Scaffolds & ladders: Little Giant LedgeLock Auto Tie-Off System
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Little Giant Ladder Systems (www.littlegiantladders.com) unveils the LedgeLock Auto Tie-Off System, an innovative, patent-pending ladder fastening system.
Little Giant created the LedgeLock system to prevent extension ladders from shifting at the critical point in which a person transitions from the ladder to the roof or from the roof to the ladder. This groundbreaking system will help prevent injuries and save lives.
The LedgeLock eliminates the need for fixed ladders on the outside of restaurants, schools or commercial buildings and their accompanying liability.
“Catastrophic accidents on ordinary ladders often happen at the point where an operator transitions from the ladder to the roof,” said Art Wing, Chairman and President of Little Giant Ladder Systems. “The LedgeLock is a game changer in roof access and eliminates the need for fixed ladders on many buildings.”
Roof Access: Some of the worst ladder injuries occur when a working professional uses an ordinary extension ladder to access a roof or raised mezzanine. The LedgeLock allows an operator to simply and securely fasten the top of an extension ladder to the roof or platform while standing on the ground.
Rules Are Not Enough: OSHA has put rules in place requiring ladders to extend three feet above the roof line, but serious accidents still happen. The LedgeLock secures the ladder to the building, preventing the ladder from destabilizing as the user shifts his weight from the ladder to the roof. Now, instead of negotiating the transition around the top of the ladder, the detachable walkthrough device allows the operator to step safely through the sturdy handrails to access the roof maintaining three points of contact the entire time.
Fixed Ladders Are Not the Answer: The prevailing method on most commercial or educational buildings is to bolt a fixed ladder to the side of the building. Fixed ladders are not the solution, but rather, are part of the problem. Fixed ladders usually have very narrow rungs and are totally vertical, which makes them harder to climb. They also come with potential liability of children or other unwanted trespassers gaining access to the roof, potentially leading to life-threatening injuries.
Most companies have tried to solve this problem by installing a panel to block access, but these precautions are easily bypassed and create secondary risks when trespassers climb around them. Thus, the LedgeLock is not only an innovative fall prevention tool, but it also allows safety-conscious property owners, architects and designers to remove unsafe, unsightly fixed ladders from the exterior of their buildings.
“All too often we hear of tragic accidents when young people or would-be trespassers climb fixed ladders to satisfy their curiosity. Protective covers and cages are not enough to prevent access,” said Ryan Moss, CEO. “Removing fixed ladders and replacing them with the LedgeLock Auto Tie-Off System will not only prevent injuries and save lives, but it will save property owners millions in liability and property damage.”
The LedgeLock Auto Tie-Off System is available at industrial distributors throughout the nation.
Little Giant Ladder Systems, Inc. manufactures and distributes superior-quality climbing products to discerning homeowners and professionals throughout the world. The company’s growing family of consumer brands includes Little Giant Ladders, Little Giant Xtreme, Aerial Safety Cage, SumoStance, Select Step, Lunar and LedgeLock.
All Little Giant Ladder products comply with relevant ANSI and OSHA standards and are UL-certified in dozens of countries all over the world. Little Giant Ladder Systems is also a member of the American Ladder Institute, an industry group committed to promoting ladder safety.