Ladders Flashcards
What are the uses of ladders in LFB?
1) Gain access to buildings when staircases, doors and normal entrances are not available.
2) inside buildings where stairs have collapsed
3) gain access to upper floors, and floors below ground
4) to bridge gaps
5) to gain access
What are the examples of working at height?
A) climbing, descending or working from a ladder
B) could fall through a fragile surface
C) could fall into an opening in a floor/hole in the ground
D) are working on an Ariel appliance
E) are working with line ops
What is the work at height regulations 2005?
Legal duty on an employer to provide safe systems of work for employees who are required to work at height, they acknowledge LFB require to operate in different environment to other industries however when this phase has passed, regulations are expected to apply as normal
What are the 3 steps operational staff must consider before working at height?
- Avoid working at height e.g. tackle fire by directing jet through upper storey window
- Prevent falls e.g. directing jet into fire from existing concrete flat roof with guard rail
- Minimise consequences e.g. set up a fall arrest system
What are the 3 options in terms of hierarchy which operational personnel have to support working at height?
- Aerial appliances
- Line operations
- operational ladders
What does slip mean?
To remove a ladder from an appliance gantry
What does plumb left/right mean?
To adjust angle of a ladder on uneven ground
What does launch mean?
To push a ladder back into the ladder gantry on an appliance
What does the term inside/outside (hand or foot) mean?
Inside - the side of body nearest the centre of the ladder
Outside - side furthest from the centre
How many sections does the short extension ladder have?
3
What do you know about the short extension ladder?
1) 6m working height
2) 21kg weight
3) one person lift
4) on all pumps, pump ladders and dual pump ladders
What do you know about the 9m ladder?
1) 9m length (working height, pawls resting)
2) 40.6kg weight
3) 3 person lift
4) on all pumps and dual pump ladders
What do you know about the 135m ladder?
1) 13.5m length (working height, pawls resting)
2) 100kg weight
3) 4 person lift
4) on all pump ladders and dual pump ladders
What do you know about the roof ladder?
1) 4.6m length
2) 13 rounds
3) 14kg weight
4) one person lift
5) on all pumps, pump ladders and dual pump ladders
When are ladders tested?
1) on acceptance (new issue or return from workshops)
2) after operational use
3) annually at workshops ( or quarterly for ladders used in training)
What are the safety points in place while carrying out periodic inspection after operational use?
1) full PPE must be worn
2) min. of 4 members of staff in addition to recording officer are required when testing 135 ladder
3) min. of 3 staff members in addition to recording officer, when testing 9m
4) FF’s must never put hands or arms through rounds of ladder while it is being extended or housed
What other general information do you know about testing ladders?
- Important all ladders are subjected to annual test at workshops
- Ladders should be accompanied by their test card F426 stating ‘annual test required’
- Station staff must not carry out local repairs of ladders
- Where ladders are carried on appliance, inspect gantry for free operation of the rollers and securing devices
- Do not subject ladders to shock loading
What is the distance required behind the appliance to safely removed the 9m ladder?
Minimum of 10m
What is the beam gantry?
A permanently attached beam which is balanced and pivots at a certain point to allow the 9m ladder to be tilted towards the ground, where can be removed from ground level
What are the ladder pitch checks?
- String closest to the frame of the opening is no more than 150mm from the frame (except if head is to be lashed)
- There are 3 to 5 rounds above the sill (preferably 3)
- Most importantly, that the round closest to the sill is just above and parallel to the sill
Where should the ladder head be pitched if it is going into a narrow opening?
May be pitched either under or just above the sill, ladder pitch checks in the case of narrow openings are not valid and not carried out
When pitching the ladder into a narrow opening, How much below or above the sill must the head of the ladder be?
At least 50mm below or above and not touching
What are the safety considerations when pitching the 9m ladder?
- Ground conditions (wet, uneven)
- Safe lifting techniques
- Effective communication
- All PPE worn, care not to trap hands
Fire brigade ladders should only be used as a work platform when?
1) the risk assessment establishes the activity low risk and task is of short duration
2) there are features of work site that prevent use of more suitable equipment
What safety considerations apply when using a ladder?
1) risk assess potential access points before pitching
2) make sure ladder is long enough
3) make sure ladder is placed on stable ground
4) be aware of overhead obstructions and electricity cables
5) make sure head of ladder is resting on stable point and tie head off when additional security is required
6) take care to avoid knocking ladder when moving equipment or hose
What are the three points of contact that should always be maintained when working on a ladder?
Two feet and a hand
What should you not do when working on a ladder?
1) Do not overreach (centre of body stays within strings of ladder)
2) do not work on the top 3 rounds
3) do not overload on the ladder (unless assisting a casualty down the ladder, Max. 1 person per extension)
What are the parts of a ladder?
1) strings - sides of the ladder, vertical members
2) rounds
3) head (top)
4) horns (end of strings at head)
5) heel (bottom)
6) Feet/toes - end of the strings at heel
7) Pawls - mechanisms (auto/manual) which enable extended section to be tested on round of lower section
8) head rollers - wheels on top of ladder for easy movement
9) head iron - bar between head rollers
10) plumbing gear - jack at heel of 135
11) stabilising bad - jack beam at heel of 135
12) stand off ring - ring/quadrant at heel of 135
13) prop - props up 135
What are the key terminologies when pitching a ladder?
1) Slip - remove ladder from appliance gantry
2) Pitch - erect ladder against building
3) extend - raise extending parts
4) head in/out - move ladder head into/away from building
5) head left/right - move ladder head left/right to suit pitch
6) heel in/out - move heel of ladder in/out from building
7) extend to lower - raising extending part to clear the pawls for lowering
8) lower/house - retract extending parts
9) launch - push ladder back into appliance gantries
10) plumb left/right - adjust angle of ladder on uneven ground
11) footing - stabilise ladder with FF’s foot
12) Inside/outside - inside is side of body nearest ladder, outside is furthest
What are the safety procedures when inspecting a ladder?
1) PPE must be worn during inspections
2) gloves only removes to check rivers
3) min. 4 crew + recording officer
4) never put arms through round when extending/housing
5) Ladder test card F426, write ‘annual test required’
6) station staff must not carry out repairs
7) check appliance for free operation of rollers and securing devices
8) don’t shock loads (drop extension, rapid extension to stops)
What is the short ladder use for?
1) negotiating walls/railings
2) gaining access to roof voids
3) spanning holes in the floor
How far from the building should the ladder heel of the 9m ladder be?
1/3 of working height from building
When descending the ladder, as they reach the last 3 rounds what instructions should they be given?
Three, two, one, step back
What are the 9m ladder safety checks?
No.1 makes sure all the pawls are tested on the rounds
What does 9m and 135 ladder have that will prevent the ladder housing in the event of failure?
Automatic arrest device (AAD)
