5 Common Mistakes When Hiring A Roof Ladder

Roof Ladders do not come without risk and making sure you understand what to avoid when looking to hire a roof ladder is essential. Luckily, Greenplant has got you covered with this simple guide to 5 common mistakes when hiring a roof ladder.

What is a roof ladder?

A roof ladder is a type of ladder that hooks over the ridge of a pitched roof. It has wheels at the top to help you position it without damaging the roof tiles. Once in place, the hooks keep it secure so you can work safely.

1) A Roof Ladder is Solely for Roofs

The clue is in the name, but, seriously, a roof ladder is a specialised tool purely designed for work on roofs with a pitch angle between 25 and 65 degrees. They cannot replace a step or leaning ladder; doing so comes with incredible risk. Greenplant has many ladders for hire to help with your projects.   

2) A Ladder is Not the Right Tool for the Job

This may seem like an obvious one, but making sure you have the right tools for the job is essential in any environment. It is even more essential when working at height, and sometimes, deciding to hire a ladder may be the first mistake you make. According to HSE’s Work at Height regulations 2005:

While this mainly applies to leaning and step ladders, if you know that you’ll be at height for a while, it’s worth exploring Greenplant’s scaffold tower for hire range, including stair towers.

3) Rule of Three

HSE also recommends that you always maintain three points of contact when on a ladder. This can become tricky when you need to use both of your hands for a task. You can use your torso or knee along with your feet to make three, but a safety harness is also highly recommended to catch any slips or trips. Greenplant offers a wide array of PPE for hire to ensure jobs are carried out safely.

4) Not Checking The Roof Ladder After Hire

All Greenplant equipment complies with British standards and is meticulously checked by our staff before your hire. However, it is important to check the roof ladder at the start of the day and after an event to ensure it is still of the highest standard.

A pre-use check of a roof ladder covers the:

·         Stiles

·         Feet

·         Rungs

·         Wheels

·         Locking mechanism

If any of these areas are damaged, cracked, missing or dirty, it must be reported and not used until the issue is resolved. If you have concerns about the quality of your equipment hire, Greenplant are happy to chat with you over the phone or in-store.

5) Make Sure It’s Tall Enough

Another seemingly obvious point, but the unique hooks on the roof ladder need to be secured on the pitched roof for maximum sturdiness. A ladder that’s too short will force overstretching and put you and your workers in dangerous positions. Greenplant offers two heights of roof ladder for hire, so make sure you get the right one.  

Avoid these common mistakes with roof ladder hire from Greenplant and get your work done safely and efficiently. With independent depots in Banbury, High Wycombe and Oxford, you're in safe hands with Greenplant Tool Hire.