Choosing a ladder bracket for your building
The mounting point decides the bracket. Every product below fixes in a specific way, and choosing the wrong one is the most common mistake in this category.
Gutter mounted brackets. The most common fixing in Australia and the right answer for most domestic and light commercial roofs. A gutter bracket sits over the gutter and spreads the ladder load into the fascia rather than the gutter lip, which is what stops the gutter deforming under a climber. The Ladlok Ladder Gutter Bracket at $120 and the Kattsafe LD402 Ladder Support Bracket at $159 both mount permanently and take a portable ladder at the correct angle every time.
Parapet and rail brackets. Where a building has a parapet, a handrail or a scaffold rail rather than a gutter, the bracket clamps to the rail instead. The Scaflok Ladder Bracket at $120 covers parapet and rail mounting and suits commercial roofs and scaffold access.
Wall, pole and fixed brackets. For permanent access on a building maintained regularly, a fixed bracket is bolted to the structure and the ladder attaches to it. The SafetyLink LadderLink range covers this: the LadderLink Fixed at $259.07, the Wall Mounted version at $289.72, the Pole Bracket at $285.07 for poles and masts, and the Extended version at $403.93 where the ladder needs to stand further off the wall. The KStrong Ladder Mount Bracket at $164.73 is the entry option.
Ladder stabilisers and standoffs. Where a permanent bracket is not practical, a stabiliser fits to the ladder itself and holds it clear of the gutter or wall. The Ferno Ladder Stabiliser at $255 travels with the ladder rather than staying on the building, which suits contractors moving between sites.
Ladder docks and locks. On sites where the ladder must be secured against unauthorised use or wind, a ladder dock holds it in place at the top. The Kattsafe Ladder Lock at $1,506 is the option in this range and it is specified on commercial and industrial buildings.
Ladder fall protection. For an existing fixed ladder, a cable runner system gives the climber a continuous attachment point over the full height of the climb. The Hi Safe Cable Runner for Ladder System at $317 and the Climb Safe Ladder System at $1,155 cover this, and the SafetyLink LadderLink Rope Protector Bracket at $337.07 protects the line where it passes over an edge.
Ladder brackets and fall protection
A bracket holds the ladder. It does not stop a fall.
A portable ladder secured with a gutter or parapet bracket is stable to climb, which removes the most common cause of ladder incidents, but a worker who then steps onto the roof is unprotected from that point on. Where the work involves moving about on the roof rather than simply reaching it, the ladder bracket is the first component of a system, not the whole of it. The rest of it is an anchor point rated for the roof type, a harness
and a suitable connection between them, such as a shock absorbing lanyard or retractable fall arrest device.
Fixed ladders over a certain height carry their own requirements. On a permanently installed ladder, a cable runner or rail system gives the climber a continuous attachment point from the bottom of the climb to the top, which is what makes a long fixed climb safe to make alone.
If you are specifying access for a building rather than buying a single bracket, tell us the roof type, the height and how often the access is needed, and we will tell you what the whole system looks like.
What we supply
Height Safety Central supplies the brackets, mounts and fall protection hardware that make ladder access to a roof safe. That includes gutter, parapet, wall and pole mounted brackets, ladder stabilisers, ladder docks and cable runner systems for fixed ladders.
We do not manufacture or install fixed ladder structures, caged ladders, roof access platforms or roof access stairs, and we do not carry out installations. If you need a fixed ladder designed and installed on a building, you need a ladder installer. We can supply the brackets and the fall protection hardware to go with it, and we can tell you which bracket suits your roof before you engage one.
