Roofer Ladder Hoist

A ladder hoist is a gas- or electric-powered portable lifting device that assists in moving heavy materials to rooftops.

Description:

A ladder hoist is an engineering control that can reduce musculoskeletal disorders from manual material handling by assisting workers in moving materials up to the rooftop.  Ladder hoists can be an attachment to heavy-duty ladders, or integrated into the ladder design.  Both styles can lift between 200 to 400 pounds powered by gas or electric.  Attachments, such as gravel buckets, are available on some models to make it easier to transport loose material.

A ladder hoist is a portable lifting device that assists in moving heavy materials to rooftops. Ladder hoists can be purchased as an attachment to heavy-duty ladders, or as a specially designed unit that integrate both the ladder and the hoist. Both styles can lift between 200 to 400 pounds, and can be either gas powered or electric. Attachments, such as gravel buckets, are available on some models to make it easier to transport loose material.

Ladder hoists carry construction materials up to the rooftop on a rigid platform powered by an electric or gas engine. Hoist heights range between 16 to 44 feet and have a lifting capacity between 200 to 400 pounds of material. Most ladder hoists have a collapsible feature and are mobile, making them easier to place material close to the site where they will be used. The mobility also allows for easy transportation between worksites which is an important feature for companies that need to supply materials to multiple worksites.


Risks Addressed:

Heavy lifting and carrying can cause low back disorders, such as muscle strain or a disc herniation (“slipped disc”), which is bulging of disc material possibly pressing on the spinal cord or nerves that go into the leg.  The roofer ladder hoist can help reduce heavy lifting and carrying by reducing the need for workers to manually carry matierals up ladders. 

In addition, using the hoist would indirectly decrease the risk of a fall.  While carrying materials up a ladder, workers are not able to maintain three points of contact, which are needed to safely ascend and descend a ladder.


How Risks are Reduced:

The ladder hoist eliminates the need for workers to manual carry building materials up ladders. In addition, using the hoist would decrease the risk of a fall.  While carrying materials up a ladder, workers are not able to maintain three points of contact, which are needed to safely ascend and descend a ladder.

Since workers do not have to manually lift building materials while climbing the ladder, they spend less time in awkward and potentially dangerous postures. Also, when using the ladder hoist, a worker decreases the number of times they need to ascend and descend the ladder, decreasing their risk of injury and falls.


Effects on Productivity:

The ladder hoist has the capability of increasing productivity when used appropriately.


Additional Considerations:

Ladder hoists are an economical choice for transporting materials to a rooftop compared to other more expensive options such as boom trucks, cranes, and forklifts. These other options have higher operation costs and can damage existing landscaping that may be in place.


Contributors:

Dan Anton, PT, PhD, ATC and Michael Milanoski, SPT – Eastern Washington University


Hazards Addressed:

Availability

TranzSporter Roofing Products
To obtain information, visit http://www.tranzsporter.com or contact 1-404-344-0000 benaron@tiedown.com

Reinmann & Georger Corporation Roofing Equipment
To obtain information, visit http://www.rgcproducts.com or contact 1-800-831-5438 sales@rgcproducts.com

Powr Ladder
To obtain information, visit http://www.powrladder.com or contact 1-800-369-3461 sales@richmondconveyor.com

Return on Investment

To calculate the return on investment (ROI) for your specific application, please visit our Return on Investment Calculator. While a specific ROI example has not been developed for this particular solution, the ROI Calculator provides a useful tool and guidance on how to generate your own on investment analysis.