One of the jobs I do as defacto building manager at my workshop complex is change out fluorescent tubes. This is a difficult task to do single-handedly because of the need to put the new and spent tubes somewhere while up the ladder. I've been trying to find a suitable bag to hang from the ladder. It needs to be around 1.5 m deep and to be lightweight.

Short of having one made, any suggestions?

I have been thinking maybe a lightweight golf bag.

I think a beach umbrella bag or similar. I would also consider something at the bottom of it to stop the heater pins holing it. Mounting it would also need thought.

I use a wheelie bin for the old tubes - it has a piece of sponge in the bottom so the shock from being dropped doesn't cause the lamp to implode. It's probably not recommended or viewed as safe in the minds of a WH&S 'expert' but it ultimately fits the bill with me, who has had plenty of practice at not breaking lamps.

What I have seen being used by a maintenance sparkie was a ladder with two large diameter PVC pipes fixed one to each leg. One was loaded with new tubes and the other took the old tubes. The bloke positioned the ladder under a fitting, climbed up, slid the diffuser to one side, extracted each old tube one at a time and gently slid it into the empty pipe and then took a new tube from the other pipe to fit into the holder. As the resident OH&S person for the office I was impressed as he was able to maintain a vertical posture with just a small turn left or right so he remained stable while up the ladder. He did not need to carry anything in his hands while climbing up and down and his method minimised the risk of dropping a tube.

Thanks for the suggestions. The PVC pipes idea appeals to me.

I avoid breaking the tubes by slipping the spent ones into the cardboard covers from the new tubes.

And the PVC pipe hung off the side of the ladder works perfectly for me.