When it comes to working with ladders, safety is paramount. Falls from height are consistently the leading cause of workplace fatalities and injuries in the UK – accounting for 40 fatalities and over 5,000 non-fatal injuries in 2022/23.
Most workers are aware of the essential ladder safety rules but there are still some areas of ladder safety that are often overlooked. In this blog, we will be discussing the importance of making sure the area directly below your ladder is clear of any potential hazards.
Pre-use checks
It is a legal requirement to ensure that any ladder or stepladder is both suitable for the work task and in a safe condition to use. Alongside carrying out a number of checks on the ladder itself, you must ensure that the area surrounding your ladder has been thoroughly inspected for any potential hazards.
For example, you must:
- Make sure all of the ladder’s feet are on a firm, dry, level surface
- Watch for people working under or around the ladder
- Be sure to clear the ground area around the ladder before climbing
- Remove any items that may cause slips, trips, falls or impact hazards
- Make sure there are cages and/or other fall protection measures in place if there’s a risk of falling more than 2m
Failing to check the area around your ladder can result in serious injury and even death. In 2018, a 20-year-old electrician was fatally injured after falling backwards from a step ladder onto a section of metal piping that was being used as a handle on a cable drum.
Officials describe the circumstances as both ‘foreseeable and avoidable’, stating that not only was the stepladder unsuitable for the work being carried out, but the company failed to appropriately risk-assess the work and ensure that the surrounding area was free of materials that could cause injury in the event of a fall.
Matthew Mason was pronounced dead at the scene, and last year, Linbrooke Services Limited were found guilty of breaches of health and safety and working at height regulations. The company was ordered to pay £750,000 in fines and compensation.
Accidents like this are all too common yet fully preventable if the right measures are put in place to ensure thorough checks and risk assessments are carried out prior to ladder usage and working at height.
Neglecting ladder safety threatens workers’ lives, so don’t forget your checks!
If you have any further questions about ladder safety, or about any of our products, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll do our best to help you out.
