Which Podium Steps to Hire?

01 Oct 2010

Both common sense and the Working at Height Regulations dictate that using ladders for height work is the realm of fools. If you need to work up to 4.5m, most major building sites require their contractors to opt for the safe, secure approach and hire podium steps.

Podium steps mean workers have the capability to work safely and comfortably. Traditional stepladders often result in wriggling and overstretching in order to complete the task. With their guardrails, podium steps leave the contractor safe in the knowledge that a little slip, won’t end up being a major accident – with a loss of income, or even an unfinished or overdue project.

Of course, working at ease in a natural position from a podium step will mean the contractor is likely to finish job both to a better standard and in less time. The hire charge will easily pay for itself as you’ll save labour costs and build a fantastic reputation for your business.

As with all things there are a many versions of podium steps to hire out there – which one is best for you and your business?

First of all, you should think about why your site needs to hire podium steps. What are the heights contractors will be required to work at? Will the podium steps be used in a number of places, or for just one task? Will the contractor need to cover several heights, or remain at one level? A set ideal for one task could be utterly useless for another.

Developing a relationship with a contract hire company is likely to be one of the best moves you make. They will be able to advise you properly, so you have the right information for each project, additionally they can offer you a great selection of podium steps to hire, to suit each project individually.

Choosing the Right Podium Step to Hire

There are a few podium steps that give you a range of platform heights, which is ideal when your contactor must be able to reach several heights. The most adaptable is the Youngman’s Adjusta, as it provides four easy-to-adjust working heights. Many podiums offer just a fixed height, which would work fine when the task is at one height.

Consider also, how much time is available for putting together the podium steps? Varying versions have anything from 2 to 7 individual parts. When the task is at just one height, then a multi-piece version would be fine.

On the other hand, the Youngman’s Adjusta is a single-piece podium step, so there is no chance of bits going astray – intentionally or not! - on site. The Adjusta needs just 15 seconds to be ready to go. When there is a piece missing from the multi-piece versions, there’s no chance of getting started, so you’re going to lose out on both labour costs as well as the loss charge form the contract hire firm. Not ideal!

Give your business the advantage by using a hire company that provides a choice of podium steps, so they can tailor your hires to your needs.