[Ken]

I've just been in to my local tool hire place, looking for a ladder for a one-off job and the manager mentioned a course that he had been on last week. On this course they had covered forthcoming laws affecting ladder work. He reckons that currently you must keep one hand on the ladder (when up it!) at all times, but that under the new regs you will have to keep both hands on the ladder. The implication of this is that you can use the ladder for assessing work but then have to go away, do MS and RA for the job and then come back and do the work off a tower or cherry picker! Has anyone else heard this? Does it only apply above certain heights (as per current HSE regs)? Do window cleaners slip through some legislative loophole or am I going to have to get a pole system?

[Rick]

nah man! thats just silly. people surely do things at thier own risk. they'll be telling us to wear safety helmets next news.........  :

[Rick]

i remember my old boss telling me that, strickly speaking, you should never stand on the top rung of a ladder. but i do that all the time

also, just think about when you put your ladder up like an A-frame to clear a bay or whatever. i end up with one foot on the windowsill and one foot on a rung

[steve_massey]

Yes i have heard that under new regulations ladders are for access and not to work of, So keep both hands on ladder and clean the windows with your feet!

[mr_sheen]

nice 1 steve,

[shinnyshinner]

Hi everyone,
As you probably know I have had a nightmare with getting together H&S Stuff while I was finding all the stuff out for the Method statement and risk assessment I found some rules think they are as follows,

1. When working up a ladder there must be no less then 3 rungs between the rung your standing on to the top.

2. While using tool these have to be tied to ladder or by lasso to operator in case of falls.

3. When working up a ladder you have to have at least 2 feet and one hand on the ladder (so leaves you with one hand to work with)

Think these are right what a nightmare

[Rick]

1. when working on a ladder you must be chained indefinately to it

2. you must phsically live with the ladder for more than 3 years of your life

3. the ladder must accept YOU as its master, and obbey you in every rule put forward by yourself

4. if the ladder dissobeys you in any way, then it must be melted down immedietly, and then never be included in the 'ladder' metal industy again

5. what the fu<k is wrong with you?

[g_griffin]

Come on Rick, tell us something we don`t know. Everyone knows about the first four.  Gerry.

[Reflective Property Services]

The HSe has a good info leaflet, gives some fairly balanced guidelines you can get it here http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/misc613.pdf

[Ken]

The HSE stuff is pretty good, cheers! I am a little concerned that it speaks of a "competent person": rules out most of the window cleaners I know...

[Londoner]

Basically its true, You are not allowed to work off a ladder only use it for access.
I don't know what it means for us, its an interesting situation. I would imagine that a lot more water fed poles will be appearing.
This summer some decorators were nicked for working off ladders near here but they were up high.

[Frankybadboy]

is there any update on this

[AuRavelling79]

is there any update on this

Yes there is Franklin. You're banned
Topic locked and the other threads you have resurrected removed.