370mm, the Ladderguard L150 is the perfect solution when you cannot reasonably remove the ladder accessing the lower lift of a scaffold at the end of your shift.
The HSE advise that the ladder(s) serving the bottom lift of the scaffold should be removed at the end of each shift. However, the HSE also recognise that this may not always be practical and that a Ladder Guard may be used as an alternative when it is not reasonably practical to remove the ladder(s).
A Ladderguard is described, by the HSE, as a “sturdy metal plate that hooks over and padlocks onto several rungs of the ladder to deny access”. The Ladder Guard must be correctly sized to cover at least 6 rungs and should not expose more than 50mm of the rung, when pushed to one side, to ensure the rungs are unusable.
Ladderguard Limited recognise that ladders can vary in size and, therefore, offer a full range of standard width and length Ladder Guards. If one of our standard Ladderguards is not suitable, then do not hesitate to contact us with your ladder dimensions for a quotation for a bespoke Ladderguard solution.
As standard, our Ladderguards are manufactured from mill finished aluminium, but can be ordered in differing materials, for example: galvanised steel, stainless steel, etc., and finishes including a powder coated paint finish.
Due to customer demand, we have introduced a standard Ladderguard to help protect wider ladders, including standard ladders with a rung length of 600mm. The L0054 Ladderguard, available on our shopping page, provides coverage for ladders with rung lengths between 530mm (53cm) and 640mm (64cm), covering the common ladder size of 600mm (60cm) between stiles.
The L0054 is an aluminium ladder guard, supplied with two locking brackets and two keyed alike locks. With two keyed alike locks it means you only need one key to open both of the fitted locks. Alternatively, if you require, we can supply the L0054 with two different locks allowing two key holders to authorise access. The L0054 Ladderguard is fitted with two ergonomic handles, allowing for ease of handling of the Ladderguard when fitting and removing.
Measuring approximately 1.9m long, the L0054 will provide protection for at least 6 rungs, as suggested in the latest HSE guidance regarding the rung coverage a ladder guard should provide; HSE Guidance.
To help you comply with the HSE guidance, the maximum rung width quoted for each product on our website would result in a gap between the edge of the Ladderguard and the stile of 50mm or less when the Ladderguard is fitted to a ladder with the maximum rung width.
The HSE have, on 3rd July 2019, published their annual report on “Workplace fatal injuries in Great Britain” for the period 2018/19: HSE Workplace Fatal Injuries Report 2018/19. The report shows that the highest number of fatalities, by accident type, is from a fall from height.
In summary, there were 40 fatal injuries to workers caused by a fall from height, up from 35 occurring in the previous period 2017/18, and higher than the average of 36 per annum over the period 2014/15-2018/19.
Following such an increase, it is not unreasonable to expect the HSE to focus attention on the control of work at height when visiting and inspecting workplaces; taking action against those responsible for the control of such work in the event of a breach of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
It is, therefore, essential that the responsible person – building owners, facilities managers, employers, etc. – who control work at height ensure that the work is properly planned, controlled and managed at all times: Safety & Health Practitioner Article: "Working at Height Explained".
To help prevent uncontrolled work taking place, where a fixed access ladder is installed to provide access, for example, to a roof, the responsible person should consider implementing a Ladderguard. A Ladderguard provides a physical barrier, helping prevent unauthorised access to a ladder, and clear information; a warning sign stating “Danger” and a prohibition sign stating; “Do not climb”.
With the Ladderguard in place, the responsible person can control access to the ladder, issuing key(s) for the lock to be removed, only to trained and competent workers and when all risks have been assessed and the work properly planned. At the end of the work the Ladderguard should be correctly locked in place and the key(s) returned to the responsible person to help prevent unauthorised access.
Cardiff Magistrates Court have recently heard a case in which a 12 year old boy managed to climb a ladder with a poorly fitting ladder guard; Court Report.
The ladder had been fitted with a ladder guard which was too narrow for the ladder, allowing the boy to climb the rungs of the ladder by placing his feet either side of the ladder guard. The HSE Inspector said; “The incident could have been prevented by removal of the ladder completely or installing an appropriately sized ladder guard to cover the full width of the rungs.”
Always ensure that the ladder guard you select is designed to fit your ladder – simply measure the length of the rungs on your ladder and select from our range of standard Ladderguards. Select the length of the Ladderguard based on the location and risk presented by the ladder you are protecting.
If one of our standard Ladderguards is not suitable for your ladder, or site, contact us with details of your ladder and we can offer a bespoke Ladderguard. You may be surprised at the cost, especially when compared with the fine you may face if you are found to have breached Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Don't forget, you are responsible for who accesses your ladders; control ladder access with a Ladderguard.
Why do I need to use a Ladderguard? The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) say there is a history of scaffolds being climbed by unauthorised members of the public when they have been erected to allow construction and maintenance activities to be undertaken. When unauthorised ladder access occurs there is the potential for a fall, which may result in death or life changing injuries.
As well as determined trespassers, who will be very difficult to stop from accessing your ladder or scaffold, your ladders may be a temptation for children or young people. Children may be tempted to climb ladders, regardless of the signs and warnings you put up, so a better deterrent is required to help prevent unauthorised access.
To help, the HSE set out the action required to help protect the public by preventing unauthorised access onto scaffolding and other working platforms based on an assessment of the site. As well as the removal of ladders at the end of the working day, the HSE also recommend the use of ladder guards and detail how you should select an appropriate ladder guard.
Ensure you follow the HSE guidelines when selecting your ladder guards from our range of standard Ladderguards; if you can’t find a suitable Ladderguard from our standard range then send us your ladder dimensions to allow us to quote a bespoke Ladderguard to provide maximum security.
Ladders are regularly used to access scaffolding erected to provide a safe method of working when work is to be performed at height during, for example; construction and maintenance works on plant, equipment and buildings.
The NASC (National Access & Scaffolding Confederation), a national trade body for access and scaffolding in the UK, produces a range of safety and technical guidance for scaffolding contractors and their clients. The guidance produced and issued by the NASC is accepted as the industry standard by the HSE, CITB and main contractors in the UK.
Revised in June 2018, section 7 of the NASC guidance SG25:14 – Access and Egress from Scaffolds, via Ladders and Stair Towers etc. – identifies that unauthorised access to scaffold should be prevented at all times and identifies the ladder guard as a suitable method. The advice can be found on page 10 of the guidance following this link to SG25.
Ladders used for access to scaffolds can be manufactured from either steel or aluminium, therefore, we offer Ladderguards in a variety of materials, including: aluminium, galvanised steel and stainless steel, allowing you flexibility to choose the Ladderguard material to match your ladder, this can help reduce problems such as galvanic corrosion in, for example, coastal locations.
To select the suitable Ladderguard for your scaffold ladder, simply measure the length of the rung (the distance between the stiles of the ladder) and select the most appropriate ladder guard. Generally we find that, for use on scaffold ladders, our Clients select either our; L0003 Aluminium Ladderguard, or our; L0009 Galvanised Steel Ladderguard.
Alternatively, we can supply custom Ladderguard sizes, or Ladderguards painted in your corporate colours with bespoke labelling.