Permanent vertical access
Fixed ladders provide access between levels on tanks, roofs and industrial installations. They are not platforms for every type of work at height. Access frequency, physical effort, carried objects and evacuation possibilities help determine whether they are suitable.
Related concept: Work at height.
The landing is part of the system
Checking rungs is not enough. Fixings, stiles, handholds, platforms, hatch opening and the transition to the arrival surface must be considered. A robust ladder may lead to an unprotected edge. The transition between climbing and the platform must be possible while maintaining support and protection.
Fall protection
The solution is selected for the ladder, its location and applicable requirements. A cage must not be assumed to automatically replace every other system. Where a guided fall arrester is used, device, line, harness and connectors must be compatible; separate markings on each component are insufficient.
Use and inspection
Climbing with both hands available, avoiding sideways reaches and transferring tools by a planned method reduce dangerous manoeuvres. Corrosion, looseness, slippery surfaces and damage to protection must be checked. The surroundings may add electrical hazards, dangerous atmospheres or restricted access; the ladder does not control these risks by itself.
Hypothetical example
A ladder inside a tank has a rigid line and fall-arrester trolley. A worker arrives with another manufacturer’s trolley that appears to fit. Compatibility cannot be inferred because it slides: it must be documented for that assembly. Connection and disconnection must also be possible from a safe position.
Rescue and access selection
Planning must consider an unwell or suspended person and the actual means of recovery. A narrow ladder may make extraction difficult. Frequent access with tools calls for consideration of a more suitable method. NTPs 1160 and 1161 guide selection and use; they do not authorise redesign of an installation without calculation or verification.
