Mobile safety steps, sometimes called warehouse steps, are mobile structures with steps up to a platform. The steps use wheels or
casters
A caster (or castor) is an undriven wheel that is designed to be attached to the bottom of a larger object (the "vehicle") to enable that object to be moved.
Casters are used in numerous applications, including shopping carts, office chairs, to ...
, making them easy to move. They have the advantage over standard ladders in that the operative can have one hand free when moving up and down the steps and both hands free if there is a top-level platform.
Variations
On smaller steps (between 2 and 6 steps) there will be a
handrail
A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide safety or support. In Great Britain, Britain, handrails are referred to as banisters. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escala ...
and castors which retract when weight is applied, making them stable. They are often used in schools, offices, hospitals, stores and libraries.
If they are between 4 and 15 steps they will often be configured to have a top platform (on what would be the final step), and will have surrounding handrails – this style of safety step can be used at a maximum working height of 5 metres. Because they are very sturdy and easy to move, they have a wide variety of uses – for example, in a warehouse (for safe
order picking
Order processing is the process or work-flow associated with the picking, packing, and delivery of the packed items to a shipping carrier and is a key element of order fulfillment. Order processing operations or facilities are commonly called “ ...
) DIY
Hardware store
Hardware stores (in a number of countries, "shops"), sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware for home improvement including: fasteners, building materials, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing ...
and various types of factories; they can also be used as aircraft steps.
Single- or double-ended access platforms are another variation of the mobile safety steps. As with standard mobile safety steps, they have wheels which can be secured by a hand-operated lever, but will have a larger platform. This allows for activities like maintenance work on walls, machinery and aircraft. The double-ended platform will have two sets of steps with a platform in between.
Standards for mobile ladders with a platform
Mobile safety steps are generally manufactured from
steel
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
and have a painted finish. A new
European Standard
European Standards, sometimes called Euronorm (abbreviated EN, from the German name , "European Norm"), are technical standards which have been ratified by one of the three European Standards Organizations (ESO): European Committee for Standardizat ...
was published in August 2013 known as EN131-7 that covers mobile ladders with a platform commonly known in the UK as Mobile Safety Steps. The UK preparation of the new standard is entrusted to the B/512 technical committee
that currently includes the
HSE,
Trading Standards and the Ladder Association, who are a non-profit trade body representing the UK industry on the safe use of ladders and their standards development.
See also
*
Handrail
A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide safety or support. In Great Britain, Britain, handrails are referred to as banisters. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escala ...
References
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Ladders
Stairs