Movable barrier to stop someone falling through loft hatch.

[Murmansk]

A friend of mine has just had some boarding put down in her loft and a new wooden loft ladder fitted. It’s a modern house with lots of trusses in the loft.

She’s worried about falling through the loft hatch when she’s up there so I’m planning to put fit a piece of timber on a “hinge” arrangement which will be a bit like the exit barrier at a car park.

It’ll be in the up position most of the time but when she’s in the loft she’ll bring it down and it’ll go across between trusses and be at waist level, stopping her inadvertently stepping into the area where the hatch is.

These photos show the loft and on one, my yellow circle shows roughly where I envisage attaching the pin to form the hinge for my barrier.

I’d be interested to hear anyone’s ideas on how to do this with particular reference to the hinge arrangement and fittings to hold the barrier in the up position.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yhmonj2sp6kd1xw/loft%20%281%29%20%28Medium%29.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lj7innbp5v113cx/loft%20%282%29%20%28Medium%29.JPG

[Jeremy Nicoll - news posts]

Murmansk <stai...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I�d be interested to hear anyone�s ideas on how to do this with particular

> reference to the hinge arrangement and fittings to hold the barrier in the
> up position.

Another solution, especially useful for anyone who has to work on the water
tank, would be to fit a hinge-down lid that covers the hole so that one can
actually stand on it, over the hole, safely.

Or have something (trickier to create and make safe) that slides across the
boarded floor and across the hole.

I have a loft access hole a bit like the one shown, but maybe a little
larger. Normally it is half-filled over by a piece of attic floor that
rests on a joist that sits in joist hangers within the hole. The floor
board that covers that half of the hole has some battens on its underside
and bolts that run from that to the sides of the hole, so the board cannot
accidentally be lifted or nudged out of position.

I have in the past, especially when working on creation of the hole,
routinely pushed some pieces of 6x2 over the hole not so much to stand one
etc, but just to make sure that the hole is obstructed by something.

--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to newsre...@wingsandbeaks.org.uk replacing "aaa" by "284".

[Roger Mills]

On 02/11/2013 22:02, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
> Murmansk<stai...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I�d be interested to hear anyone�s ideas on how to do this with particular
>> reference to the hinge arrangement and fittings to hold the barrier in the
>> up position.
>
> Another solution, especially useful for anyone who has to work on the water
> tank, would be to fit a hinge-down lid that covers the hole so that one can
> actually stand on it, over the hole, safely.
>

+1

I was about to suggest the same thing. Hinge it at floor level, and have
a catch on the top edge to attach it to a truss when no-one is in the
loft. Then, once in the loft, drop it over the hole - and it gives you
extra space to walk around in as well as preventing you from falling
through the hatch.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

[Graham.]

On Sat, 2 Nov 2013 22:02:52 +0000, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts
<jn.nntp....@wingsandbeaks.org.uk> wrote:

>Murmansk <stai...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I’d be interested to hear anyone’s ideas on how to do this with particular

>> reference to the hinge arrangement and fittings to hold the barrier in the
>> up position.
>
>Another solution, especially useful for anyone who has to work on the water
>tank, would be to fit a hinge-down lid that covers the hole so that one can
>actually stand on it, over the hole, safely.
>
>Or have something (trickier to create and make safe) that slides across the
>boarded floor and across the hole.
>
>I have a loft access hole a bit like the one shown, but maybe a little
>larger. Normally it is half-filled over by a piece of attic floor that
>rests on a joist that sits in joist hangers within the hole. The floor
>board that covers that half of the hole has some battens on its underside
>and bolts that run from that to the sides of the hole, so the board cannot
>accidentally be lifted or nudged out of position.
>
>I have in the past, especially when working on creation of the hole,
>routinely pushed some pieces of 6x2 over the hole not so much to stand one
>etc, but just to make sure that the hole is obstructed by something.

That sounds like a simpler, and more effective solution than a
barrier.

I would arrange it so that when the inner trap-door is not closed over
the trap, it has to be parked vertical rather than flat on the
boarding in order to encourage its use.



--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

[Murmansk]

Ah ha, yes, good bit of lateral thinking folks, thanks very much!

[fred]

In article <49fb37d3-72e0-4485...@googlegroups.com>,
Murmansk <stai...@gmail.com> writes

>Ah ha, yes, good bit of lateral thinking folks, thanks very much!

Sounds like you're sorted, there appears to be a dropped lip around the
opening, if you use a square batten to bring that lip up to the bottom
of the boarding then it will take any weight that is placed on the
safety door (rather than any hinges). The hinges can then be surface
mounted on the long side, add draught strip and it will help keep the
draughts down. Don't forget a handle :-).

The cold water header tank could do with some insulation under it to.
Normally deprecated when it sits on the ceiling of the room below to get
a bit of heat from there but as it's been elevated, it is a good idea.
If it was a really cold area I'd suggest a very low level
thermostatically controlled heat pad under it.

--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

[GB]

Whilst at it, something to cover that hole where the gate valve is? It's
bit of a hazard right next to the trap.

[tony sayer]

In article <213c0363-2ab0-4204...@googlegroups.com>,
Murmansk <stai...@gmail.com> scribeth thus

Think if your having to do that then she shouldn't think if going up
there even;(..

--
Tony Sayer

[Roger Mills]

On 03/11/2013 11:25, fred wrote:

> In article <49fb37d3-72e0-4485...@googlegroups.com>,
> Murmansk <stai...@gmail.com> writes
>> Ah ha, yes, good bit of lateral thinking folks, thanks very much!
>
> Sounds like you're sorted, there appears to be a dropped lip around the
> opening, if you use a square batten to bring that lip up to the bottom
> of the boarding then it will take any weight that is placed on the
> safety door (rather than any hinges). The hinges can then be surface
> mounted on the long side, add draught strip and it will help keep the
> draughts down. Don't forget a handle :-).
>

Are suggesting that the safety flap will be horizontal when the hatch is
closed? If so, how is the ladder going to be folded away?

[fred]

In article <bdnd7s...@mid.individual.net>, Roger Mills
<watt....@gmail.com> writes

>On 03/11/2013 11:25, fred wrote:
>> In article <49fb37d3-72e0-4485...@googlegroups.com>,
>> Murmansk <stai...@gmail.com> writes
>>> Ah ha, yes, good bit of lateral thinking folks, thanks very much!
>>
>> Sounds like you're sorted, there appears to be a dropped lip around the
>> opening, if you use a square batten to bring that lip up to the bottom
>> of the boarding then it will take any weight that is placed on the
>> safety door (rather than any hinges). The hinges can then be surface
>> mounted on the long side, add draught strip and it will help keep the
>> draughts down. Don't forget a handle :-).
>>
>
>Are suggesting that the safety flap will be horizontal when the hatch is
>closed? If so, how is the ladder going to be folded away?

I had hoped there might just be enough room to allow that but perhaps
not, in which case, no draughtproofing and a simple hole will do instead
of a handle.

[Roger Mills]

I don't know whether there are any loft ladders with fold away within
the hatch space without going above loft floor level. I've got 2 loft
ladders - one in the house and one in the garage - and they both
encroach *considerably* on loft space when folded away.

[Murmansk]

This wooden loft ladder certainly encroaches well into the loft space when the door is closed - I can't imagine any design of ladder that wouldn't.

The new internal door being discussed will have to be left open, except when it's being used to prevent accidents. I thought I might secure it in the up position using one of those fittings that's used to secure counter tops in libraries etc where a bit of the counter lifts up to allow people through. I've not had a look for them yet, what are they called?

[Chris J Dixon]

fred wrote:

>The cold water header tank could do with some insulation under it to.
>Normally deprecated when it sits on the ceiling of the room below to get
>a bit of heat from there but as it's been elevated, it is a good idea.
>If it was a really cold area I'd suggest a very low level
>thermostatically controlled heat pad under it.

Might it not be better to lift the insulation on the ceiling
beneath the tank and wrap the whole space?

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
ch...@cdixon.me.uk

Plant amazing Acers.

[Chris J Dixon]

Murmansk wrote:

>The new internal door being discussed will have to be left open, except when it's being used to prevent accidents. I thought I might secure it in the up position using one of those fittings that's used to secure counter tops in libraries etc where a bit of the counter lifts up to allow people through. I've not had a look for them yet, what are they called?

I'm not sure, but you don't want a plonker falling through ;-)

Mange tout Rodney!

[fred]

In article <260fa73a-5bb5-4c8c...@googlegroups.com>,
Murmansk <stai...@gmail.com> writes

Counter flap catch:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p44251

Although if it is hinged on the long side nearest the tank I think it
will be so far over centre when open that it will stay there on its own.