Climbing the Ladder

Ladders are not banned!
Each year 14 people die in the workplace as a result of falls from ladders and a further 1200 suffer major injuries. This equates to a quarter of all falls from height related injuries.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 has caused much anxiety in industry. Much of this concern is caused by misinterpretation of the regulations, which has lead to common misconception that working off ladders is banned. This is not the case and it is still  possible to work off a ladder. By following a few basic controls you can ensure that you are working safely and are within the guidelines of the regulations.

Therefore the use of ladders in the workplace should be undertaken with a cautious frame of mind. In essence, ladders should only be used for infrequent, low risk and short duration work. Arrangements should be in place to ensure that the ladder cannot slip and it should be tied at the top and fixed at the bottom to prevent this happening. There are now many devices on the market designed to secure ladders in place.

Ladders are classed as an item of work equipment and therefore should be periodically inspected to ensure that they are in good working order and not damaged in any way. Ladder checks should be recorded and kept on file. Before undertaking any work using a ladder a risk assessment should be completed that assesses the risk of using a ladder for a particular task at any specific location.

Alternative access arrangements should be in place for anything longer than short duration, low risk work at height. Tower scaffolding, cherry pickers and MEWP's are all now commonly used for height access. Some situations do not lend themselves to  using this type of equipment and in this case a good old ladder may be the only suitable piece of equipment. If this is the case, then do not panic. By following a few simple ground rules and precautions you can ensure that you are doing all you can to make the work as safe as possible and not falling foul of the regulations.