The Working Van – Ladder Racks for Vans

When a person owns a commercial van, there is a good chance that the van is being used for some type of contracting purpose. A great way to go about making a contractor’s job easier is to have ladder racks installed on the van. While some contractors choose to store ladders inside of their commercial vans, there are great reasons to store the ladders on top of the van. In doing this, there will be much storage space gained inside the van, and gutter-mounted ladder racks also help to prevent injuries from taking place.

Without a ladder rack, a contractor will have to store ladders inside of his or her commercial van. To get them out, any items in the way will have to be removed. After doing this, the contractor has to stand on the back end of the van and do his or her best to grab the ladder and pull it out without falling down or knocking anything over. All of this can easily translate into an injury. Worse yet, after all the work of getting the ladders out of the van, the real work hasn’t even started yet.

A gutter-mounted ladder rack is a great way to avoid having to lose storage space inside a commercial van. It is also great in helping to prevent injuries. Contractors who use the racks testify to their usefulness as well as to their ability to help extend the life of the ladder because the ladder will be properly stored and transported to job sites.

There are many types of ladder racks for commercial van drivers to choose from. Let’s take a close look at several of the popular types:

– Gutter-Mounted: You can find these in 2-bar, 3-bar, 4-bar, and 5-bar systems, and the one you choose would depend on the type of van they are for. They require no drilling and are typically either made from aluminum or steel, the advantage of aluminum being that it is more resistant to rust and corrosion. This type of ladder rack is very popular due to being very cost-effective and easy to mount, yet still very functional. There are straight-bar versions and those with a slant-down design, making for easier unloading. Usually, more complicated designs add up to a heftier price tag.

– Drop-Down: With this type of rack, it becomes simpler than ever to raise and lower a ladder from the top of a commercial van. With a unique design, a drop-down ladder brings the ladder to height in which a contractor is comfortable working with it. The only downside may be the price since there are moving parts and many more pieces than the gutter-mounted varieties.

– Perimeter/Cargo Racks: These types of racks typically feature some sort of barrier around the perimeter. They often feature bars that run across the van, as well as along the length of the van. Some may even have some sort of base, either solid or of a meshed material. These types of racks are ideal for cargo of any kind, not only ladders, pipes and other long narrow items that don’t need the additional support.

– Ladder Keeper: This type of rack is meant to be secured to the ceiling of a van, allowing for ladders to be stored inside of the van and away from harmful weather elements.

No matter the type of commercial van being driven, it is pertinent for contractors to have ladder racks installed. In doing this, company owners can ensure the safety of their workers as well as extend the lives of their ladders. More so, this also helps to expand the amount of storage space in the van.