Safety

The checks that happen before the first ladder goes up

Working at height goes wrong at the bottom of the ladder far more often than at the top. Soft ground, a sloping drive, a hidden drain cover or a gust that was not there ten minutes ago account for most of it.

Customers rarely see this part of the job and almost never ask about it, which is a shame, because it is the clearest signal of whether a company is competent.

Ask about our method 01525 600162

Sky Scrapers Ltd branded vans parked at a job with a ladder to the roof — safety: the checks that happen before the first ladder goes up

Ground level, first

Firm, level footing with no drain cover, soft border or loose slab under the stiles.
Nothing fragile directly below the working area, including glass, pots and garden features.
Overhead cables and service runs identified before anything is raised near them.
Pedestrian and vehicle movement considered, with cones out where a lane or shared drive is involved.
Pets and children accounted for, and gates that could be opened unexpectedly secured.

The equipment itself

Ladders are inspected rather than assumed, tied or footed rather than balanced, and set at the correct angle rather than the convenient one. Roof ladders and staging are used where the work needs the roof to carry a person.

We use our own equipment, maintained by us, rather than whatever happens to be on the van that week. That matters because familiar kit in known condition is safer kit.

The roof, before it is loaded

Covering type and condition, the state of the ridge and verge, any obviously slipped or cracked tiles, whether previous work has left damage, and where the safe walking lines are if any.

Anything of concern is photographed and shown to you. Where we find chimney or ridge defects that need putting right, that is work our own team carries out, so the person who found it is the person who fixes it.

The weather window

Wind speed is checked before starting and monitored during the day. A morning that starts still and turns gusty by mid-afternoon means coming down, and we would rather move a job than finish one badly.

Frost, ice and heavy rain are treated the same way. No deadline is worth someone coming off a roof, and any customer who understands that is a customer we can work for properly.

Our own photographs

Images from Sky Scrapers Ltd work showing the methods described on this page.

Sky Scrapers Ltd branded vans parked at a job with a ladder to the roof, relevant to the checks that happen before the first ladder goes up

hand roof cleaning under way with the ground sheeted below, relevant to the checks that happen before the first ladder goes up

a cleaned pitched roof on a detached house, relevant to the checks that happen before the first ladder goes up

Where this applies locally

Towns where this comes up most often on our patch:

Questions we get asked

Why should I care how the ladder is footed?

Because most falls start at ground level. Footing, angle and what is underneath say more about a company's competence than anything on its website.

Will you stop work if the wind picks up?

Yes. We come down, secure the site and rebook. No job is worth pushing through gusty conditions.

Do you use your own equipment?

Yes, our own access equipment, maintained by us, carried in our own signwritten vans and used by our own uniformed team.

What if you spot something dangerous on the roof?

We photograph it and tell you. If it is chimney or ridge work we can put it right ourselves, and if it is structural roofing we say so plainly.

Ask us how we would work safely

Any company should be able to explain its access plan for your property before quoting. Ask us and we will.