Since the coronavirus pandemic started, DIY projects have become increasingly popular. With more time at home and very few things to entertain us, it only makes sense that you tackle some of the home improvements that you've been putting off. In normal circumstances, you might have hired a professional to get the job done properly. However, tradesmen are busier than ever and we're being advised to limit our interactions where possible, so a DIY approach might be preferable this time around.

Luckily, a lot of DIY stores like B&Q, Halfords, and (most importantly) Ladders UK Direct are still trading, which means you can get your hands on the materials and equipment you need. Shop Ladders Now >

If this is your first time doing any kind of home DIY, you might be following YouTube tutorials and 'winging it' to a certain extent - which creates some pretty serious safety concerns. Tradespeople with years of experience and knowledge are able to manage the risks properly. In comparison, your average Joe following a YouTube tutorial might make one wrong move and end up damaging their home, or worse, injuring themselves. In this blog, we're going to take a look at some of the safety precautions you can take to reduce your risk of DIY injuries during lockdown.

Do a risk assessment

Before you start any DIY job you should carry out a risk assessment. Professional tradespeople always do them to make sure that all the potential risks are managed. Now, we're not expecting you to fill in paperwork, but you should definitely take some time to look a the job, the tools and equipment, and the working area before you get started. 

A lot of people decide they want to do a DIY job and just dive right into it without any forward planning - this is where accidents occur. It's good that you're keen to get things done, but your safety always has to come first!

We've gone into detail to show you how a step ladder risk assessment should be carried out, but the same steps can be applied to any kind of DIY risk assessment.

• Identify potential hazards
• Come up with solutions to eliminate the hazards

For example: "My ladder is missing a couple of rungs, which means I'll struggle to climb to the correct height safely"

Solution: Don't use a ladder that's damaged, order a new one and make sure it's in good working order before you start your DIY project.

Some potential DIY risks to be aware of

You might think that most DIY jobs come without risk, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Every DIY job comes with risks, some are just more obvious than others. Here are a few risks that you might not have considered...

Painting and/or putting up wallpaper 

Check that the room you're decorating has adequate ventilation. A lot of people start decorating with the windows and doors clothes and end up giving themselves a severe headache from the fumes!

Putting up pictures/shelves

Drilling directly into a wall blindly is a definite risk. Check that you're not going to hit any important wires or cables by investing in a cable detector.

Electrics/wiring

The risks that come along with electrical DIY can be life-threatening. We'd recommend using a fibreglass ladder to reduce your risk of electric shock. If in doubt, always seek the help of a professional electrician.

Avoid doing unnecessary/overly-dangerous DIY

One of the easiest ways to reduce your risk of injury is to assess each DIY job and decide whether or not the risk you're taking is absolutely essential. If you're not confident that you can complete a DIY project safely, it might be best to avoid doing it at all. 

Ending up in the hospital right now will put more pressure on the NHS and also increases your chances of catching COVID-19, so, if in doubt - leave it to the professionals. 

That being said, with a thorough risk assessment, the right equipment, and some prior knowledge, there are a lot of DIY jobs that anyone can do during lockdown!

Shop All Ladders Now!

Read More:

• 20 Home DIY Jobs to Tackle During the Coronavirus Lockdown
• COVID-19: Can I Paint My House During Lockdown?

 If you have any questions about the right kind of ladder for your DIY project, drop us an email at sales@laddersukdirect.co.uk.

Storing your ladder properly can make all the difference to how long it lasts. Your ladder takes care of you while you're using it, so make sure you take care of it when you're not!

Ladders that are stored incorrectly can topple over, cause injury or start to rust/deteriorate, so it's important you take the time to find an ideal storage space before you put your ladder away.

Here at Ladders UK Direct, the ladders we offer are generally made of long-lasting materials like aluminium, fibreglass and steel. That being said, incorrect storage can turn a perfectly good ladder into a dangerous piece of equipment. Proper ladder storage will prolong your ladder's life and will keep you and other people in your home/business safe.

How should I store my ladder?

If you're stuck for places to store your ladder, you have a few options. The safest option is to invest or create a ladder rack in your garage or shed where you can store your ladder on the wall horizontally. With support points along the length of the ladder, the chances of it falling on a passer-by are very slim. 

The second best option is to lay your ladder completely flat on the ground. Yes, this might be a trip hazard (so be careful where you lay it), but it's certainly not going to fall on top of anyone from the floor.

Understandably, not everyone will have the means to store their ladders horizontally, or the space to have their ladders stored on the ground which leads us to the question...

Can I store my ladder standing up?

Yes - ladders can be stored standing up,  but it's not the safest method of ladder storage. Ladders that are stored standing up are far more likely to topple over than ladders that are stored laying down or horizontally on a ladder rack.

For that reason, we'd only recommend storing your ladders standing up if you've got no other alternative. If you're worried about storing your ladders, we'd highly recommend checking out our ladder locks and ladder storage hooks. These products are specifically designed to make it easy for you to store ladders of all shapes and sizes. 

Read More: Ladder Storage: How to Store Your Ladder

If you're looking for new ladders to add to your home or business equipment kit, we have a diverse range of ladders on offer. Shop Now!

Whether you've decided to clean your windows, paint the outside of your house or clean the guttering, you might be wondering if you can put a ladder against a window to reach the right height. It might seem like the easiest route to get the job done, but putting a ladder against a window can be really dangerous. 

The short answer to the question - "can you put a ladder against a window" is no. You should never attempt to lean a ladder against a window even if you think it's secure. The force of the ladder against the glass plus the additional weight of you, your equipment, etc. can cause the glass to crack or shatter.

How can you avoid leaning your ladder against a window?

There are a few things you could try if you think you might have to lean your ladder against a window. All of these options are sure to keep you safe and prevent the glass from cracking. Remember, you should never climb your ladder unless you're 100% sure it's safe and secure.

• Choose a longer ladder - Finding a ladder that will reach past the window and lean on the wall above will keep you safe. 

• Use longer tools - As long as you're not doing work that involves close contact tools, you could invest in longer tools to reach over the window. This is a great option for window cleaning. 

• Choose a tripod ladder - Tripod ladders, like step ladders, have built-in supports that will keep the ladder upright so you don't have to lean against the window.

• Consider scaffolding - While this might seem like a bit of a drastic alternative, it can actually be very beneficial if your project is going to take longer than a few hours. Plus you won't need to go anywhere near the windows!

Possible dangers of leaning your ladder against a window

So, at this point, you might be thinking... I don't want to buy a new ladder... what's the worst that could happen?

Well, we've seen a lot of people work with a lot of different ladders so we know the kinds of injuries that can be sustained when you ignore advice and use your ladder in an unsafe manner! 

Here are a few things that could happen if you decide to lean your ladder against a window:

• The glass could shatter at head height, causing shards of glass to hit you in the face or shower down onto you.

• You could be jolted off the ladder if the glass pane breaks and the ladder is suddenly un-supported.

• You might reach and grab hold of the window frame that's full of broken glass shards.

None of these things sound particularly pleasant do they, and they're sure to put you out of action for a while. We always preach ladder safety, but we're doing it for your own good - not ours!

If you're unsure which ladder is right for the job, drop us an email at sales@laddersukdirect.co.uk and our friendly team will happily assist you.

Shop All Ladders NOW!

Read More:

- Ladder Safety Tips

- Carrying Tools Up a Ladder

- How to Climb a Ladder Safely

Ladders are a pretty universal piece of equipment that every man and his dog has in the garage. Tradespeople have them, homeowners have them and (if you don't already) you should have one too!

If so many people have ladders then surely they must be safe. Right? Well, not necessarily. As with all pieces of equipment, the equipment itself might be perfectly safe, but if the person using it does so in an unsafe way, then that's where accidents and injuries occur. 

When it comes to answering the question "are my ladders safe?" you need to consider a few things. Have you inspected the ladder itself for potential faults or weaknesses? And do you have the proper training and safety procedures in place to ensure that you can use the ladder properly?

How can you check if a ladder is safe?

If you've had a ladder stored away in the garage for a while, you might be wondering how safe it is to use. This is a perfectly normal concern that can be resolved by carrying out a simple ladder inspection before you get to work. During your initial inspection you should:

• Check that the rungs are all firmly attached and in place
• Look for damaged parts like corroded nails
• Identify any cracks or splits
• Ensure that all moving parts are working

If the ladder appears to be in good working order then it's probably safe to use. However, if for any reason you suspect that something has corroded, broken or stopped working since you last used it then it might be time to order a replacement. Take a look at our ladders below:

Our Ladders >       Our Step Ladders >        Our Roof Ladders >

How to use a ladder safely

It probably comes as no surprise that the biggest cause of ladder accidents is human error - and nothing to do with ladders themselves. As we said, ladders are safe as long as they're in the right hands. Here are a few points to remember if you want to use a ladder safely:

1. Always make sure that the work you need to do has been planned properly & that all risks have been considered.

2. Do as much work as you can from the ground. You should only use the ladder when it's absolutely necessary.

3. Ensure that the area you're working in has been cleared of obstacles/debris.

4. Think about what you're wearing. Do you need extra PPE to work safely?

5. Consider what would happen in the event of an emergency. Do you have the right precautions in place to prevent an injury?

By being aware of yourself, your surroundings and the task at hand, you can make sure that your ladder is safe. Climbing up your ladder with no prior thought is bound to cause an accident, so please be mindful of proper ladder safety practices before you get to work.

So to answer your question, "are ladders safe?" - yes. Ladders are an incredibly safe piece of equipment as long as they're looked after, checked regularly and used by a competent person. 

Take a look at our other ladder safety blogs for more information:

• Step Ladder Inspection Checklist
• What to Do if Your Ladder Starts to Fall
• Working Safely at Height: A Guide

If you have any other questions about our ladders, don't hesitate to give us a call on 01446 789538.

A surgeon from Portsmouth recently stated that he was 'lucky to be alive' after suffering an eighteen-foot fall. Professor Peter Brennan's rubber-footed ladder slipped while he was cleaning his gutters, resulting in what he called the "most terrifying 2 seconds of my life", followed by "lots of injuries and multiple fractures".

As we've discussed previously on this blog, there are several precautions you can take to reduce the risk of ladder slippage - but Prof. Brennan "checked and double checked" to make sure that his ladder was safe, and he endured a nasty fall nonetheless.

This goes to show that, no matter how careful you are, you can never be 100% sure that an accident will not occur. So what should you do if you're standing on a ladder and, in spite of all safety measures, it begins to fall?

More...