Ladders are not banned, and never were. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 permit them for low-risk, short-duration work where a risk assessment supports it. What the regulations require is that you justify the choice — not that you avoid it.
The rules that matter in practice are few: set it at the right angle, secure it, keep three points of contact, and do not overreach. Most ladder accidents come from failing one of those four, not from using a ladder at all.
When is a ladder the right choice?
HSE guidance points to low-risk, short-duration work. Short duration is commonly taken as around 30 minutes in one position as an indication — but duration alone does not decide it. The risk assessment does.
A ladder is likely appropriate when:
- The work is brief and light — changing a lamp, a quick inspection, running a cable clip
- You can maintain three points of contact throughout
- You can work without stretching or leaning out
- The ground is firm, level and clean
- There is a suitable point to secure the ladder
A ladder is the wrong choice when the work needs both hands, heavy tools or materials, sustained effort, or repeated repositioning. At that point you need a tower, podium or MEWP — and choosing a ladder anyway is where Regulation 6 gets breached.
The four rules that prevent most accidents
1. The 1-in-4 rule — 75 degrees
For every four units up, one unit out. Too steep and the ladder tips backwards; too shallow and the feet slide out. Most leaning ladders have an angle indicator; the informal check is to stand with toes at the feet and reach out — your palms should meet the rung at shoulder height with arms straight.
2. Secure it
Tie the ladder at the top wherever possible, to a fixed point on both stiles — not the rungs. Where tying is impossible, use an effective stability device. Footing the ladder is a last resort, not a substitute: a second person holding the base does little once a fall begins.
For access to a landing or roof, the ladder should extend about 1 metre above the landing point, unless there is another suitable handhold.
3. Three points of contact
Two feet and a hand, or two hands and a foot, maintained throughout. If a task needs both hands for more than a moment, the ladder is the wrong equipment. Carry tools in a belt or hoist them — do not climb with them in your hands.
4. Do not overreach
The practical rule: keep your belt buckle inside the stiles. If you have to lean out to reach, get down and move the ladder. Nearly every “I only needed one more inch” story ends the same way.
Stepladders
Different equipment, different failure modes:
- Open fully and ensure any locking bars or restraint cords are engaged
- Avoid side-on working. Stepladders are least stable sideways. Face the work; move the steps rather than twisting
- Do not stand on the top step or platform unless the stepladder is specifically designed for it
- Level ground only — never on a table, plank or another ladder
- Keep both feet on the same step where possible
Pre-use checks — every time
A visual check before each use, by the user. Take the ladder out of service if you find:
- Stiles bent, split, dented or damaged — a buckled stile can collapse without warning
- Feet missing, worn, damaged or clogged with mud, paint or grease
- Rungs loose, missing, bent or slippery
- Locking mechanisms on stepladders bent, worn or not engaging
- Platform split or buckled
- Contamination — oil, mud, wet paint on rungs
Damaged ladders should be removed from use and clearly marked or destroyed, not leaned back against the wall for someone else to find. Under Regulation 14 anyone at work must report defects in work equipment.
Ground and surroundings
- Firm and level. Not on loose soil, gravel, or a slab that rocks. Levelling devices exist for uneven ground; bricks and offcuts under one stile do not count
- Clean. Mud, ice, oil and loose grit under the feet defeat the anti-slip design
- Doors and traffic. Lock or guard any door or window that opens into the ladder
- Overhead services. Metal and wet fibreglass ladders conduct — keep well clear of overhead lines, and use a non-conductive ladder for electrical work
- Fragile surfaces. Where the ladder gives access to a roof, check for roof lights and fragile sheets before stepping off. See the Work at Height Regulations
Choosing the right ladder
Ladders sold in the UK are generally marked to EN 131, which distinguishes Professional from Non-professional use. Domestic-rated ladders are not built for daily site use. Check the marking, and check the maximum load includes you plus tools and materials.
Do not use a ladder outside its rating, and do not use makeshift alternatives — chairs, boxes, pallets, or a stepladder on a table — which appear in a depressing number of serious accident reports.
Storage and inspection
- Store under cover, off the ground, supported along the stiles to avoid sagging
- Keep away from heat sources, which weaken fibreglass and aluminium
- Alongside pre-use checks by the user, arrange periodic detailed inspections by a competent person, recorded, at intervals matched to how hard the ladder is worked
Further reading
- HSE — Using ladders and stepladders safely
- HSE INDG455 — Safe use of ladders and stepladders
- Work at Height Regulations 2005, Schedule 6 — Ladders
Ladder safety training
- Ladder Safety Awareness — selection, pre-use checks, setup and safe use
- Working at Height Awareness
Related reading: Work at Height Regulations 2005 explained · Hierarchy of control
£9 per course. CPD accredited, 100 % online, verifiable e-certificate on completion. Pay for 2, get 3 — any 3 courses for £18.
Please note: this is a CPD-accredited awareness course and general information, not legal advice. It is not an Ofqual-regulated qualification and does not replace practical, task-specific training or a site-specific risk assessment. Always check your employer’s and scheme’s requirements.