Electrical works have two risk factors: risk of falling from a height, which accompanies any high-altitude work, and hazardous worker’s electrocution. Therefore, all electrical organizations are interested in exact compliance with the conditions for the protection of labor and home masters should be concerned with purchasing stairs to prevent the risk of injury with electricity to a person

When working on objects that are associated with the maintenance of electricity networks requires equipment that meets special security requirements. At the same time, these products must be of excellent quality, which will allow the employee to solve production problems in the stressful conditions of labor calmly. Dielectric fiberglass equipment allows you to feel safe when working on various electrical facilities: power plants, distribution panels, industrial installations, chemical industry, houses in the repair of electrical wiring, etc.
Any dielectric equipment, either it is a ladder or stepladder, is made of a material that does not conduct electricity – frequently made of fiberglass. Stage or crossbars that perform their function has a corrugated surface, slip. Special material used for coating, ensures a long term use, resistance to aggressive external factors, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, to mechanical abrasion.

The types of dielectric equipment for lifting to a height

There are the following types of ladders to lift at a low altitude:

• Dielectric ladders;
• Scaffolding-ladders;
• Transformers;
• Dielectric ladders of single section;
• Dielectric ladders of two sliding sections.

Construction of fiberglass ladders

All fiberglass lifting equipment is made of special materials not conducting electricity, making their scope very broad. They can be used for electrical work, repair of electric distribution panels, manipulation of objects under tension, in various areas of industry, in the chemical industries when working with chemically aggressive media.

Structurally, fiberglass equipment is no different from ordinary ladders. There are two racks fixed between steps or rungs that perform this role. Likewise, they can be single-section and two-section sliding.
Products of the single section have a length of 4 m and allow us to perform work at the height of 5.3 m. Two-Piece sliding option in the folded state has a length of 4 m, extended up to 8 meters and allows working at heights of up to 9,3 m. Most extension ladders will enable you to push the second section in steps with intervals in the height of one step with a rigid fixation structure in every state.

The main advantage of plastic products is that they provide relative safety when working at the facilities under voltage up to 1000 V. At the same time they can serve as an ordinary ladder for any other work at low altitude, making them universal.
Profile plastic stairs are made of tubes of square or rectangular cross-sections up to 60 mm. The product is covered with a special transparent varnish that protects from the harmful effects of sunlight, and other corrosive effects of the environment, from chemical and mechanical damage.
Fiberglass is one of the most effective insulators. It is durable, has adequate reliability, has a low weight, is the preferred material for the manufacture of equipment used in the energy sector.

Ladders made of fiberglass are products with radiating cords that are expanded at the base, giving the structure extra stability. The lower ends of the struts have a rubber non-slip end caps with a corrugated surface, which ensures reliable installation on a flat surface. The lower ends of stringers have special metal end caps for work on the soft ground. It may include special hooks, which can engage the upper ends of the supports for the wall or any projecting beyond the facade of building design for additional fixation of the package.
The stairs are varnished with an abrasive grit having anti-slip properties. The upper ends of stringers are connected by Yoshinari, which serve both to strengthen the design and as a focus for the worker working on the top steps.

The main advantage of the sliding structure before the composite is the ability to quickly bring it to a working state up to a length of 9 meters.

A step is about 35 cm; lower section has a width of 52 cm, the top is about 45 cm.

The main advantages of plastic ladders

The main advantages of the dielectric structures include:

• Stairs have a non-slip effect due to the coating of abrasive grit.
• Material is fiberglass, made of binder resins.
• Dielectric strength – 2.5 kV/cm.
• Electrical resistance – 50 MOhm/m.
• The steps and the string are coated with a special transparent lacquer that provides effective protection from UV rays and the aggressive external environment from dangerous chemical reactions.
• Design features of the product ensure sufficient stability when working on the level ground, on the floor or soft ground.
• Lightweight gives you the ability to easily migrate the design from one place to another.

Rules for the selection of the dielectric ladder

To choose the tool that will best meet all of the criteria of safe work with electrical equipment on top, you need to follow some simple rules:

• The length of the ladder should correspond to the height at which you must perform electrical work.
• Stairs must have anti-slip properties to have a corrugated surface or be treated with abrasive grit.
• The kit should include a unique insulating stand on the floor or the ground.
• Select the design, which provides space for mounting a toolbox.
• The number of sections should provide full access to the workplace at any height, not exceeding the length of the ladder in a sliding position.
• Loose (presence of hooks for additional fixation).
• Reliability of fixation of the sections relative to each other.
• Ease of design.
  

The choice of a sliding version is more reasonable – not too different in price, weight and dimensions, storage conditions from single-section design, it is much more functional. Don’t forget that the ladder can be used for all other types of work, not only associated with electricity.

During storage of fiberglass products, you should be aware that even though they do not hoard static electricity, but the grease can damage the surface of the structure. After completion of the work, the ladder must be thoroughly washed and cleaned with solvents before sending it.
Any works related to electricity, whether it is professional service, repair of industrial facilities connected to the mains, or just repair of home electrical wiring; it requires special security regimes due to the increased risks. There is a need for a particularly careful selection of any used equipment. It applies not only to power tools, but ladders, which must meet several security requirements, but the main of them is that the equipment must not conduct the electric current. You will read more information about telescopic ladders in the dedicated article.