The ladder Inclinometer - avoiding fatal accidents

What it does

LENZ's ladder Inclinometer ensures the optimum angle of approach for ladders, thus significantly reducing the risk of accidents. It solves the frequent problem of incorrectly selected angles of attack and prevents 23,484 accidents at work in Germany every year

Your inspiration

Denis Drosdzol, a volunteer firefighter, witnessed an accident during an exercise when a ladder that had been set up too low slipped away while an advancing team was trying to rescue an unconscious roofer. It was a standard exercise in which a roofer was carrying out work on a garage with an open flame. He fell unconscious, allowing a fire to spread. This critical situation inspired him to develop the ladder attachment. Two years after this incident, he was able to successfully complete the development phase and present a solution that significantly improves safety in the field.

How it works

The solution to prevent leaning ladders from tipping over: According to the TOP principle, a technical object is preferable to another measure. Measuring the angle with a suitable auxiliary tool, such as a set square or a protractor, is impracticable in practice or presents the user with too great a challenge. The ladder Inclinometer, LAMA for short, enables the user to quickly and easily visually check the inclination using a reference sphere, the position of which changes depending on the angle of contact due to gravity. The viewing window only allows the reference sphere to be viewed within the safety range of 65 to 75° specified by the DGUV e.V. (German Social Accident Insurance). This measure prevents misinterpretation of the actual state. Only two states are visually defined by the small adjustment dimension remaining on the ladder: correct/incorrect.

Design process

The development period ran from 08/2022 to 06/2024. Mr. Drosdzol brought together initial ideas in a first creative session using design thinking. Among other things, the spirit level was considered. However, this showed too many gaps in terms of production / reading accuracy and safety. In a further step, reverse engineering was used to create a sphere from an air bubble that circles in a curved path. The oscillation of the sphere during movement was initially avoided by using technical oil. However, it turned out that the production of the 0.5 mm capillary would lead to a drastic increase in costs. Subsequent field tests showed that this resonance had no significant influence on the function. In addition, Mr. Drosdzol recognized that the parallax error and environmental influences (such as the position of the sun - reflection, yellowing or rain) must be taken into account first. A further extensive test phase showed that a leaning ladder can be tilted in two directions. Accordingly, the ladder adjustment was equipped with two spherical chambers. The connection to the ladder was solved by means of an adhesive surface. Of all the options (bonding, welding, drilling), this was the best option.

How it is different

LENZ Technology's ladder angle is a revolutionary innovation in the field of occupational safety. A significant factor in these accidents is the incorrectly selected angle of approach of ladders. Between 2010 and 2021, 148,342 people fell from ladders and were unable to work for four or more days. In addition, 123 of these accidents were fatal. We don't sell everyday products - we offer safety at critical moments when it really matters. We ensure that everyone returns to their families unharmed at the end of the day. Our product is 52% cheaper than the competition. We show the hard condition (right/wrong). There is dangerous room for interpretation with the competitor. In comparison to the competition, the ladder adjustment dimension is compatible with every ladder and is not within the user's reach.

Future plans

We are currently supplying the first pilot customers with the ladder attachment, including numerous fire departments, companies and private individuals. At the end of July, the company was invited by the market leader for ladder technology, who are interested in the new way of installing the innovation in the ladder. We are currently working on a further development that will provide private individuals with an additional element of safety. With this product, we want to ensure that the safety of single ladders is generally increased at all federal levels. Ladder accidents are no longer necessary in our world.

Awards

The start-up LENZ Technology was nominated for the KfW Entrepreneurs' Award 2024 by the Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences in Bochum.