Ladder safety

[Tim Watts]

(No connection etc)

Just got a set of these:

http://laddermat.co.uk/products/laddermat/

and I am very impressed. Certainly gives me a huge confidence boost and does
indeed level up things on sloping ground. For the size and the cost, I'd
thoroughly recommend them to anyone who does ladderwork (unless your ladder
is already fitted with adjustable grippy feet of course!).


Using in conjunction with an old cheap ali ladder (still sound) and a stand
off:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151039180983

which is surprisingly (very) solid considering it comes as a box of bits.

--
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[Mathew Newton]

On Friday, 24 May 2013 17:25:55 UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:

> Just got a set of these:
>
> http://laddermat.co.uk/products/laddermat/

Yup - can second that recommendation. I've been using them for years now and found them superb. Great for slight slopes, soft ground, slippy surfaces etc. I've really put them through their paces.

> Using in conjunction with an old cheap ali ladder (still sound) and a stand
> off:
>
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151039180983

I prefer the solid type, e.g. Laddermax:

http://www.haxnicks.co.uk/gardening/diy-builder-products/laddermax/

Not only can you lay tools and other items down on it but, more importantly for me given I really don't like heights, once above it you can't see down! This really helps calm the nerves a lot.

As you say though, stand offs really do stabilise the ladder and allow you to work without leaning back. Having both arms firmly *around* the ladder whilst working definitely gives confidence, nevermind being physically safer.

Mathew

[The Medway Handyman]

On 24/05/2013 18:25, Mathew Newton wrote:
> On Friday, 24 May 2013 17:25:55 UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:
>
>> Just got a set of these:
>>
>> http://laddermat.co.uk/products/laddermat/
>
> Yup - can second that recommendation. I've been using them for years now and found them superb. Great for slight slopes, soft ground, slippy surfaces etc. I've really put them through their paces.
>

Thirded! Rarely go up a ladder without using it.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[Graham.]

On Fri, 24 May 2013 17:25:55 +0100, Tim Watts <tw+u...@dionic.net>
wrote:

>(No connection etc)
>
>Just got a set of these:
>
>http://laddermat.co.uk/products/laddermat/
>
>and I am very impressed. Certainly gives me a huge confidence boost and does
>indeed level up things on sloping ground. For the size and the cost, I'd
>thoroughly recommend them to anyone who does ladderwork (unless your ladder
>is already fitted with adjustable grippy feet of course!).
>
>
>Using in conjunction with an old cheap ali ladder (still sound) and a stand
>off:
>
>http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151039180983
>
>which is surprisingly (very) solid considering it comes as a box of bits.

Seems you can pick your own price, anything between �15 and �58, and
it seems like the same product.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddiy&field-keywords=laddermat

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

[Mathew Newton]

On Friday, 24 May 2013 18:50:54 UTC+1, Graham. wrote:

> Seems you can pick your own price, anything between £15 and £58, and
> it seems like the same product.
>
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddiy&field-keywords=laddermat

Welcome to the world of Amazon Marketplace pricing. Needless to say, ignore the high extremes and don't assume reviewers against any particular item paid the price currently shown.

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 24 May 2013 18:25 Mathew Newton wrote in uk.d-i-y:

> On Friday, 24 May 2013 17:25:55 UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:
>
>> Just got a set of these:
>>
>> http://laddermat.co.uk/products/laddermat/
>
> Yup - can second that recommendation. I've been using them for years now
> and found them superb. Great for slight slopes, soft ground, slippy
> surfaces etc. I've really put them through their paces.
>
>> Using in conjunction with an old cheap ali ladder (still sound) and a
>> stand off:
>>
>> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151039180983
>
> I prefer the solid type, e.g. Laddermax:
>
> http://www.haxnicks.co.uk/gardening/diy-builder-products/laddermax/

I did notice those....

> Not only can you lay tools and other items down on it but, more
> importantly for me given I really don't like heights, once above it you
> can't see down! This really helps calm the nerves a lot.
>
> As you say though, stand offs really do stabilise the ladder and allow you
> to work without leaning back. Having both arms firmly *around* the ladder
> whilst working definitely gives confidence, nevermind being physically
> safer.

I did not realise until I went up to mark datum lines, then realised I'd
have to lean back at a bugger of an angle to work on the gutter.

It only affects one side where the ground is low - the other 3 sides are
easy - pretty much stand on a chair...

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 24 May 2013 18:50 Graham. wrote in uk.d-i-y:


> Seems you can pick your own price, anything between £15 and £58, and
> it seems like the same product.
>
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddiy&field-
keywords=laddermat
>

Yes - I noticed some insane variations for the same thing!

[Jeremy Nicoll - news posts]

Mathew Newton <mathewja...@googlemail.com> wrote:

>On Friday, 24 May 2013 17:25:55 UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:
>

>> http://laddermat.co.uk/products/laddermat/

I tend to pile up some spare paving slabs behind the feet of the ladder.

> > Using in conjunction with an old cheap ali ladder (still sound) and a
> > stand off:
>>
>> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151039180983

I've got one of those, but it's not proved as useful as I hoped. I have the
situation shown in the pic on ebay where it needs to be able to bridge over
a downpipe... but the downpipe is - like the one in the pic - close to the
corner of the house. The righthand leg of the standoff ends up only just
still on the house wall. Worse, for me the lefthand leg at that point is
perilously close to a window opening. It doesn't look or feel safe.

I have wondered about trying to make a 90-degree insert for the standoff so
the ladder could be leant against the corner of the house, and hopefully it
wouldn't then slip either way. I'm not sure that I'd be confident to climb
that though.

>I prefer the solid type, e.g. Laddermax:
>
>http://www.haxnicks.co.uk/gardening/diy-builder-products/laddermax/

One of the pictures on that website shows someone using it with a ladder
that's set so steeply against the wall that it must surely be unsafe!



--
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