Choosing the Right Ladder For the Job

There are a vast array of different types of ladders on the market and it can be often confusing when it comes to buying a ladder to find the exact one that suits your requirements. Despite the myriad of names and terms given to some ladders, they pretty much fall into three categories:

* The platform or step ladder
* Extension ladder
* Suspended ladder (such as a rope or roof ladder)

Each type is best suited to a particular purpose and to decide which one you need to assess what you require it for.

A platform or more commonly called a stepladder offers a stable working platform for placing tools and materials on. They also fold and open up like scissors which means they can be easily stowed away in the back of a van of under a staircase.

They are very sturdy and are useful for working at low height such as indoor decorating where access to ceilings is required.

Extension ladders are more useful for working at greater heights. They usually comprise of two or three separate ladders that are joined together and can slide apart and extend. Extensions require a wall or surface to prop them up. They also need to be rested against a surface at an appropriate angle and can slip if they are too vertical or too horizontal. These are responsible for more serious injury than other types of ladder.

Suspended ladders such as rope and roof ladders are used when there is no surface or floor to rest another type of ladder on. Ropes are often used to lower from height such as off helicopters and have the advantage of being able to be folded up.

Roof ladders tend to be made from aluminium and have a hooking system to suspend from a roof. They are often used on sloping surfaces as a vertical surface would require permanent attachment to the floor and/or roof.

Another consideration when it comes to buying a ladder is always make sure it is long enough for the height you will be working. Over reaching on one is a common cause of falls and it is better to buy a ladder rather than make do with an insufficient one.

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