Using a ladder and working at heights can be dangerous at the best of times if you don’t know how to use them properly. This danger is multiplied if you’re using ladders on stairs, as without any help or proper equipment you’re likely to injure yourself or those around you. Of course, you can spend a large sum of money on a specialised ladder, are there any other options available to you to be able to complete your DIY works safely?
Have a damaged window or just can’t reach that high up corner when doing your painting? Sometimes, it’s inevitable that stairs will prove an obstacle to you when needing to complete your work. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have to rely on such outdated methods to be able to complete these kinds of jobs but with modern technology, these problems can become a thing of the past.
In the article below we’ll examine a few things you can do to make your experience safer and to make you feel more secure when having to perform these dangerous jobs.
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Why even consider using a ladder on stairs?
If you own your own home or just love DIY and have ever needed to work along a staircase, putting up pictures for example, or if you’re a professional plasterer or decorator then chances are you’ve already encountered a situation where it’s inevitable that you have had to work on stairs and at height. In which case you already know how frustrating it can be, especially as it’s not something you are likely to encounter every day. However, when they inevitably do occur you need to know how to manage the situation safely to be able to get the job done. With our help, maybe you too can now fix those hard to reach jobs!
If you’re a professional tradesperson then you’ll already be aware of some of the solutions available to this problem, like wedge style tools, but you’ll also be aware of the potential problems with them too.
As we’re already discussing wedge style tools, it’s worth noting their potential cons here. There are many different wedge style tools available to you on the market today but they can be bulky and oversized. They can of course be moved easily enough but they are not necessarily designed to be used when working on stairs, and can be less sturdy and provide less stability than you would like when working in an area as precarious as a staircase.
Also available are leg extenders, but these can be expensive and can make your ladder more challenging to use and transport. This is due to the leg extenders having to be permanently fitted to your ladders and depending on the size of the ladder, you may need to buy a few extenders.
Safe and effective use of ladders on staircases.
Now we come to the crux of the problem: using ladders on stairs is hard. There are no two ways about it. It’s a difficult situation and the majority of people do not know how to find a solution to this problem. It is however far easier than you’d think to overcome this problem.
Some possible solutions available to you
The Ladder-Aide tool is quick and easy to set up, requiring no installation or anything to be built. It is a tool that enables you to change the height of one side of your ladder and can be used with most ladders, be they telescopic, light duty or medium.
The Ladder-Aide is made up of the base, the platform and the upright and is simple to use. Firstly the Ladder-Aide base is to be set securely on the lower part of the stair. The upright section is then slid right into the Ladder-Aide base where you can then lower it down until it sits level with the top of the step. Be sure to insert the locking into the top of the upright to secure it in place and make your ladder safe to use.
MAKE SURE THE LOCKING PIN IS ALWAYS LEVEL BEFORE USE
As you can see in the images, there are various holes in the equipment to allow for small changes, ensuring the Ladder-Aide is put together correctly.
You can now put your ladder securely onto the platform. Ensure that the feet of the ladder are placed firmly in the middle of the platforms safety ridges.
With this tool, you can now work from your ladder on stairs with ease and comfort.