Why Ladder Grips Are The Best New Ladder Safety Accessories
Ladder Grips safety device |
If you have ever climbed a ladder you will know that it can be an unsettling experience and sometimes downright dangerous. So it is good to find ladder safety accessories and devices that work, are easy to use and are NOT one of those use once and put away and forget gizmos.
A Scottish company has
developed and patented a new ladder safety accessory called Ladder Grips, which is available direct from their website laddergrips.com.
You can watch LadderGrips' new corporate video here.
Bobby Park, Inventor |
I met Bobby Park, the inventor, who told me about his ladder safety
devices and even took me to the Ayrshire factory where Ladder Grips are being manufactured. Bobby
told me that Ladder Grips are a unique new ladder safety accessory for the
workplace and home and that, size for size, no other ladder safety devices or
accessories provide the level of safety or versatility. The key feature of
Ladder Grips that make it so powerful in improving ladder safety is the formulation
of the rubber pad. Bobby went through several prototypes until finding the perfect
rubber for his ladder grips.
Ladder Grips parts laser cut from 2.5mm steel |
The Ladder Grips are manufactured from welded 2.5mm steel with a powder coating and non-ferrous fittings to maximize strength and durability. The special natural rubber ladder pads are fixed to the steel and provide the grip necessary to keep the ladder stable.
One of the unique features of Ladder Grips is in the approach Bobby has taken to improve ladder stability by upto 350%. Most ladder safety devices concentrate on trying to fix the ladder feet whereas Ladder Grips aim to fix the top of the ladder. If the top is made immobile the feet are unlikely to move. To illustrate this Bobby prepared a demonstration to illustrate how the friction between the rubber pads and the working surface secure the ladder. Although you must always secure your ladder feet, and NOT replicate Bobby’s demonstration, he put his ladder feet on a castor-board that was free to move on the concrete ground surface. Climbing up the ladder and even bouncing on the ladder did not make the ladder slip, demonstrating the success of the concept that ladder stability can be improved by fixing the top of the ladder.
Ladder Grips independently attach to the ladder stiles |
Ladder Grips can be
attached to all box section ladders, transforming
almost any ladder into a much safer working platform. They are clamped anywhere
along the ladder stiles, or legs, and secured by tightening the thumb screw.
Because the grips can be independently positioned and clamped to the
ladder stiles you can work more safely on sloping surfaces, such as a gable
end.
Staggered fitting for awkward surfaces |
Normally the poor contact of the ladder would allow even a moderate gust
of wind to blow your ladder off its landing. But by off-set clamping of the
Ladder Grips your ladder maintains full and secure contact with the working
surface. The 14,000mm2 of natural rubber pads can be locked parallel
to the ladder stile, or pivoted, providing full contact with the surface for working
angles up to 25 degrees.
Gripping power for angled ascent |
Another one of Bobby’s demonstrations was to set up the
ladder at a sideways angle by extending one of the ladder legs. In the image you can see the true vertical indicated by the cable on the side of the house and the hammer hanging vertically from Bobby's work belt. Again you
should not do this but the gripping power of his Ladder Grips allowed Bobby to
climb the ladder with confidence, even at this ridiculous angle.
Ladder Grips are
also small enough to pack away in your tool box once the job is done, or you
can leave them on the ladder for storage. Stay secure, stay
safe. Get your Ladder Grips today. For more details and pricing visit laddergrips.com
WARNING. DO NOT replicate any of the demonstrations in the
Ladder Grips video. Ladder grips are NOT intended to help you use a ladder
inappropriately. For details of best practice in safe ladder use visit the HSEwebsite. The HSE have produced a brief guide for Safe use of ladders
and stepladders. The Ladder Association also provide guidance and training for
proper ladder use.