Gold star vans

The Window Company (Contracts) has introduced a new ladder system for its vans which eliminates the risks that accompany retrieving ladders from the roofs of vans.

Working with a specialist provider, the Chelmsford based company is equipping all its new vans with a pneumatic lifting and lowering mechanism for rooftop ladders which means that fitters no longer need to climb onto the top of vans. They just release the safety catch and then they can raise or lower the ladders with a pole.

The system helped The Window Company (Contracts) achieve a gold rating in the GGF’s Glass (Goal Less Accidents Safer Sites) health and safety scheme last year.

David Thornton, chair of the company,said: “When we were originally given a Glasssilver Level 3 rating, we were advised that we could only move up to gold if we addressed the issue of the ladders. We love a challenge and this is one we really got our teeth into – looking at everything from securing the ladders to the frail side of the vans with custom made brackets and locks, to suspending them from the inside of the roof. The pneumatic mechanism, which we developed in conjunction with Glazing Vans, proved by far the best solution though, and we are now using a double ladder option to give us maximum flexibility.”