Heightsafe Systems were instructed to supply and install ten Vertical Access Ladders and Freestanding Weighted Guardrail to a number of residential blocks for a leading London contractor. This Work at Height project is part of the council’s regeneration of the area, which won a prestigious Planning Award for the ‘best conceptual project’ and in doing so created 205 new homes, as well as a full refurbishment of 550 existing homes and a multitude of new community and retail facilities. Since the redevelopment was on such a large scale, and multiple Work at Height Systems were required for the number of buildings that had been constructed, Ealing Council contacted industry-leaders Heightsafe for their specialist solutions.
The primary focus on the design was to ensure that the Access Ladders prevented any unauthorized access to the roof spaces. In this scenario, Heightsafe decided the best solution was to start the ladder 3m from ground level, with a lockable door, and heavy-duty steel mesh covering the first half of the ladder all contributing to the ladder being entirely security proof. This would ensure maximum height safety for the client and any operatives that may need to use the system in the future.
Although the Working at Height Regulations 2005 makes no specific reference to the exact height requirements when a ‘rest platform’ is needed, we feel it is good practice to implement them on Caged Access Ladders at anything greater than 6m. This will mean if a Work at Height operative slips or falls when using the Access Ladder System, the cage is likely to break the fall, which could prevent serious injury or even death. This makes a huge impact when it comes to height safety, as operatives will be using a system that increases the likelihood of Fall Protection and minimises any risks to their wellbeing.
The project was completed at the beginning of 2016 and leaves the newly developed estate with complete Roof Access and Fall Prevention System to enable safe access to all areas. Ealing Council now have sufficient and certified Work at Height Systems that are more likely to protect any operatives that need to use them for installation or maintenance tasks.
If you need Fall Protection systems such as Access Ladders or Guardrail installing, contact us today online or on 020 3819 7199 to speak to one of our Work at Height specialists.