Ladder Safety Awareness

About this course.

This course raises awareness of how to use ladders and stepladders safely at work. Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of workplace fatalities in Great Britain, and ladders are involved in a large proportion of them — almost always because of misuse rather than the ladder itself failing. By the end of this course you will understand when a ladder is the right choice, how the law applies, and how to plan, inspect, set up, use, store and maintain a ladder so that the risk of a fall is as low as reasonably practicable. The course explains the types and classification of ladders and stepladders, the duties placed on employers and individuals by the Work at Height Regulations 2005, the common causes of injury, how to assess whether a ladder is suitable for a task, and the practical control measures — the 1-in-4 angle, three points of contact, securing and footing, and pre-use checks — that prevent the great majority of ladder accidents.

It draws on the Health and Safety Executive's free guidance leaflet 'Safe use of ladders and stepladders: A brief guide' (INDG455) and the British Standard for ladder classification, BS EN 131. It is designed for anyone who uses a ladder or stepladder at work — tradespeople, facilities and maintenance staff, retail and warehouse workers, cleaners, signage and electrical contractors — and for the supervisors and managers responsible for selecting equipment, training users and inspecting ladders. The course takes approximately 90 minutes and concludes with a 15-question multiple-choice assessment.