If you're a professional tradesperson, transporting your ladder safely is arguably just equally vital a skill every bit safely using it. Ladders that aren't properly secured run the risk of suffering damage in transit, which could bear on their integrity and safety to use. That'southward not even to mention the chance they might pose to other road users, should they rattle nearly or even sideslip off the vehicle entirely when it'southward on the road.

Finally, properly securing your ladder deters thieves when your vehicle is parked – which is never a pleasant surprise to return to! In this calendar week's post here at Browns, nosotros're running you through the best means to protect yourself from all that.

Our top tips for condom transportation of your ladder

Manifestly, if you lot've got an extension ladder or i with a similar sort of construction yous'll demand to close information technology fully and properly earlier you secure it to the vehicle's roof. Ladders of a certain size might require you to typhoon in some help to comport it onto the vehicle's roof. Fifty-fifty if you don't think yous demand whatever, try to wait at information technology objectively – it'due south going to be faster to become some help in the first place than it is to learn your lesson by injuring yourself without it.

Peculiarly, for extension ladders more than 5 metres in section length, or ladders weighing more than 18kg, make sure you don't attempt them alone. Whether you lot're lifting it lonely or non, make sure to bend your knees when you lift, and take the force per unit area off your lower back.

Now, when loading information technology onto the vehicle:

1. Create a buffer

Commencement of all you'll desire to form a buffer that protects both your car'due south roof and the ladder itself. If yous've already got a proper roof rack, this issue is already sorted. If you oasis't, and so pillows, foam or a thick blanket (placed between the ladder and the roof) will all do the job equally well.

carrying a ladder

2. Secure the ladder firmly

Naturally, this is a particularly vital step. Once the ladder has been carefully laid on the roof (against the roof rack or between the bars), you'll need to secure information technology at both the top and lower end using clamps, ropes or bungee cords. While any of these could feasibly practise the job, we'd peculiarly recommend specialised ladder clamps. This is a lot to do with the security eyelets on each clamp, which enable you lot to fasten your ain padlocks through the arm and horizontal clamp bar. Not simply does this finer guard against your ladder moving around also much or suffering damage, just it's also great at deterring thieves when your vehicle is parked.

3. Test to make sure information technology's secure

This is a step that many overlook when transporting their ladder for the first time, but we retrieve that's actually the most important time to do information technology. Once your ladder is secured, it'southward an excellent idea to have your vehicle on a short examination drive to check that the ladder isn't shifting well-nigh on top of information technology. If y'all're lucky enough to detect a wide, isolated infinite such as a mostly empty motorcar park, you tin perform some sharp turns and hard braking to ensure that it's staying firmly secure.

Finally, it's vital to ensure that you're well inside the overhang requirements for your ladder. If not, you lot might well be breaking the law by taking information technology out onto the road.

What's the law on overhanging loads? (This includes ladders!)

Rear overhang:

Less than 1m: No requirements
 

Betwixt 1m and 2m:

  

You must render the overhang clearly visible at both ends, ideally by marking it with a bright red fabric or a high-vis vest. By law, it has to be clearly visible within a reasonable distance to a person using the route.
 

Betwixt 2m and iii.05m:

  

Yous need rear and side marker boards (400mm to 1700mm from the basis) to warning other road users to the overhang.
 

Over 3.05m:

  

In addition to the mark lath, you demand an bellboy (or commuter's mate) and you must give the police two working days' notice.

Front overhang/projections:

 

Less than 2m:

  

No requirements
 

Betwixt 2m and 3.05m:

  

Yous need rear and side marker boards (400mm to 1700mm from the ground) to alert other road users to the overhang. You also need an attendant, or driver's mate.
 

Over 3.05m:

  

In add-on to the mark boards, you once more demand an attendant (or driver'southward mate) and you must requite the police ii working days' notice.

Never forget that aside from keeping other road users safe, one of the principal objectives of safely transporting your ladder should always be to protect it from any sort of harm. If its integrity is afflicted in any way, y'all could be putting yourself in danger each time yous use it, even without realising. If you're using a ladder that you know for a fact is well past its prime, it's frequently not worth taking the risk.

Here at Browns, nosotros've got a huge range of ladders and admission equipment for well-nigh whatsoever job imaginable. Our solid, dependable range of extension ladders are great for working at exceptional height. Meanwhile, our range of stepladders includes both aluminium and fibreglass variants, making them a fantastic addition to a tradesman's toolbox.