Ladder Safety at Work: Using Ladders and Stepladders the Right Way

First Things First: Ladders Are Not Banned

One of the most persistent health and safety myths is that ladders have been outlawed. They have not. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 allow ladder use where a risk assessment shows the task is low risk and short duration, typically a matter of minutes rather than hours, or where site features mean other equipment is not justified. What the regulations do demand is that you choose the right equipment for the job, and falls from ladders remain one of the most common causes of serious injury at work precisely because that choice is so often skipped.

Is a Ladder the Right Tool for This Job?

Before anyone climbs, ask:

• Could the work be done from the ground, or avoided entirely?
• Is it genuinely short duration and light work? Ladder tasks should not need heavy tools or materials, or sustained two-handed effort.
• Can the user keep three points of contact and avoid overreaching?
• Would a podium step, mobile tower or MEWP be more sensible? For anything longer or heavier, it almost certainly would.

Look for ladders marked to EN 131 Professional for workplace use. Older domestic-class ladders are not built for trade work.

Pre-Use Checks: One Minute That Prevents Falls

Every user should give the ladder a quick visual check before use:

• Stiles: not bent, split or damaged
• Rungs or treads: none missing, loose, bent or slippery with paint, mud or oil
• Feet: present, secure and not worn smooth, since the feet grip the ground
• Locking mechanisms on stepladders: engaging fully and not distorted
• Stability devices and any fittings: secure and undamaged

Damaged ladders come out of service immediately, labelled so nobody helpfully returns them. Alongside user checks, ladders should get a recorded detailed inspection periodically.

Setting Up and Using a Leaning Ladder

• The 1 in 4 rule: one unit out for every four up, roughly 75 degrees. Steeper risks tipping backwards; shallower risks the base sliding.
• Firm, level ground. Never on boxes, pallets or uneven surfaces to gain height.
• Secure it. Tie the ladder where possible; use an effective stability device if not. Footing by a colleague is the last resort.
• Extend above the landing point by about a metre if stepping off, and never stand on the top three rungs of a leaning ladder.
• Three points of contact while climbing, and maintain a handhold while working wherever possible.
• Belt buckle inside the stiles. If your navel passes the stile, you are overreaching; move the ladder instead.
• Watch for overhead cables, doors that open onto you, and vehicle routes. Cone off or lock doors as needed.

Stepladders Deserve Respect Too

Stepladders feel safe, which is exactly why they catch people out. Open them fully with locking bars engaged, never work off the top two steps unless there is a proper platform and handhold, avoid side-on working, which is how stepladders tip, and do not straddle or stand astride them.

Keep It Proportionate, Keep It Safe

Ladder safety is mostly good habits: right tool, quick check, sound setup, no overreaching. Build those habits with a short toolbox talk and they will outlast any poster.

If work at height features in your business, Integral Safety can help, from risk assessments through our consultancy service to drone surveys that remove the need to climb at all for roof and gutter inspections. Get in touch to find out more.