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Using Industrial Extension Ladders Gives You A Better View

By Marci Glover


In a manufacturing or construction setting, a ladder is indispensable. There are those who appreciate the ability to get a little higher to work on some piece of equipment or for installing something above their reach. Many will rely on A frame ladders for this, however, the industrial extension ladders have a far higher and more secure reach in most applications.

The A frame ladders do allow you to get up high in the middle of the room. For that there is a limit on how high you can get. Most work that is needed in industrial or commercial applications is on or around the perimeter of the space. This is the best place for these ladders as they need to rest against something.

These types of ladders are the best choice when looking to get higher than about 12 to 15 feet. That is because of the safety concerns that must be considered when dealing with an A frame. You can not step higher than the second step from the top on these models. That leaves a lot of room that can not be used.

The extension type of ladder does not have the same limitations. It can go from a 10 foot one to a 30 foot length or 12 feet model to as high as 36 feet. It does this by having one to three additional sections of length in back of the unit. These ride on rails to allow the movement of them up and down.

The basic ladders have a hand actuated system which has the operator pushing the additional section up by hand. When it is at the correct height, an arm or hook will rest on one of the original rungs, holding it in place. A more advanced system and the more expensive units will use a pulley or set of pulleys, located at the top. The rope will be pulled to move these sections, one at a time, up or allowing them a controlled fall back into place.

The type of material that these units are constructed of will also be an important factor to consider. Most of these are metal, such as aluminum and can be painted to signify their association with a certain area of the plant or site. There are wooden ones, although this has been discouraged in recent years especially for outdoor work. The most popular material for these is fiberglass for very specific reasons.

Fiberglass will not conduct electricity. This is the only material electricians will use and many trades have followed suit with this as they all deal with electrical connections in many ways. The fiberglass ones are also very light and as strong as the aluminum ones. They do not corrode or rust and fair very well in outdoor activities, although storing them outside is still frowned upon.

When you need the ability to get higher up than you or your personnel can get standing on the floor, you need this type of ladder. They have the ability to be moved easily and can be extended by only one person. There are even attachable feet that can be deployed to assist on an uneven floor. This is the way to get up there and stay safe while you are doing it.




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