Employees and ladders

[Windowcleaner88]

Hoping to take on someone soon and wondered how all of you who has employees go about using ladders ? Do you train them on how to use a ladder safely or do you not use ladders at all? I’m water fed pole but use ladders to access flat roofs etc but occasionally work of a ladder for hard to reach windows. Does insurance cover employees working off ladders ?
Any input much appreciated

 

[ched999uk]

If you are going to allow the an employee to use ladders book them on a ladder safety course that way you are covered to a degree knowing that they are properly trained. Might be worth you going on one too if you haven't already so you can stop them if they are doing something wrong. Make sure their employment contract states that they should only use ladders where necessary and in the way they have been trained.
As for insurance - check with your employees liability policy.
Also make sure your ladders are tested regularly as required and keep appropriate inspection records (make sure you are suitably trained to judge the safety of the ladder).
If it's just odd jobs that require ladder use maybe better to ban them from ladders and do the ladder work yourself - or drop any ladder work jobs.

Just to clarify, I am not a h&s expert.

 

[Iron Giant]

I'd sooner drop all the ladder access jobs before employing.

I have 3 ladder access jobs left all good paying jobs but they are all lined up for the chopping block.

 

[Yogi1872]

I'm not sure I'd risk putting someone on a ladder full time. Anything happens and you could be in some serious trouble. My understanding of it when reading rhe last regulations is ladders and if it can be done without using ladders then that's the option that should be taken. Although in certain circumstances ladder use has to happen as unavoidable.

 

[Pjj]

Hoping to take on someone soon and wondered how all of you who has employees go about using ladders ? Do you train them on how to use a ladder safely or do you not use ladders at all? I’m water fed pole but use ladders to access flat roofs etc but occasionally work of a ladder for hard to reach windows. Does insurance cover employees working off ladders ?
Any input much appreciated

Yes I train all staff in the safe use of ladders but ime in the fire service so it’s something I do on a weekly basis , as for insurance mine states up to 16 meters off a ladder is acceptable having just renewed it I actually read the small print ???, but we only use ladders for access on a handful of jobs

 

[Windowcleaner88]

Yes I train all staff in the safe use of ladders but ime in the fire service so it’s something I do on a weekly basis , as for insurance mine states up to 16 meters off a ladder is acceptable having just renewed it I actually read the small print ???, but we only use ladders for access on a handful of jobs

So no working off a ladder ? Would working off a ladder void the insurance ?

 

[Pjj]

So no working off a ladder ? Would working off a ladder void the insurance ?

I would check with your insurance company as ime guessing there could differences from one to another

 

[Iron Giant]

So no working off a ladder ?

Surely it's working on a ladder anyway Safe use of ladders and stepladders: overview - HSE

 

[Part Timer]

So no working off a ladder ? Would working off a ladder void the insurance ?

It probably wouldn't void your insurance, as long as you have it. Where you'd suffer, with am emloyee is if your employee is badly injured and you haven't trained them how to climb a ladder safely. Then you would be personally prosecuted and fined or in a really bad case jailed

 

[Deleted member 5762]

@Windowcleaner88 I completely agree there's probably a ladder safety course your new employee could attend. About 3 years ago I had a fall off a small ladder. I wasn't far up and thankfully no injuries or anything. I checked my insurance and it basically said that you shouldn't 'work' from a ladder at all. You can use them for access, but not actually working from it. So if you need to access a gate, over a garage, or even a gutter bracket came loose and you went up to fix it and came down again then that's fine, as you don't really have another way of doing it (but basically not going up and down them all day working traditional style). You'll know best and I'm sure you'll quickly get an idea of how your new employee works. And congratulations on getting enough work to employ someone too. Can't be easy in this day and age ?

 

[PC]

16 metres off a ladder! Are you sure that’s right mate?
Can’t see H and S having that in any way unless it’s harnessed up and double footed maybe!

 

[Cleanco]

16 metres off a ladder! Are you sure that’s right mate?
Can’t see H and S having that in any way unless it’s harnessed up and double footed maybe!

I thought that. I’m insured up to 25 feet for occasional use which is probs most 3 story buildings.16 metres is nearly double that. Do they even do a ladder that big? That would be 6 metre triple fully extended?

 

[Pjj]

16 metres off a ladder! Are you sure that’s right mate?
Can’t see H and S having that in any way unless it’s harnessed up and double footed maybe

Apologies I have re read it again 16 meters is for MEWPS , NOT LADDERS , my mistake it doesn’t give a height limit for ladders but does state ladder use is limited for specific job singular use , accessing a work station or platforms,not for regular window cleaning

 

[Part Timer]

16 metres off a ladder! Are you sure that’s right mate?
Can’t see H and S having that in any way unless it’s harnessed up and double footed maybe!

I've just bought a new filter for my skyvac mighty atom but have no idea how to take the old one off and attach the new

Does anyone have a link to a video or can explain to me somehow as I can't see it in the instruction manuals that came with the machine

Thank you ?

I thought that. I’m insured up to 25 feet for occasional use which is probs most 3 story buildings.16 metres is nearly double that. Do they even do a ladder that big? That would be 6 metre triple fully extended?

We are insured up to 40', every insurance policy for the last 12 years has stated this.

 

[PC]

Apologies I have re read it again 16 meters is for MEWPS , NOT LADDERS , my mistake it doesn’t give a height limit for ladders but does state ladder use is limited for specific job singular use , accessing a work station or platforms,not for regular window cleaning

I thought that was high for working off a ladder mate ?

 

[PC]

We are insured up to 40', every insurance policy for the last 12 years has stated this.

You may be insured up to 40’ but I would doubt that any on the ball H and S bod on any commercial site would let you go anywhere near that. Domestic properties have always been a grey area with H and S.