Essential Ladder Safety: Tips for Working at Height

Ladders are often a suitable piece of equipment for tasks involving working at height, but using them incorrectly poses a serious risk to the user and those nearby.

Here, leading health and safety training company High Speed Training provides guidance on ladder safety.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), falls from height are the main cause of fatal accidents for workers in Great Britain. To reduce the likelihood of accidents, High Speed Training tells how to follow the “4 to 1” rule and ensure every ladder undergoes a pre-use inspection.

The ladder angle rule

To reduce the risk of falls, ladders must be angled correctly. The rule is set out in two forms:

• The 4 to 1 Rule: For every 4 units of height the ladder goes up, the base should be 1 unit out from the wall.
• The 75-Degree Rule: This ensures the ladder leans at a 75-degree angle against the surface.

A ladder must not be used if you cannot achieve this angle, unless it is entirely secured, such as a fixed ladder in a scaffold structure.

How to secure a ladder

Here are some of the most commonly used methods and devices to secure a ladder. 

• Tie the Stiles: Use straps or rope to tie both stiles to a suitable point, such as handrails. Always tie the stiles, not the rungs.
• Use Stability Devices: If you cannot tie the ladder, use commercially available base supports or stand-off brackets. These protect weak surfaces like plastic gutters or glazing.
• Footing as a Last Resort: Having another person hold the base should only be done if other methods aren’t possible. It should not be used for long ladders.

Dr Richard Anderson, Learning Experience Director at High Speed Training said: “Remember that before you secure your ladder safely in place, you must firstly carry out pre-use inspections of the ladder. You must also ensure that the environment conditions, such as weather and surface materials, are appropriate.”

What is your employer responsible for?

Under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 (the HSW Act) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), employers are legally required to manage and supervise health and safety at work. If your work involves ladders, your employer must:

• Carry out a risk assessment to determine if a ladder is the right tool for the job.
• Ensure regular inspections are conducted by a “competent person” (usually every six months).
• Provide training so employees can confidently secure and use the equipment.
• Maintain records of all detailed inspections.

What are ladder inspections?

Ladder inspections consist of a thorough test of each of the ladder’s components to ensure it is functional, as well as a visual check of its overall condition, such as signs of wear and tear, damage or defects that could affect the stability or integrity of the ladder.

Dr Anderson continues: “It’s important to note that employers must ensure that the inspection is completed by a competent person, which in most cases will be the employer themselves, a manager or a supervisor.”

In addition to this, a pre-use check should also be completed, by the person using it, at the beginning of each work day, before any work is begun on the ladder or any time the condition of the ladder has been changed.

Dr Anderson concludes: “By following these procedures and using the correct stabilisation methods, you can significantly reduce the risk of injury from working at height. Remember, if a task is high-risk or long-duration, a ladder may not be the safest option, and other equipment should be considered.”

For more tips and in-depth guidance, visit High Speed Training Hub, or our Working at Height articles.