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Selector: what suits your job?

Answer a few questions about your job. You will see straight away whether a ladder is suitable or a scaffold tower is called for, what you need with it, and where those limits come from.

All situations at a glance

Ladder against a gutter

A ladder against the gutter is possible if the gutter holds and the ladder cannot slip. The biggest risk is the top sliding sideways along the gutter rim while you reach out. Whether a ladder is the right choice here depends on the height, the time and the kind of work.

What you need here

  1. Ladder grip (gutter clamp)Coming to the shop soon: LockJaw Ladder Grip

    A clamp that grips under the rim of the gutter and holds the ladder stile, so the top stays in place. Only for metal gutters with a rim: not for plastic gutters or fixed leaf guards. Check that it fits your gutter and your ladder stiles.

  2. Firm footing at the bottomOn request

    Place the ladder on firm, level ground. On a slope or kerb: adjustable legs or a leveller made for the ladder. On grass, sand or gravel: a wide base plate. Never pack it up with a brick, plank or crate.

Ladder against a wall

Against a flat wall there is nothing at the top to fasten the ladder to. Painting and fitting work soon take longer than expected: then a scaffold tower is the right equipment.

What you need here

  1. Tying off with a ratchet strapOn request

    A strap around both stiles, fixed to a solid point on the building. The strongest way to secure the top, but you have to be up there to fasten it.

  2. Stand-offOn request

    A bracket at the top of the ladder that rests against the wall, so the ladder does not touch the gutter or the glass. The solution for a plastic gutter or a roof edge with an overhang.

  3. Stabiliser barOn request

    Widens the base of the ladder, making it far less likely to tip. On new ladders over three metres it is fitted as standard.

  4. Firm footing at the bottomOn request

    Place the ladder on firm, level ground. On a slope or kerb: adjustable legs or a leveller made for the ladder. On grass, sand or gravel: a wide base plate. Never pack it up with a brick, plank or crate.

On a pitched roof

On a sloping roof you no longer stand on the ladder but on the roof itself. Then it is about fall protection: first protection that covers everyone, and getting on and off the roof safely.

What you need here

  1. Scaffold or edge protection along the gutterOn request

    A scaffold or guardrail on the gutter side stops you if you slide off the roof, and protects everyone working on the roof.

  2. Ridge hook or roof ladderOn request

    Hooks over the ridge, so the ladder lies flat on the roof and you climb up over the rungs.

  3. Personal fall protectionOn request

    A harness with a lanyard on an anchor point that can hold the fall. This is the last step: only if a scaffold or guardrail is not or only partly possible. Only use it if you know how it works.

  4. Ladder grip (gutter clamp)Coming to the shop soon: LockJaw Ladder Grip

    A clamp that grips under the rim of the gutter and holds the ladder stile, so the top stays in place. Only for metal gutters with a rim: not for plastic gutters or fixed leaf guards. Check that it fits your gutter and your ladder stiles.

  5. The ladder you use to reach the roof

    Secure the ladder at the top and let it extend at least 1 metre above the roof edge, so you have something to hold when stepping across.

On a flat roof

On a flat roof the roof edge is the risk. The law gives a fixed order: first a guardrail along the edge, and a harness only if that is not possible.

What you need here

  1. Roof edge protectionOn request

    A temporary guardrail along the roof edge that protects up to at least 1 metre above the working surface. Which set you need depends on the length and the build-up of your roof. That is why we prepare a quote for this.

  2. Personal fall protectionOn request

    A harness with a lanyard on an anchor point that can hold the fall. This is the last step: only if a scaffold or guardrail is not or only partly possible. Only use it if you know how it works.

  3. The ladder you use to reach the roof

    Secure the ladder at the top and let it extend at least 1 metre above the roof edge, so you have something to hold when stepping across.

When may a ladder be the workplace?

In the law a ladder is mainly a means of getting somewhere. As a workplace it is only allowed when the risk is low, and then for short work or when the location allows nothing else. Volandis has worked that out for the construction sector in these limits.

What you look atLadder allowedConsult firstLadder not allowed
Height of your feetbelow 5 m5 to 7.5 mabove 7.5 m
Time on the ladder for the whole jobunder 2 hours2 to 4 hoursover 4 hours
Time on the ladder per person, added upunder 2 hours2 to 4 hoursover 4 hours
Force you apply, such as pushing or drillingunder 50 N50 to 100 Nover 100 N
Reachingwithin arm’s lengthfurther than arm’s length

In addition: in wind force 6 or more you do not go up a ladder.

The limits come from the leaflet De ladder als werkplek? by Volandis (formerly Arbouw), the knowledge institute of the Dutch construction sector. The law itself mentions no metres or hours, and in Belgium the risk assessment decides. Ladder or scaffold: when may you work from a ladder?

Order what you need in the shop, or request a quote first.

View the productsRequest a quote

Before you go up: do the six-point ladder check.

This selector is general information and not safety advice for your situation. Always follow the product instructions and the arrangements made by your employer. If in doubt, ask a safety professional. Sources checked on 8 October 2026.

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