Ladders

Question 1

What are the uses of ladders in LFB?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What are the examples of working at height?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What is the work at height regulations 2005?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What are the 3 steps operational staff must consider before working at height?

Answer 4

1. Avoid working at height e.g. tackle fire by directing jet through upper storey window
2. Prevent falls e.g. directing jet into fire from existing concrete flat roof with guard rail
3. Minimise consequences e.g. set up a fall arrest system

Question 5

What are the 3 options in terms of hierarchy which operational personnel have to support working at height?

Answer 5

1. Aerial appliances
2. Line operations
3. operational ladders

Question 6

What does slip mean?

Answer 6

To remove a ladder from an appliance gantry

Question 7

What does plumb left/right mean?

Answer 7

To adjust angle of a ladder on uneven ground

Question 8

What does launch mean?

Answer 8

To push a ladder back into the ladder gantry on an appliance

Question 9

What does the term inside/outside (hand or foot) mean?

Answer 9

Inside - the side of body nearest the centre of the ladder

Outside - side furthest from the centre

Question 10

How many sections does the short extension ladder have?

Answer 10

3

Question 11

What do you know about the short extension ladder?

Answer 11

1) 6m working height
2) 21kg weight
3) one person lift
4) on all pumps, pump ladders and dual pump ladders

Question 12

What do you know about the 9m ladder?

Answer 12

1) 9m length (working height, pawls resting)
2) 40.6kg weight
3) 3 person lift
4) on all pumps and dual pump ladders

Question 13

What do you know about the 135m ladder?

Answer 13

1) 13.5m length (working height, pawls resting)
2) 100kg weight
3) 4 person lift
4) on all pump ladders and dual pump ladders

Question 14

What do you know about the roof ladder?

Answer 14

1) 4.6m length
2) 13 rounds
3) 14kg weight
4) one person lift
5) on all pumps, pump ladders and dual pump ladders

Question 15

When are ladders tested?

Answer 15

1) on acceptance (new issue or return from workshops)
2) after operational use
3) annually at workshops ( or quarterly for ladders used in training)

Question 16

What are the safety points in place while carrying out periodic inspection after operational use?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What other general information do you know about testing ladders?

Answer 17

1. Important all ladders are subjected to annual test at workshops
2. Ladders should be accompanied by their test card F426 stating ‘annual test required’
3. Station staff must not carry out local repairs of ladders
4. Where ladders are carried on appliance, inspect gantry for free operation of the rollers and securing devices
5. Do not subject ladders to shock loading

Question 18

What is the distance required behind the appliance to safely removed the 9m ladder?

Answer 18

Minimum of 10m

Question 19

What is the beam gantry?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What are the ladder pitch checks?

Answer 20

1. String closest to the frame of the opening is no more than 150mm from the frame (except if head is to be lashed)
2. There are 3 to 5 rounds above the sill (preferably 3)
3. Most importantly, that the round closest to the sill is just above and parallel to the sill

Question 21

Where should the ladder head be pitched if it is going into a narrow opening?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

When pitching the ladder into a narrow opening, How much below or above the sill must the head of the ladder be?

Answer 22

At least 50mm below or above and not touching

Question 23

What are the safety considerations when pitching the 9m ladder?

Answer 23

1. Ground conditions (wet, uneven)
2. Safe lifting techniques
3. Effective communication
4. All PPE worn, care not to trap hands

Question 24

Fire brigade ladders should only be used as a work platform when?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What safety considerations apply when using a ladder?

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What are the three points of contact that should always be maintained when working on a ladder?

Answer 26

Two feet and a hand

Question 27

What should you not do when working on a ladder?

Answer 27

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)

Question 28

What are the parts of a ladder?

Answer 28

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

Question 29

What are the key terminologies when pitching a ladder?

Answer 29

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

Question 30

What are the safety procedures when inspecting a ladder?

Answer 30

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)

Question 31

What is the short ladder use for?

Answer 31

1) negotiating walls/railings 2) gaining access to roof voids 3) spanning holes in the floor

Question 32

How far from the building should the ladder heel of the 9m ladder be?

Answer 32

1/3 of working height from building

Question 33

When descending the ladder, as they reach the last 3 rounds what instructions should they be given?

Answer 33

Three, two, one, step back

Question 34

What are the 9m ladder safety checks?

Answer 34

No.1 makes sure all the pawls are tested on the rounds

Question 35

What does 9m and 135 ladder have that will prevent the ladder housing in the event of failure?

Answer 35

Automatic arrest device (AAD)