Ladder or Access Lift?

July 11th 2019

The debate between whether a ladder or access lift is better for doing DIY around the home is rather common. In the world of construction, the access lift is generally favoured over a ladder; it’s widely known that ladders are one of the biggest causes of construction accidents. Access lifts are thought to provide better safety and stability when completing construction work, especially when working high up, or when work requires both hands, and when you may need to be up there for a longer period. Using an access lift makes all of this a whole lot easier. However, when completing DIY jobs at home, the ladder is most commonly used; usually because one may have a ladder already or may not have considered other options. However, for certain DIY jobs it could be worth looking into the other possibilities that are currently available. In order to help you make an informed decision, this article will outline the features of both Ladders and Access lifts and will discuss which jobs they may be better suited to, specifically in relation to at home DIY work.

Ladder

The ladder is the most popular choice for at home DIY but is it actually the best choice? For certain jobs a ladder is more than capable of getting the job done. Generally, ladders are suitable for short jobs or jobs that don’t require you to be too high up. Ladders are perfectly fine for perform odd jobs around the house but in some situations, it could work out a lot easier to hire an access lift.

Access Lift

You may think that access lifts are reserved for use on construction sites, but if you are a keen home DIY’er you may benefit from one. Access lifts are useful for longer term and bigger scale DIY jobs, from painting and decorating to maintenance and repair jobs; any job that requires you to be far off the ground, for a long period of time or something the requires the use of both hands. Using an access lift provides extra safety and stability so you can be confident you can do your jobs effectively.

There are different access lifts available to suit a variety of DIY situations; from outdoor jobs to indoor only jobs and in a range of height capabilities.

Self-Propelled Low-Level Platform

This low-level platform offers speed and efficiency for light maintenance tasks and cleaning; a lightweight access platform such as this one is suitable for use for at home DIY tasks and can be used both indoors and outdoors. With a working height of 4.5m it should be able to help you complete a number of tasks. For more in depth DIY work we have a variety of electric scissor lifts which are also available for hire.

To ensure your safety whilst using access lifts and platforms we also offer PASMA training courses.

For more information on hiring and using both ladders and access lifts, contact us today.

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About the Author

Lauren King

Lauren works in our Ecommerce Team, with over 6 years of experience at HSS. She brings product knowledge and is able to give her advice on the right tool for the job no matter how big or small.

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