Here at First Mats, you can find an extensive range of steps and ladders to suit all budgets and applications. From kick steps and lightweight step ladders for DIY tasks to professional-grade extension ladders and specialist fibreglass ladders for electricians, First Mats has got you covered with exceptional quality products. Our ladders all conform to EN131 safety standards ensuring your safety whilst working at heights.
Steps and ladders are found in almost every workplace across the country. They are invaluable pieces of equipment when you need to reach higher items or areas safely.
Steps and ladders come in all different shapes and sizes. This means you can pick and choose the perfect type for your business.
You may find that a warehouse environment will benefit more from Warehouse Steps and Warehouse Picking Trolleys. This is because these make processes such as order picking and reaching items high up on racking simple and easy.
Retail shops will find those types of steps too cumbersome, which is why Kick Steps and Stools are the perfect option here. These provide convenient and safe access and help prevent injuries and accidents caused by excessive stretching.
At other times, you need your ladder to be easily transportable so you can efficiently carry it with you on the go. Extension Ladders are perfect for this type of professional use as they are designed to be extendable and can double or triple in length from their folded state.
For a more versatile option, Combination Ladders are the way to go. These are very flexible and can be configured in multiple ways to be fit for purpose in various different locations.
Common sense plays a large part in the safe handling of steps and ladders, but even so, there are still some legal rules to follow to ensure maximum safety of the people on and surrounding them.
The main one is the ‘Work at Height Regulations 2005’ which covers all basic aspects of how to use steps and ladders safely and sensibly.
There is no requirement for who can use steps and ladders but having instructions and understanding how to use the equipment safely is very beneficial.
EN131 standards cover the minimum requirements needed for portable steps and ladders manufactured from metal (and certain other materials such as GRP) to be considered safe to use. These are European committee for standardisation (CEN) harmonised standards which have been put in place to reduce risks and prevent ladder accidents from happening. Recently, these standards have been changed. Keep reading our quick guide to find out how they are different and how this impacts you. When did EN131 Standards change? The change has been spilt into three parts, with the full change coming fully into effect on January 1st, 2019....
