Fixed ladder compliance: what does it mean?

Last month, we wrote about an issue many people tend to neglect: the inspection and recertification of fixed ladders.
It is a common misconception that fixed ladders do not need to be inspected, and this can lead to serious injury or worse if a ladder falls into disrepair and someone tries to use it. Ladders contribute to a large number of work at height injury and fatality statistics each year.
However, this highlights another common issue: no matter how often you check your ladder for failures, there’s a chance it was never even safe to begin with.
Beyond the standard inspection criteria for use, there are a set of criteria that must be met for the ladder to be deemed compliant to start with. If your ladder does not meet these criteria, it could be a glaring danger to everyone on your site, as well as visitors.
According to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, ACOP and BS4211, these criteria are:

• Fixed ladders should not be used where it would be practical to install a conventional staircase
• The ladder should be of sound construction, properly maintained and securely fixed
• Assembly should be sufficiently rigid and stable to ensure safety of the user under normal conditions
• Handrails should extend at least 1100mm above landing
• Stiles should extend to the height of guarding
• The ladder should not exceed 6m without an intermediate landing
• Hoops should be fixed if the ladder exceeds 2.5m
• Fall protection, preferably passive such as cages, should be provided if there is a risk of falling more than 2m
• Hoops should be a maximum of 900mm apart
• Hoops should not exceed 1500mm apart with uprights not more than 300mm apart
• The width between the strings should be between 300mm (400mm preferred) and 600mm
• Handrails should open out to between 600mm and 700mm above the landing
• Rungs must withstand 1.5kN and have a diameter of 20-35mm
• The top rung should be level with the platform
• Rise between rungs should be 225mm to 300mm
• A minimum of 200mm clear space should be behind each rung
• Clear space on the user side should be 600mm

What’s the big deal?
Continue reading Fixed ladder compliance: what does it mean? at SPECIFIER REVIEW.


source https://specifierreview.com/2019/04/11/fixed-ladder-compliance/