If you look upwards on an industrial site or when standing outside a storage silo, you will likely see a vertical ladder with one or more breaks in its length, surrounded by shielded platforms.
These are ladders with integrated rest stations and are considered a necessity across many workplaces. They enable workers to reach high places, for example the lip of one of our tanks or silos, with platforms on which to safely stand and carry out routine tasks or projects.
Other applications for these ladders include safely ascending a building or property, traversing storerooms and warehouses, and even working at height in outside spaces and gardens.
The demand for better equipment with enhanced safety features is such that these ladders with built-in rest stations are becoming increasingly used across commercial and private projects. At Franklin Hodge, we supply them as part of the design of our tanks and cooling towers, and as standalone products.
Understanding Industrial Ladders and Rest Platforms
To put it simply, this corner of the market is occupied by any ladder which boasts a kind of platform at the top and/or partway up its length.
If you picture one of these on the side of the cooling tower, it essentially creates a stopping point on the climb – giving workers a chance to take pause on the way up to the top of the tower. This mitigates the risk of workers falling from the ladder or losing their balance due to fatigue, by giving them stopping points.
Many rest platforms are built at set heights based on work that needs to be carried out. This creates a safe access point to particular tasks and enables workers to conduct their tasks at height, both safely and efficiently.
Some of the benefits for workplaces, aside from the enhanced safety of their site, is that this kind of investment alleviates the need for downtime among workers owing to injury and improves productivity tenfold. Ladders with rest platforms improve operations, enhance productivity of workers, and keep everyone safe – whether fixed to a structure like one of our cooling towers, or used as a versatile piece of equipment across a site.
When Are Rest Platforms Required?
Now that we know a bit more about ladders with rest platforms and what they are useful for, let’s consider the requirements for the platforms.
The HSE, Health and Safety Executive in the UK, states that while there is no maximum legal limit for working on a ladder, any ladder that extends more than 9m in height should have rest platforms at suitable intervals.
So, if you regularly work on sites and buildings with work more than 9m from the ground, or you have workers who regularly navigate expansive tanks, cooling towers and silos, having a ladder with rest platforms plays a major part in keeping those workers safe.
Types of Industrial Access Solutions
When working at height, there are several solutions to look into and consider. One of the most common is a module ladder with a rest platform, whereby the vertical climb is split into sections, with each section sitting on either side of the rest platform. This design forces workers to pause and move across the platform before continuing the climb, catching their breath at the same time.
Stepover access platforms work in a similar way, often mounted at the top of a ladder with a stable base which connects the ladder to the worksite. These ladders are suitable for industrial sites and maintenance projects, and can also prove valuable across other markets, providing safe and stable access for repairing, painting, installing, and countless other tasks.
How to Choose the Right Industrial Ladder
From restoration work on a building to accessing the upper lip of a storage silo on your site, the right industrial ladder gives you efficient access – with all the features in place to make you feel safe and secure.
Installing a ladder with rest platforms gives workers the chance to pause, minimising the risk of fatigue setting in and putting workers at risk. While not a legal requirement, having adequate and regular rest platforms is something that all workplaces should be doing to keep their teams and workers safe.
At Franklin Hodge, we sell ladders individually and as part of our storage solution packages. Our team can discuss the various products available and work with you to find the right solution. Contact our expert today!
