Safety peace of mind for Telco workers
Connecting services to every Australian home is not without its challenges. Height safety is of greatest concern. That’s why we’re working with nbn™ contractors and RTOs to provide the very safest field solution.
At a Glance
- Numerous technicians will be deployed across Australia to connect services to homes as part of the nbn™ roll-out.
- Working at Heights has been identified by nbn™ as a key safety risk for cablers and installers.
- Branach has worked with the Telco industry and RTOs to develop a safer ladder system that supports productivity in the field.
- Branach’s Ladder system solution, complete with terrain stabiliser, offers increased flexibility, strength, stability and technician safety.
Our recent Ladder Safety Summit brought together key contractors and industry participants – nbn™, Visionstream, Telstra, Downer, Ausnet, Optus and ComCare, and Chisholm TAFE – to specifically look at the unique issues surrounding safety at heights for cablers and telecommunication specialists, and to demonstrate Branach’s superior safety system.
As the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in Australia, the nbn™ roll-out will see numerous telecommunication cablers and installers deployed to connect services to homes across all areas of the country.
But not every job will be straightforward. Connecting services to Australian homes may involve accessing a roof or ceiling space, or climbing telephone poles and other activities that will require working at height. Sometimes, on uneven ground and in tight and compact areas.
It is for this reason that Working at Heights has been recognised by nbn™ as a significant safety concern.
As a fundamental piece of safety equipment, a ladder is something that technician’s lives will depend on, day in and day out.
Choice of ladder, therefore, is crucial.
How we’ve made it Safer.
Our partnering approach with telecommunications providers has achieved an outcome specifically designed to provide workers with safety peace of mind when working at heights, without compromising productivity in the field.
Through observing technicians’ work environments, we knew that our purpose built solution would need to:
- Support frequent set-up, both inside and outside of the home;
- Support working at a range of heights, including multi-level buildings;
- Be lightweight, easily transported and assembled on-site.
- Provide the highest safety protection, supporting safe roof and manhole access and egress, and work on unstable and uneven terrain.
We conducted several trials throughout the designing and refining process to ensure our system met the needs of workers in the field.
Not just a Ladder, but an entire Safety System
Key features of our system include:
Our unique fibreglass box rail rung joining system provides unparalleled performance in strength and stability. Industry proven and tested, the fibreglass box rail construction dramatically reduces twist and sway by up to 40%.
A walk through section at the top of the ladder provides handrails for safe transitioning from roof to ladder.
The base of the ladder is fitted with the patented Terrain Master™ stabilizer, providing unprecedented safety when working on uneven ground. The system’s innovative and compact design features dual leg lengths that can be independently adjusted, enabling a base extension of up to 1.3 metres (up to three times the ladder footing). The retractable leg lengths fold within the profile of the ladder, ensuring that ladder portability and mobility are not compromised. A levelling bubble is also built into the Terrain Master™ so the user can visually identify to correct lean angle and level of the system. Lightweight and easy to use, the terrain stabilizer ensures a stable footing, eliminating lateral twist and sideways movement.
Importantly, our system has been designed with transport, manual handling and final assembly in mind – making it lightweight, portable and easy to use.
You can’t work on a Safer ladder.
At Branach, we believe that when it comes to safety, there is no compromise. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to revolutionise the way that people think about ladder safety.
If you would like to find out more about the Branach Ladder Height Safety System for nbn™ installers Click Here