Falls from ladders are a significant hazard, which can often result in serious injury or death. To help prevent this hazard, North Kansas City, MO-based AES Raptor, LLC (AES) recently released its GrabSafe Portable™ Ladder Extension Safety Device.
Falls from ladders are the highest cause of injury and death in industry and construction sites. Of those falls, most of them occur near the top of the ladder when a worker attempts to climb onto a roof surface or back onto the ladder.
Dr. Nigel Ellis, an expert in fall prevention and safety, has performed extensive research in the mechanics and circumstances of falls from a height. He has concluded that the best way to prevent a fall is for a worker to maintain three point control with horizontal hand grips at all times while using a ladder. This is difficult when stepping off of or onto a ladder. His solution is the GrabSafe Portable, which easily mounts on virtually any extension ladder.
Studies show that vertical handholds do not support the weight of someone who is falling. Instead, slipping occurs, and the person loses his or her grip.
The GrabSafe Portable has horizontal handholds, which enables a worker to grip and keep or regain his or her balance. The wide step through design enables workers to climb up the ladder and step right onto the roof, without needing to step around the ladder.
The GrabSafe Portable extends three feet above the elevated surface, as required by OSHA regulation 1926.1053(b)(1). The GrabSafe Portable also meets ANSI standard 14.2 and 14.5 for extension ladders.
