A maintenance firm contracted by Sheffield Council to carry out routine work has come under fire from a disgruntled customer, who has now been waiting over 6 weeks for a bracket on his drainpipe to be fixed.

Terence Young was less than impressed with the temporary fix which was initially carried out- all because Kier insisted that they needed scaffolding, as opposed to a simple ladder, to fix the problem.

Mr Young was further unimpressed when four more Kier workers paid a visit to assess the situation- in addition to a visit from scaffolders.

He ranted:

“It’s such a simple job, it’d take two men with a ladder 10 minutes. If I had one I’d do it myself, it’s less than 20ft! It just needs three screws.

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt, but this is bureaucracy gone mad, we’re paying for this with our council tax.”

Kier responded by explaining that the ladder ban was in place to conform with working at height regulations. A spokesperson said:

“A range of access equipment is available and these will be deployed as appropriate for the repair involved. Ladders will continue to be used but for access purposes only.”

The High Court has ruled that Nadia Isaacs, of North London, will not be liable to pay compensation to a worker who fell from a ladder whilst carrying out work at her home.

Labourer Tomasz Kmiecic, took Mrs Isaacs to court and attempted to sue her for a six figure sum- a claim which was later dismissed.

Mr Kmiecic, who originates from Poland, fell from the ladder in the summer of 2006. The fall resulted in him shattering his elbow and sustaining hip and thigh injuries. His claim was based on the fact that the ladder was Mrs Isaacs’, and that he could no longer carry out manual labour.

However, in a twist to the tale, the court heard that not only did the company that Mr Kmiecic was contracted to- Armag Decoration- not have suitable insurance, Mr Kmiecic also insisted that he carry out the work despite knowing that the ladder wasn’t appropriate. In addition to this, he also hid the incident from Mrs Isaacs.

After hearing evidence, Mrs Justice Swift concluded:

“She would not have had the necessary knowledge or expertise to devise and direct Mr Kmiecic in a safe method of carrying out the work. She was in the position in which most householders find themselves when arranging for household repairs to be carried out.”

The ruling is yet further evidence of the consequences of using inappropriate ladders.

Liversedge Decorating Contractors Ltd, of Huddersfield, have been fined £2,000 after a worker suffered brain damage, which was sustained after a fall from a ladder.

Trevor Dawson was working for the company- which is owned by Paul Daniel and Clive Dewhirst- when he fell from an unstable ladder when painting a student house.

Huddersfield Magistrates Court recently heard how the accident, which occurred in August 2007, was not seen by any witnesses, although they did conclude that the company was guilty of failing to provide workers with suitable equipment and not supervising workers correctly.

It was found that both regulation 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and regulation 22 (1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 were breached.

Shortly after the hearing, HSE Inspector, David Stewart, commented:

“The ladder used, which we believe may have caused or contributed to his fall, was simply not suitable for the work he was doing. It was a domestic step ladder which should not have been allowed on the site.

“In this situation, a tower scaffold would have been much more appropriate.

“Falls from height remain the single most common cause of fatality and serious injury in the construction industry. The law is quite clear and HSE provides freely-available guidance on how work at height should be managed.

“This case should send a clear message to company directors about their responsibilities for health and safety.”

This case once again highlights the sheer importance of using appropriate ladders when working at heights.

How many times have you gone to change a light bulb, only to find that you can’t reach it? If only you had that step ladder you’ve been meaning to buy.

And how often do you think to yourself how good it would be to be able to store your excess belongings in the loft – but you don’t have a loft ladder to be able to access it.

Both these ladders are essential for any modern home. But for a ladder which you really don’t want to be without, look no further than the Easy Throw Escape Ladder.

These ladders can literally be life savers if your home is to ever be engulfed by fire. It’s something that all homeowners dread, but unfortunately house fires do happen. And when they do, the most important thing is to get you and your family out of the building. With the Escape Ladder, you simply mount it on the window frame and then throw it so that it unravels to the floor.

These ladders are safe and strong and really easy to use. The most important thing is that they are really quick to set up so you can escape your home within seconds.

You may be able to do without changing that light bulb for a couple of days; but this Escape Ladder is a purchase which you cannot put off.

In modern homes, homeowners are often struggling for storage space. And that is because as their family grows, they need to find more rooms to accommodate them and their belongings.

This is why so many people make use of their lofts these days. They offer a great space for storing items and objects that you want to keep but that aren’t used every day.

If you do want to make use of your loft though, you will need to install a loft ladder. These are very important if you want to safely get up to your loft to store items or retrieve them.

There is a huge range of loft ladders to choose from and they all have different ways of operating. Often, you can adjust loft ladders to different heights too.

One of the most popular loft ladders is the sliding loft ladder. These normally come with hand rails which make them much more secure and safe to climb.

Another option is the concertina loft ladders. These are ideal for restricted areas as the ladder folds into a concertina, taking up very little space.

Loft ladders are an essential element of any modern household which needs to make the most of the available space as they allow for safe and easy access to your stored items.

If like most people in the UK, you are fond of DIY, you will know the need for a suitable set of step ladders. Ladders need to be used in the home for a variety of purposes, from putting up pictures, to painting and decorating to replacing light bulbs. However, how often when using a ladder have you found yourself asking whether you are using the right kind of ladder for the job? Perhaps you are decorating your stairway and are struggling to reach an awkward spot. Or perhaps you need extra height to reach an awkward location. You could buy many different types of ladders for all these jobs or you could just buy one multi-purpose ladder.

Multi-purpose ladders

Multi-purpose ladders can be folded away neatly so are easy to transport and fit into your garage or car boot. They are the perfect type of ladder for indoor and outdoor use and can be used as a part platform when decorating a ceiling, can be used as an extension ladder to reach high points on the exterior of your home and can also be used as a standard step ladder for all your decorating jobs. The only ladder you will ever need is a multi-purpose ladder.

With energy bills rising all the time, many home owners are trying to be more energy efficient to cut down on costs and reduce bills. Some simple ways to do this include turning off lights that are not being used, replacing all bulbs with energy efficient types and checking that your loft insulation is at the right depth.

Installing loft insulation

It is amazing just how many people do not have the right depth of insulation in their loft. Simply insulation your loft can recover the money spent on loft insulation in only one year, so any future savings cost you nothing. Installing loft insulation is really easy and is something that you can do yourself, if you have the right equipment.

Use a loft ladder

Most lofts are accessed by a loft hatch in the ceiling of uppermost floor of your home. But access to this hatch can be difficult if you have not got an appropriate ladder. Standing on a chair or using a ladder that is too short or not the right type for the job can prove extremely dangerous. If you have a loft ladder you can get into and out of your loft easily and access to the loft will not be a problem in the future.

The recommended depth of loft insulation in the UK is 27cm. And loft insulation can now be bought quite cheaply from online DIY stores so it can be delivered straight to your home. When installing your loft insulation, stay safe, and use a loft ladder.