Working at height with mobile safety steps, podium steps or step ladders requires a good level of assessment of the risks involved. A great source of useful information can be found on the HSE website.

When it comes to choosing the correct product, several factors need to be assessed first:
How high does the worker need to reach?
Will the access be short-lived or be required for a longer period?
Will the worker need to use both hands for the work being carried out?
Is the job in hand easily accessible or restricted in some way?
Does the product need to be mobile?
Does the product need to be transported to site?
Does the product need to be stored away?

Finding the correct piece of height access equipment can be made simple. Answering the questions above will help you to find which of the products available on the market are most suited to your needs. By using an elimination process, you can quickly whittle down the list to a manageable size. Websites often have a filter system which allows the choice of products by construction, finish, number of steps/treads, style and size etc, making it a quick and easy process in finding the most suitable products.

To help with your choice, here are the differences between mobile safety steps and step ladders.

 

 

MOBILE SAFETY STEPS
Pros
Very sturdy to work from, good if you are using heavy tools, better angle of lean to work at, easier on the feet, more visible presence, easy to climb, more substantial handrails, toe boards retain dropped items, easy to wheel around from point to point, very hard wearing, some models can hold two users, many access options from platform.

With safety in mind, they are locked in position by use of a handbrake. This means that they cannot be wheeled away when locked. Most models have a handbrake in the central position but some larger platform models have the handbrake fitted to the side.
Cons
Heavy to use and move around, bulky and take up lots of storage room, not easily transportable between sites, not able to fit and be used in tight areas, not suitable for working with electrics, highest models have a platform height of 3.75m, can rust if left in wet or cold environments.

 

 

STEP LADDERS
Pros
Light and easy to move, easy to store away, easy to move between sites, some models can be used with electrics, aluminium and fibreglass models are suited to cold and wet environments, easy to use in tight spaces, some models have tools trays, some podium models are very safe to use.
Cons
Not as stable as mobile safety steps, one user only, sometimes tricky to get a good footing on treads, often difficult to hold tools and handrail at the same time, it is often preferable to have another person holding the step ladder.

If you ever have difficulty in finding the most suitable height access equipment, don’t despair as there is lots of advice, freely available from suppliers.

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