Understand The Ladders And Working At Height Regulations
It is important to understand the reasons for Working At Height Regulations when using ladders.
Working At Height Regulations, which came into force in 2005, present a clear message - if you must use a ladder, use the right ladder for the job safely.
Produced by the Ladder Association, the Working At Height Regulations document was designed to help people understand how the new law affects the use of ladders, - in a collaborative effort between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the British Standards Institution (BSI).
There are a few legal documents which aim to control the use of portable ladders in the UK industry including:
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998
Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 (CHSWR)
Manual Handling Regulations 1992
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations 1992
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
The objective of the Working At Height Regulations legislation is to stop people working at height where possible.
All workers and employers using ladders or working platforms, the regulations say, must ensure the correct equipment is selected appropriately and is used in the safest way possible.
Although requirements contained in the new legislation already featured in existing legislation specific to the construction industry, it applies to all sectors of the economy. The legal obligations are on employers, the self-employed and employees.
Employers and self-employed are particularly responsible for eliminating or minimising risks from work at height as well as planning work at height and selecting suitable equipment to perform work at height.
The principals of risk assessment are spelled out in the Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations 1999.
Sometimes, it is impossible to avoid working at height and, therefore, a safe means of access is necessary.
The following must always be taken into account:
What it is the ladder or working platform going to be used for?
What type of ladder is best for the job?
Have you ensured the shortest possible duration for the job?
Have you taken every measure to prevent falls and accidents?
Are you wearing protective clothing?
Is there any other suitable access equipment that would make the job quicker, easier or safer?
How often will you need to use the access equipment?
How much training have the ladder users had?
How good are the ground conditions?
Have you considered external factors like weather, vandalism and electrical safety?
In addition, always ensure:
Leaning ladders are at the correct angle
Leaning ladders are secured to prevent slipping
Ladders are put on firm surfaces
You face the ladder at all times whilst climbing
Step ladders are not sideways-on where sideways loads are supplied
Only one person climbs on the ladder or step ladder at a time
You never overreach
Ladders are stored correctly
All ladders are inspected regularly
Working At Height Regulations also spells out the need to frequently check and maintain ladders.
by: Dave Cross
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