How Often Should Ladders Be Inspected? Checks, Records and Tags
There is no single legal interval for inspecting ladders. The user should give a ladder a quick pre-use check at the start of each working day and again whenever something changes, such as after it has been dropped. On top of that, a competent person should carry out a detailed visual inspection at fixed intervals, following the manufacturer’s instructions, and the employer must record the result. As a guide for ladders used and stored in good conditions, the Ladder Association suggests at least every 3 months for daily use, every 6 months for weekly use and every 12 months for less than monthly use.
On this page
- 1How often should ladders be inspected?
- 2What are the three levels of ladder inspection?
- 3What does the law say about ladder inspections?
- 4Who is competent to inspect a ladder?
- 5What should a detailed ladder inspection check?
- 6What records should you keep for ladder inspections, and for how long?
- 7Do ladders need inspection tags or labels?
- 8What should you do with a defective ladder?
- 9Do hired or borrowed ladders need inspecting?
- 10Who inspects the ladders contractors bring on site?
- 11Is there a simple ladder inspection checklist?
- 12What training helps with ladder inspections?
- 13Frequently asked questions
- There is no single legal interval. The law says ladders must be inspected at suitable intervals by a competent person, and the results recorded.
- Check before every use. The user looks over the feet, stiles, rungs and locks each time, or at the start of the working day.
- Detailed inspections on a schedule. The Ladder Association suggests at least every 3, 6 or 12 months, depending on how often the ladder is used.
- Take damaged ladders out of use. Label them clearly and set them aside or destroy them; never lean them back against the wall.
This guide is for the people who look after ladders at work: supervisors, facilities managers and anyone asked to “sort out the ladder checks”. It covers the levels of check, who can do them, what to inspect, what to record, tags, and what to do when a ladder fails.
It does not repeat how to set up and climb a ladder, or the basic list of things a user looks at before climbing. Those are in our ladder safety rules. General information, not legal advice.
How often should ladders be inspected?
The law sets the duty but not the interval. Regulation 12(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 says that work equipment “exposed to conditions causing deterioration which is liable to result in dangerous situations” must be inspected “at suitable intervals” and “each time that exceptional circumstances which are liable to jeopardise the safety of the work equipment have occurred”. Ladders carried in vans, left out in the weather or used daily plainly fall within that.
HSE’s guidance on inspecting the condition of ladders turns that into two routine levels. Users should only use ladders and stepladders that have no visible defects and “should have a pre-use check each working day”. They should also have an up-to-date record of detailed visual inspections carried out regularly by a competent person, done “in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions”. HSE adds that detailed visual inspections are the employer’s responsibility and “should be carried out at fixed intervals and recorded”.
HSE does not give a number of months. The Ladder Association does, as a guide. Its toolbox talk How to… Check & Inspect Your Ladder (Version 1, Rev 1, 09/26) says that, for ladders used and stored in good conditions, they should be inspected at a minimum as follows:
| Level of use | Detailed visual inspection, at a minimum |
|---|---|
| Frequent (on a daily basis) | Every 3 months |
| Occasional (on a weekly basis) | Every 6 months |
| Infrequent (less than monthly) | Every 12 months |
Read those figures as minimums for good conditions, not targets. A ladder kept on a van or used in wet or dusty work is not in good conditions, and the manufacturer’s instructions may ask for more. The same toolbox talk says you may also need interim inspections between scheduled ones if a risk assessment has found significant risks that could cause the ladder to deteriorate.
One fixed figure does exist in the guidance. HSE and the Ladder Association both say that ladders forming part of a scaffold system still have to be inspected every seven days as part of the scaffold inspection requirements.
What are the three levels of ladder inspection?
HSE and the Ladder Association describe two routine methods, and the Ladder Association and the Regulations add a third, event-driven check. In practice, a workplace needs all three:
- Pre-use check. Done by the user at the beginning of the working day, and repeated “after something has changed”, such as the ladder being dropped or moved from a dirty area to a clean one. It is a quick look for obvious defects so that the ladder is safe to use now. HSE says these checks do not need to be recorded, but any problem should be reported to a manager.
- Detailed visual inspection. A more thorough, planned inspection by a competent person at fixed intervals, recorded by the employer. The Ladder Association describes its purpose as making sure the ladder is safe for continued use, not just for today’s job.
- Interim or after-event inspection. An extra inspection outside the schedule when something could have damaged the ladder: a fall, a vehicle strike, a fire, a flood, or a period of heavy use in harsh conditions. This is what regulation 12(3)(b) means by “exceptional circumstances”. The Ladder Association’s toolbox talk calls planned extra checks “interim inspections”.
HSE says a detailed visual inspection “is similar to pre-use checks, in that it is used to spot defects and can be done on site by a competent employee”. The difference is depth and record-keeping: the user’s check protects today’s job, while the recorded inspection tracks condition over time and catches slow deterioration a daily glance can miss.
What does the law say about ladder inspections?
Regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations covers ladders. It applies to “work equipment to which regulation 8 and Schedules 2 to 6 apply”, and regulation 8(e) brings ladders in through Schedule 6. The Regulations define “ladder” to include a fixed ladder and a stepladder. Four parts of regulation 12 matter most:
- 12(3) requires inspection at suitable intervals and after exceptional circumstances, as above.
- 12(5) says no work equipment may leave your undertaking, or be used in it if it came from another business, unless it is accompanied by “physical evidence that the last inspection required to be carried out under this regulation has been carried out”.
- 12(6) says the result of an inspection must be recorded and kept until the next inspection is recorded.
- 12(10) defines inspection as “such visual or more rigorous inspection by a competent person as is appropriate for safety purposes”, including any testing appropriate for those purposes.
Two common assumptions are wrong. First, the 7-day inspection and formal Schedule 7 report in regulation 12(4), (7) and (8) apply to construction working platforms from which a person could fall 2 metres or more, not to every ladder. Second, the general inspection duty in regulation 6 of PUWER does not apply here: PUWER regulation 6(5)(f) excludes “work equipment to which regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 applies”. PUWER regulation 5 still applies, so ladders must be “maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”. Our guides to the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and PUWER explain the wider framework.
Users have a duty too. Regulation 14 requires anyone working under someone else’s control to report “any activity or defect relating to work at height” that they know is likely to endanger themselves or others.
Inspection is not the first question, though. Schedule 6 allows a ladder only where a risk assessment shows more suitable equipment is not justified. If the job needs a platform, see the hierarchy of control for work at height and our comparison of podium steps vs stepladders.
Who is competent to inspect a ladder?
The law asks for a competent person, not a particular qualification. Regulation 5 requires anyone involved in work at height or the work equipment used for it, including its organisation, planning and supervision, to be competent or, while training, supervised by a competent person. HSE and LA455 say competence can be shown through “a combination of training, practical and theoretical knowledge, and experience”.
For ladder inspection, that means someone who knows how each type of ladder in use works, has read the manufacturer’s instructions for those models, can tell acceptable wear from damage that takes a ladder out of service, and has the authority to quarantine a ladder.
HSE’s reference to a “competent employee” shows this need not be an outside contractor.
The Ladder Association’s Ladders and Stepladders Inspection course is one recognised route. It runs for a minimum of half a day, covers frequency of inspections, recording, and repair and disposal procedures, and includes a practical in which delegates complete a detailed visual inspection. Applicants must already hold the Association’s Ladder & Stepladder for Users qualification, and successful delegates receive a LadderCard with a five-year validity period.
Online awareness training supports the knowledge but does not by itself make someone a competent ladder inspector. Our Ladder Safety Awareness course covers inspecting and setting up a ladder and its maintenance, inspection and storage, which helps users, supervisors and managers know what good looks like. The people signing off detailed inspections still need hands-on experience, familiarity with the manufacturer’s instructions and, ideally, practical training.
What should a detailed ladder inspection check?
HSE lists the core points for every ladder inspection: damaged or worn feet, twisted, bent or dented stiles, cracked, worn, bent or loose rungs, missing or damaged tie rods, and cracked or damaged welded joints, loose rivets or damaged stays. It adds that checks of stability devices and other accessories should follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The table below groups those points with the extra checks each type of ladder needs.
| Ladder type | What to inspect | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| All ladders | Feet present, secure and not worn smooth or split; stiles straight, not twisted, bent, dented or cracked; rungs or treads secure, not bent, cracked or worn; rivets, welds, tie rods and stays intact; no paint, oil or grime build-up; product label present | HSE’s core inspection points; worn feet let a ladder slip, and damaged stiles or rungs can buckle or fail |
| Leaning and extension ladders | Stabiliser bar or other stability device secure and undamaged; on extension ladders, guide brackets and the locks or latches that hold sections together working properly; ropes and pulleys on rope-operated ladders not frayed or worn | Schedule 6 requires portable ladders to be prevented from slipping and extension sections to be prevented from moving relative to each other while in use |
| Stepladders | Locking bars or restraints straight and engaging fully; hinges and the top cap or platform secure; platform not split or buckled; treads clean and fixings tight; all four feet present | HSE says a split or buckled platform can make a stepladder unstable or collapse, and loose tread fixings can give way |
| Telescopic ladders | Every section extends and retracts smoothly; each section’s locking mechanism engages and releases correctly; no bent or dented sections; clean, with no grit in the mechanism; inspect strictly to the manufacturer’s instructions | HSE warns that “some of the important parts are inside where they cannot be seen” and says not to use one if in any doubt; the Ladder Association notes they have more safety-critical moving parts |
| Fibreglass ladders | Stiles free of cracks, splits, chips or other damage; no build-up of paint or dirt; all metal fittings, rivets and feet secure; follow the manufacturer’s criteria for damage to the fibreglass | HSE recommends a non-conductive ladder, such as fibreglass or timber, for electrical work, so damage to the stiles matters for electrical safety as well as strength |
Do the inspection with the ladder on the ground or opened out at floor level, never by climbing it. Lay a leaning ladder flat to sight along the stiles for bends and twists, and open a stepladder fully on a level floor to check that it stands square, that the locking bars engage and that all four feet touch the ground. Check the label too. Our guide to the EN 131 ladder standard explains what the label should show and what to do with ladders made to the old British standards. The Ladder Association advises that if you cannot tell which standard a ladder meets, because there is no record or the labels are gone, you should stop using it.
What records should you keep for ladder inspections, and for how long?
For detailed visual inspections, regulation 12(6) sets the legal minimum: the result must be recorded and kept until the next inspection is recorded. Records may be on paper or electronic. Regulation 2(2) says a record must be capable of being reproduced as a printed copy when required and be secure from loss or unauthorised interference. Pre-use checks do not need to be recorded, according to HSE, though defects found must be reported.
Keeping only the latest record is lawful, but many employers choose to keep each ladder’s full history. It shows how quickly ladders deteriorate in your conditions, which helps set intervals, and is useful evidence if an accident is investigated.
The Ladder Association recommends a ladder register if you own a number of ladders, to help organise and plan inspections and maintenance. A practical register gives each ladder a unique ID and records:
- the ID, type, material, size and where it is kept
- the standard and class from its label, such as EN 131 Professional
- its inspection interval and the date the next inspection is due
- for each inspection: the date, the inspector’s name, the result and any defects found
- action taken, such as cleaning, a part replaced to the manufacturer’s instructions, quarantine or disposal
Schedule 7 does not apply to ordinary ladders, but its list of particulars, including what was found, what was done about it and the name and position of the person reporting, is a sensible model for a ladder inspection record.
Do ladders need inspection tags or labels?
No regulation says “tag every ladder”, but tags and labels are the simplest way to show users a ladder’s status and to meet regulation 12(5). The Ladder Association’s toolbox talk says to “affix a label to your ladders to provide users with a useful visual indicator of its inspection status”. Its own example, headed “Record of inspection”, has spaces for an ID number, the inspector, the date and an expiry date.
Commercial tag systems work the same way, often with a holder on the stile and an insert showing status and the next due date. Whichever you use:
- make the ladder ID on the tag match the register
- show the date of the last detailed inspection and when the next one is due
- teach users that an out-of-date tag means “do not use and report it”, in the same way as a defect
- never let a tag stand in for the user’s own pre-use check
A tag shows an inspection happened, not that the ladder is still in that condition today, which is why the pre-use check still matters.
What should you do with a defective ladder?
Stop using it straight away. HSE and LA455 say that if you spot a defect, do not use the ladder and notify your employer. After that, the steps are:
- Take it out of use. Remove it from the work area so nobody else picks it up. Do not lean it back against a wall or return it to the rack.
- Mark it clearly. Fix a “do not use” tag or label to it, and update its record in the register.
- Quarantine it. Keep it in a marked area or locked store away from serviceable ladders until a decision is made.
- Decide: repair or scrap. Some parts, such as replacement feet, may be designed to be replaced. Only carry out repairs the manufacturer’s instructions allow, using the manufacturer’s parts. Never straighten a bent stile, weld a cracked joint or improvise a fix.
- Dispose of it properly. If it cannot be returned to safe condition as the manufacturer intends, scrap it so it cannot be reused, for example by cutting through the stiles before it goes for recycling. The Ladder Association tells owners who cannot confirm a ladder’s standard to “scrap them properly”.
- Find out why. If ladders keep failing early, look at storage, transport and whether the type suits the work.
PUWER’s “good repair” duty means a ladder is either repaired properly or replaced.
Do hired or borrowed ladders need inspecting?
Yes. Regulation 12(5) means a ladder hired in or borrowed from another business should come with physical evidence that its last required inspection has been carried out. In practice that is usually a tag, a label or a copy of the inspection record. Ask for it when the ladder arrives, and do not use a ladder that turns up without one until a competent person has inspected it.
The duty runs both ways: a ladder you lend to another firm leaves your undertaking, so it should go with evidence of its last inspection. Either way, the user still does a pre-use check, because the ladder may have been damaged in transport.
Be wary of staff bringing ladders from home. A household ladder may be rated only for domestic use and has no inspection history, so it should not be used for work unless it is suitable and inspected like any other work ladder.
Who inspects the ladders contractors bring on site?
Primarily the contractor. Under regulation 3, the duties in the Work at Height Regulations apply to employers in relation to work by their employees, and to self-employed people in relation to their own work, so the contractor must make sure its ladders are inspected, recorded and suitable.
The site owner or main contractor is not off the hook. The same regulation applies the duties to anyone in relation to work by people under their control, to the extent of that control. A sensible client:
- asks for the contractor’s risk assessment and evidence that the ladders have been inspected
- checks that ladders arriving on site carry an in-date tag or come with an inspection record
- makes sure contractors’ operatives carry out pre-use checks
- stops the work if a ladder is plainly defective
Our guide to who needs working at height training covers the competence side of contractor checks.
Is there a simple ladder inspection checklist?
Yes. Print this summary or copy it into a site procedure, adapting it to your ladders and the manufacturer’s instructions.
Before every use (the user, start of the day and after any change):
- Tag in date and ladder on the register
- Feet present, clean and not worn or damaged
- Stiles straight, not bent, split or dented
- Rungs or treads secure, clean and undamaged
- Locks, locking bars and extension latches working and fully engaged
- Stepladder platform not split or buckled
- Defect found: do not use, tag it and tell your manager
Detailed visual inspection (competent person, at fixed intervals):
- All of the above, more thoroughly, with the ladder on the ground
- Rivets, welds, tie rods and stays
- Stability devices and accessories, to the manufacturer’s instructions
- Type-specific checks from the table above
- Product label present and readable
- Result recorded in the register, tag updated, next date set
Interim or after-event inspection:
- After a fall, impact, fire, flood or other incident
- When a risk assessment identifies conditions likely to cause deterioration
- Before a hired or borrowed ladder without inspection evidence is used
What training helps with ladder inspections?
Users need to know how to do a pre-use check; managers need to know how to run a register, set intervals and act on defects; inspectors need practical competence on the actual equipment.
Nexis CPD courses are awareness-level CPD. They build the underpinning knowledge but do not replace practical ladder or inspection training, supervision or the manufacturer’s instructions. Three courses fit together for anyone responsible for ladders:
Together they cost £18 rather than £27 under the pay-for-2-get-3 offer. Employers training 5 or more staff can buy team places at £6 a course place, with places lasting 12 months.
Ladder Safety Awareness
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a legal requirement to inspect ladders?
Yes. Regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 applies to ladders. Where conditions can cause dangerous deterioration, they must be inspected at suitable intervals and after exceptional circumstances by a competent person, and the result must be recorded. The law does not set a fixed interval.
How often should a ladder be inspected?
The user should do a pre-use check at the start of each working day and after anything changes. A competent person should do a detailed visual inspection at fixed intervals. As a guide for good conditions, the Ladder Association suggests at least every 3 months for daily use, 6 months for weekly use and 12 months for less than monthly use.
Do ladder pre-use checks need to be recorded?
No. HSE says pre-use checks do not need to be recorded, but any problem should be reported to a manager. Detailed visual inspections are different: the employer must record them and keep the record at least until the next inspection is recorded.
Who can carry out a detailed ladder inspection?
A competent person: someone with the training, knowledge and experience to spot defects on the ladders they inspect and to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. HSE says this can be a competent employee on site. The Ladder Association runs a practical inspection course for this role.
How long should ladder inspection records be kept?
The legal minimum is until the next inspection is recorded. Records can be paper or electronic if they can be printed when needed and are secure. Many employers keep each ladder’s full history, which helps set intervals and supports any investigation.
Can a damaged ladder be repaired?
Only in the ways the manufacturer’s instructions allow, such as fitting genuine replacement feet. Never straighten bent stiles, weld cracks or improvise a repair. Otherwise, take it out of use and scrap it so it cannot be used again.
General information, not legal advice. This guide summarises the Work at Height Regulations 2005, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and guidance from HSE and the Ladder Association, including LA455 (Version 1, Rev 1, 09/26) and the Ladder Association toolbox talk How to… Check & Inspect Your Ladder (Version 1, Rev 1, 09/26), as checked on 26 October 2026. The Regulations cited apply in England, Scotland and Wales. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your ladders. Nexis CPD courses are CPD-accredited awareness training: they do not make someone a competent ladder inspector on their own and do not replace practical training, a risk assessment or a competent person’s inspection.