Which General Purpose ladders are best

[Soundy 1]

The oil companies here have now as a group mandated that you're not allowed to work from a step ladder over 5' off the ground, unless you have fall protection (harness... and find something to tie off to). WCB puts the limit at 10', and also mandates that an extension ladder must be tied off at the top (hard to do for a camera in the middle of a wall).

 

One oil company has now also decreed that there are NO LADDERS ALLOWED on construction sites. AT ALL. Scaffolding, lift, or work platform only. Extension ladders are acceptable only for accessing higher locations (roof, canopy top, etc.), and of course, must be tied off.

 

Oh yes, the work platform... this is essentially a short step ladder with a solid platform part way up... kinda like this:

 

 

The catch is, the platform itself cannot be over 5' either. Every one of these I've looked at have platforms at 2' spacing - 4', 6', 8' etc. That means we can only use the 4' ones - last site, that was barely enough for me to push up a ceiling tile, and not enough to actually reach into the ceiling to do any work.

[Soundy 1]

For the oil companies, we're expected to wear minimum PPE to do *any* work, install or service, on *any* site. If I'm going to sit in front of the computer in the office, I still have to be wearing steel-toed boots, hard hat, and reflective vest... and I'm expected to have work gloves and safety glasses on my person, "just in case".

 

They say "stop and think" but then the allow no latitude for any kind of rational choice - they've already done the thinking for you.

 

It's utter insanity, and all of it comes from them being entirely reactionary - something happens, someone gets hurt, they take forever to figure out what went wrong... then go completely over the top in attempting to prevent it happening again. I swear, it's going to get to the point where we just show up on site wearing nothing but several layers of bubble wrap.

[tomcctv 187]

The oil companies here have now as a group mandated that you're not allowed to work from a step ladder over 5' off the ground, unless you have fall protection (harness... and find something to tie off to).

 

 

 

same in the uk. we have been doing work for shell oil for 15 years and in the past 5 .. we are not even allowed to take ladders on site .. if we need steps we have to use some from there store sign them in and out

[Soundy 1]

never heard having to wear a hard hat to use a ladder.

Oh yeah, you don't want to risk bonking your head with the ladder when you take it off the top of the van...

[rory 0]

I'm all for safety but .. 5 feet?

I guess though if one is doing work for an oil company and getting paid big bucks, I mean I would do whatever they want me to at that point.

 

I read the Work at Height Regulations for the UK tom sent me, seriously that would put me off even working in that industry there.

 

I dont like going up high at all anyway though.

Almost scaled a 40' ladder today to look for some contractors who were working on the roof .. but stopped about 15 feet off the ground .. it just didnt "feel" safe!

[tomcctv 187]

we all know the limits of are ladders and such. its not how we use them or where we use them its the insurance companies who bring all this crap in and its that we have to work too

[rory 0]

In a way I wish the insurance companies and business owners cared that much here.

[Soundy 1]

I'm all for safety but .. 5 feet?

I guess though if one is doing work for an oil company and getting paid big bucks, I mean I would do whatever they want me to at that point.

Seriously... we had the head safety guy for one of them tell us, "If you need to rent a lift, do it - I don't care what it costs as long as everyone goes home safe."

 

Hey, I'm all for working off a lift instead of a ladder whenever possible, but somehow I doubt their motives are altruistic in the least - it's all liability a$$-covering.

 

The one that doesn't allow any ladders at all... this is the story they gave us explaining why: several years ago, a worker in Ontario was working on a short step ladder, and whether he didn't have it on a stable surface, or just stepped wrong, he fell off a low step, landed on his arse, and whacked his head on the ground, leaving him with permanent brain damage. His wife sued everyone in site, and finally, a bit over three years later, won a multi-million dollar settlement against the parent company... probably for "failing to provide a safe work environment" or something. As a result, they decided that the solution was to simply ban ladders.

 

The ridiculous part is, they told use we could use scaffolds instead... my wife works in the insurance industry, and she said that they HATE scaffolds, because they're a dozen time more UN-safe than ladders. Far too easy to tip them over, or assemble them wrong and have them collapse.

 

The first site we saw this on, one electrician needed to get just three feet off the ground in a little electrical room... when he asked how he was supposed to get a scaffold in there, he was told he could just assemble it in the room... even one of those little wee "painter's scaffolds" would have had a hard time fitting in this room, nevermind leaving anyone room to get in with it to be able to climb on top of it!

 

But they don't care how much it impedes work - they're covering their arses.

[tomcctv 187]

In a way I wish the insurance companies and business owners cared that much here.

 

 

OH you dont rory at least you can just get on with your work. we have to put 1 day aside each week just for paperwork. risk assesments who reads them anyway

[Numb-nuts 1]

A classic case of the lunatics running the asylum! It shows the decision that was made was too unimportant to think about so they simply ban ladders and worry about practicalities later.

[Soundy 1]

A classic case of the lunatics running the asylum! It shows the decision that was made was too unimportant to think about so they simply ban ladders and worry about practicalities later.

 

BINGO!

 

Okay, here's another perfect example: another recent site, we were told we weren't allowed to use fixed-blade knives... like your basic carpet knife, box cutter, Olfa knife, or utility knife. We ARE allowed to use "retractable blade" knives - like a utility knife with a spring-loaded blade, so if you're not holding it out, it slides back in:

 

 

Now our first thought was, great, now we have to go buy new knives... our second thought was, hey, this is great, you're insisting that we use a tool that has the ability to draw a sharp blade across a body part... BY ITSELF.

 

And the story came out of where this decision came from: a guy was using an Olfa knife (snap-off blade type) to cut a rubber boot on a hose down in a well in the ground. The blade was dull, so cutting was going really slowly. He took the knife out, snapped off the end of the blade to give himself a nice new fresh edge, then went back to cutting... except now with the sharp new edge, it slid through the rubber boot like butter... and gashed his other fore-arm.

 

The natural response to this was to ban any fixed-blade knives.

 

So wait... when I was FIVE and my dad was teaching me to whittle wood with my pocket knife, the FIRST THING he taught me was, CUT AWAY FROM THE BODY. Which this idiot didn't do. And he hurt himself.

 

So because idiotstick can't follow THE FIRST, PRIMARY, MOST BASIC RULE OF USING A KNIFE, nobody else gets to use them anymore?? REACTION. NO THOUGHT. Don't get rid of the idiot... get rid of the tool that he misused.

 

My buddy was telling this story to a staff girl in Home Depot... she said they have the same rule: only people working in flooring can use fixed knives; anyone else has to use self-retracting types. First offence, they get written up... second offence: fired.

 

And it turns out, one girl actually had happen to her, exactly what we thought would happen: she let go of the blade, the sharp side was against a finger, and under its own power, the knife pulled the blade in and sliced her finger open...

 

[SDM Group 0]

This was one heavy S.O.B.

[rory 0]

This was one heavy S.O.B.

 

that looks like the same one i was dragging around this warehouse

all heavy duty plastic or whatever its made out of it weighs a ton!!

the one here was maybe 3 steps lower than that, I think, or the same.

[Numb-nuts 1]

I was just using my new ladders this morning to clean my camera lenses and PTZ dome. I also remover a redundant camera which I promised to a friend. (It's a Foscam IP camera so no great loss) Those ladders ARE heavy to the point that I can only just manage them on my own. They are so stable with the stabilizer foot and deep rungs that I like the comfort I get.

 

No point buying longer ones if I can't handle them alone. I am satisfied i made the right choice. The rungs are big and deep and very comfortable. If I need a taller ladder, I'll hire one for the and move it piece by piece if necessary, then any higher and I'll rent a scissor lift or cherry picker.

 

Point is we never put cameras too high or they are not effective because they capture tops of heads, and really at that height should view a wide angle to be effective. I might need the higher ladders for masts or pendant mounts.

Whatever happens, one way or another I'll tackle the problem when it happens meantime I will let practicality be my guide and be glad I can manage these ladders. They spent their first night outside last night as I spent the morning fitting the locking brackets to the wall. I use the same keyed alike padlocks on the wall mounted brackets as I do on the roof bar clamps, so thats useful.

 

Those step ladders do look heavy and not too stable, but I have learned not to judge. I thought this looked unstable until I tried it in step ladder mode, I have to say it was stable and I felt entirely safe and I am cautious where it comes to safety.

With regards to using knives on site, I learned as a boy scout that a dull knife is a dangerous knife so I always use the sharpest blade. I also have cut myself in the past and it was a painful nuisance and takes ages to heal. I just decided one day to not take chances anymore and have avoided painful cuts. My dad always told me if you have to force things, you're doing it wrong. Well while in the most parts I agree sometimes you have to use a little force, but not with knives.

Those self-retracting blades are news to me, I never heard of them. I still have my dads retractable Stanley knife. It looks like new, as I have stripped and painted it a few times, but it must be nearly 40 yr old.

 

I have a broom thats about that age, it's had several new heads and a couple of new handles but it's lasted almost 40 yrs

 

 

[dcooney 0]

its cheaper to hire a platform or to buy hydraulic hoist.

to mount a $100 camera?

 

 

I had to create an account because I LOL'ed so hard at this reply...

If you are mounting $100 cameras, do you consider yourself a professional? LMAO.

[Kawboy12R 0]

You measure your self-esteem by what you can convince your clients to spend on cameras? Or, worse, someone else's professionalism by the fact that they admit to hanging at least one camera priced under $2000 without knowing anything about the backstory?

[Numb-nuts 1]

its cheaper to hire a platform or to buy hydraulic hoist.

to mount a $100 camera?

 

 

I had to create an account because I LOL'ed so hard at this reply...

If you are mounting $100 cameras, do you consider yourself a professional? LMAO.

 

What are you talking about you prune? somewhere your reading and writing has let you down fella,

or were you just too lazy to read the entire thread and too keen to mock someone?

I'm glad it gave you a laugh, that says more about you than about the members who posted to this thread

regardless what anyone said.

 

I asked members for their opinions of various ladders they all gave their opinions, now we have yours thanks, NEXT...

[Kawboy12R 0]

Here are some UK approved laddering techniques. Not sure on the brands used but they come highly recommended.

[Kawboy12R 0]

And another.

[Numb-nuts 1]

And another.

 

Are you sure it wasn't the local HOSPITAL or mortician that recommended these techniques?

 

When I look at those my heart starts to beat really fast and then I remember It's not ME up the ladder.

[Kawboy12R 0]

They're some pretty good ads for either possible Darwin Awards or why women live longer than men. I had a few others but they didn't involve ladders so I didn't post them. One should've required a parachute for safety gear.