Designing safer ladders
Working at heights is one of the most commonly faced risks in sign installation, yet is not confined to abseiling on multi-storeyed buildings. Indeed, the humble ladder can be an instrument of death if designed poorly and/or positioned badly, especially if that ladder extends thirty-feet from the ground to the top of a billboard.
At eight meters above the ground, even the least height-affected Installer will need one hand to hold on to the ladder to maintain the minimum three points of contact while working at heights. In such situations the Installer effectively has one hand tied in the act of performing a task requiring the skilled use of two hands.
But now, with the Installer tethered to a ladder slotted into Jamco-designed enclosed ladder-stops, three points of contact are maintained, installation speed is significantly increased and falling backwards off the ladder is virtually impossible.
Designed to the highest standards
Jamco worked diligently with an approved engineering consultancy to ensure the sturdiness of Jamco-designed enclosed ladder-stops. In engineering the stops, the consultant established the moment-capacity of a key rod in the design; ensured the capacity of tek screws by computing vertical load, factor of safety and sheer force on the screws; and ensured use of steel with the correct tensile strength.
The stops were also designed to sit out and off the billboard, thereby creating more space and allowing the Installer more room to lift up border-kits for easier and safer installation of clients’ signage.
Prior to installation of enclosed ladder-stops on various billboards, ladders had been prone to swaying back and slipping laterally. Now, with a fixed tie-off point, the ladder cannot go backwards, forwards or sideways. The need for travel-towers has been largely eliminated, saving time and money. And safety is significantly enhanced by the Installer being in constant fall-arrest for the duration of the installation.
