Safe use of ladders and step ladders at work

Up to 36% of all workplace fatalities in the UK were attributed to falls from height between 2019 and 2024, a fact that makes it vital to obtain the workplace training needed to use ladders and step ladders as safely as possible.

With ladders the most common denominator in work-related falls according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), giving workers the necessary training could dramatically reduce the number of injuries and keep workplaces more productive than ever. But where do you even begin when ensuring the safe use of ladders and step ladders at work? With our guide, of course!

Assess the risk

Using the correct equipment for the task in hand is essential whatever the workplace or the industry sector it serves. Time is a crucial factor when deciding if a ladder or step ladder should be the equipment of choice, with tasks taking longer than 30 minutes generally needing an alternative option.

Check your equipment

A ladder or step ladder should only be used when it is safe to do so, with the ladder’s stability and security top priorities. With this in mind, a pre-use check should always be conducted. General checks should also be undertaken at the start of the working day, or if the ladder has been dropped or moved.

During inspection, every part of the ladder or step ladder should be assessed. This includes the stiles, feet, rungs, locking mechanism, platform, steps and treads. If any defect is identified, the ladder should not be used and the necessary people should be informed.

Note your surroundings

Your surroundings form a vital part of your safety checks. The ladder should only ever be positioned on firm, level ground, while the surfaces must be clean, debris-free and solid. The area should also be inaccessible to the general public, vehicles and other hazards. The ladder may need to be secured further to ensure safe use, especially if its purpose is to allow access.

Refine your technique

So, your equipment and surroundings are safe, what next? Ensuring the worker using the ladder or step ladder can do so competently is important, and this all comes down to training. Our Work at Height Train the Trainer has been specifically designed for any person who is involved with working at height, and the safe use of ladders and steps is covered at length.

Give your trainers the grounding they need to set safer standards in your workplace by booking a place on our Work at Height Train the Trainer course today.