1. Grip the ladder firmly
2. Take one step at a time
3. Face straight ahead as you climb
4. Maintain at least three points of contact with the ladder at all times
5. Never slide down a ladder
6. Don't carry any unnecessary items with you (light tools and materials only)
7. Go at a steady pace - don't rush!

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If you've got a lot of different jobs to do - but you don't want to buy a lot of different ladders - then a combination ladder may be the ideal solution.

A combination ladder is a multi-use product that can be configured into a number of different shapes. For example, a 3-in-1 combination ladder might serve as a step ladder, an extension ladder, or a stairwell ladder depending on how you set it up.

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In January 2020, a roofing company in Kent was fined more than £28,000 because a worker had fallen from a ladder and sustained serious back injuries. The company hadn't taken steps to ensure that the man would be able to maintain three points of contact with the ladder while working - a HSE inspector stated that the accident could have been prevented "by simply providing basic and inexpensive lifting aids".

Unfortunately, this story is far from unique. Just one month earlier, in December 2019, the owner of a painting and decorating company in Northamptonshire was sentenced to 160 hours of unpaid work (and ordered to pay more than £2,000 in costs) after one of his employees suffered a fall that left him paralysed from the chest down.

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Ladders are very useful when you need to access a hard-to-reach area, but they can be dangerous if misused.

When you're on a ladder, be sure to avoid these 10 potentially risky behaviours:

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We don't want you to get hurt while you're using your step ladder, so here's some helpful step ladder safety advice from the experts here at Ladders UK Direct.

How to use a step ladder

• Give your step ladder a brief visual inspection before use. Make sure there are no signs of damage. (See also: How often should ladders be inspected?)
  
  
• Make sure all of the ladder's feet are firmly on the ground and keep them in contact with the ground at all times.
  
  
• Don't work on a step ladder for longer than 30 minutes at a time. Step ladders are ideal for quick, low-risk jobs. If you need to work at height for more than, say, half an hour, you should consider an alternative access solution.
  
  
• Don't overreach. Instead of stretching to reach something, get down and reposition the ladder as needed.
  
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