[mk1]

follow the link  http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/april.htm

[Trevor Knight]

Exactly!

Like it says, you have to look at the job and decide for yourselves what is the most appropriate and safest way of completing the task.

Good link 

[Tosh]

Ladders are like guns.  They're not banned, but their use is restricted.

[trevor perry]

the reason we changed to wfp was that on many sites we where getting loads of hassle from health and safety officers telling us we shoudnt be using ladders so we where pushed into a corner and forced to change , so we tell  the residents on these sites that H and S have stopped us using ladders , if they back track now the residents will think we have told them a pack of lies .

[AuRavelling79]

Great cartoon in the link!

Nothing's changed - read paragraph 15 in the amended regs (2005) at the top of the pyramid diagram. You must avoid work at height where you can.

Whatever you choose to use always think how it will look after an accident - in court - when you're being asked to justify your decision by a claimant's lawyer.

And then when you lose your house because your insurer refuses to pay out because they agree with the claimant's lawyer!

[choice.clean]

2006 llandridod wells working safely at heights day seminar electricians/ builders/ window cleaners present. lots of health and safety inspectors there who are conducting seminar.

presenter says can only use a ladder if attached by anchor bolt to wall (i.e. drill all your customers walls)

I challenged this (i've got a wfp after all) what if i need to go up on flat roof to access a window with pole system as too far back) yup said inspector you must drill wall.
Buffet time i approached the key man present who seemed to be in charge. he told me when pressed that i would not have to anchor ladder and that his colleague was wrong.
conclusion if hse doesn't know how are we supposed too

[Tosh]

Section 6 of the WAHD 2005 states clearly(ish) how ladders are to be used, when appropriate to do so.

I can't remember it verbatim, but it goes something along the lines of:

Use a LSD

Tie off your ladder

or something with equal effectiveness.

[simon knight]

How can you tie-off the ladder without first climbing it?

[bumper]

how do steeplejacks climb these 300 foot chimneys can someone tell me please doh its a ladder doh ;)oh i thought they were banned doh

[Tosh]

How can you tie-off the ladder without first climbing it?

It doesn't say you have to in the regs; so I guess you climb the ladder and tie it to a flimsy plastic gutter or something!

No trad window cleaner is going to do this; I've only tied a ladder off ONCE in five years; and that was to stop the wind blowing it from the top of a flat roof.

Basically, the rules are there to prevent deaths and injuries; take from them what you will.  I know I don't follow them, I just use my own judgement and common-sense.

At the end of the day (IMHO); the only good thing about WAHD 2005 is that it highlights safety in the minds of people who routinely work at height and treat it without the respect it deserves.

Also, I wonder how many lives this document may have saved?  I think two window cleaners have already died from falls this year; and I've read a few news articles of some serious life-changing injuries.  Although unquantifyable, it would be interesting to know how many window cleaners would've 'knacked' themselves if it wasn't for the 'new regs'?

[Tosh]

how do steeplejacks climb these 300 foot chimneys can someone tell me please doh its a ladder doh ;)oh i thought they were banned doh

Is that a picture of a troll in your avatar?

Who says ladders are banned?

[Easyclean Windows]

Ive been on and off this forum now for 4 years could one of you who have posted this post please tell me where and who have ever told you that ladders are banned? i cannot see or find a post or person within in this forum saying that ladders have EVER BEEN BANNED PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG?

[Davew]

I think ( and I could be entirely wrong) that the end for ladder use will eventually come from the insurance companies who will inflate the premiums for anyone wishing to purchase public liability insurance. It might be that they will refuse to pay out at all if someone comes off a ladder when there are alternative ways of working? Maybe thats the case already?

[NWH]

That`s what i think will happen to,in the end they will do the same as they do to young drivers ie price them out of the market.To be honest i don`t see how they can cover people on ladders anyway will h&s being the way they are these days,it sounds a bit contradictory with h&s saying no ladders but insurance companys are still giving wcs cover for using them.

[dai]

The working at height regs were a blessing, when it came to converting all my customers to WFP.
I would have found a lot more resistance without them.
I have slagged off faceless EEC beurocrats mercilessly, for forcing me screaming and kicking, down the WFP road. They were the perfect whipping boys.
Meanwhile, I converted my entire round to a more profitable way of working.
W.A.H.L Bless them. Dai

[NWH]

I thought the same it`s a blessing for us WFPolers,that`s the reason i initially went the WFP route to in effect get a head start on the rest of the wc field in my area.

[paul saunders]

Ive been on and off this forum now for 4 years could one of you who have posted this post please tell me where and who have ever told you that ladders are banned? i cannot see or find a post or person within in this forum saying that ladders have EVER BEEN BANNED PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG?

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=36651.msg288755#msg288755

     Re: 3rd storey ok on ladders wfp crap & undercutting
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2007, 09:15:55 PM »    Reply with quote
What a prat!!

I bet his lads are working on the side as well.

It is illegal to use ladders when a viable safer method can be used at any height as well.

Want to post his phone number Brett?  lol   Wink
 

[Tosh]

It is illegal to use ladders when a viable safer method can be used at any height as well.

I whole heartedly agree!

Ladders are not banned, they can only be used in certain circumstances where there's no other viable method (a large flat roof for example); and this effectively bans them for routinely using them as a means of access for window cleaning.

[Paul Coleman]

Ladders are not banned but rungs are.