One of the difficulties many people face with ladders is transporting them about from A to B. Due to their need to be long, ladders can be tricky to transport, and some people often take risks in transporting ladders which can be dangerous and illegal.
Different types of ladder are different lengths and so depending on the type you are transporting will also depend on the type of transport required.
Extension ladders for instance are quite long and are usually transported on roofs of vehicles. Most people who transport extensions use a van, this is because it is ling enough the ladder can be strapped on top and doesn’t protrude over the van’s length.
This is important as a protruding ladder is not only dangerous, especially if somebody runs into you where it can cause serious injury, it is also illegal.
While extensions by their very nature extend, its important that when collapsed it doesn’t extend the length of the vehicle, if it does you should get a shorter ladder, or use a longer vehicle. Some smaller extension ladders can actually be fastened on the roof of long wheelbase cars such as an estate but they should also be strapped securely, an insecure ladder is a potential missile if you have to stop suddenly, again the potential for causing serious injury is very real.
Step ladders are a lot easier to transport than extensions as they are shorter. They can be moved about inside vans which removes the worry of having to secure it on the roof. With the seats down, many steps can be transported in cars too, but they should be secure as again, sudden braking could see the ladder shoot forward, injuring drivers, passengers or other road users if it goes through the windscreen.
For those requiring only a shorter ladder, a surveyor’s ladder is perhaps the best solution. Surveyor’s ladders can be collapsed to a small size and can easily fit into the boot of most cars. These are ideal for people that don’t need to work on height too high and as they are placed in the boot there is no need for them to be strapped down.
When transporting any ladder it is important to ensure you have the correct vehicle, or correct ladder for the vehicle you are using, otherwise you may find yourself in trouble with the law, or worse.