Published on: 21 July 2022
Safe use of ladders and stepladders at work
Falls when working at height remain the most common kind of workplace fatality.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released the latest annual fatality statistics, and there were 29 fatal injuries caused by falling from height in 2021/22.
Ladders and stepladders are not banned under health and safety law. They can be a sensible and practical option for low-risk, short-duration tasks, although they should not automatically be your first choice.
To help make sure you use the right type of ladder, and that you know how to use it safely, the HSE website has updated guidance on staying safe when using ladders at work. It now includes:
- more detail on competency, and what that means for ladder users and those managing ladder use on site
- key safety advice for using telescopic ladders
- practical tips for using combination and multi-purpose ladders
- good practice for securing ladders
You can also download the guidance document Safe use of ladders and stepladders, which was jointly produced by HSE and the Ladder Association.
For more information and advice visit the HSE working at height website.
