Ladders are best used for getting to and from a workplace, and should only be utilised for medium level, short-term work.
Always use ladders carefully, by using both hands when climbing, and by ensuring that your footwear is in good condition, and free from mud or grease, before you start.
Never carry loose tools up or down a ladder. Light tools should be carried in a holster attached to a belt, or in a tool bag. If you need to raise or lower loads, use a gin wheel or other lifting equipment, rather than carrying bulky items up the ladder.
Never use ladders where there is a danger from overhead power lines.
Check that the stiles are not damaged, buckled or warped, that no rungs are cracked or missing, and that safety feet, if fitted, are not missing.
Never use home-made or makeshift ladders, or carry out your own repairs on ladders that are damaged.
A ladder should always be supported on its stiles, never on a rung.
To secure a ladder correctly :
Place at a stable angle of about one metre out for every four metres up.
Support the foot of the ladder on a firm, level surface, and rest the head of the ladder against a solid surface able to withstand the imposed loads.
Ladders over 3 metres long should be securely fixed at the top, and whilst the ladder is being tied, it should be footed. if it is not possible to secure the top of the ladder, it should be secured at the sides or the base.
In situations where the ladder cannot be secured at the sides, top or base, a second person should be employed to foot the ladder to prevent it slipping.
Ladders should extend to a height of at least 1.05 metres above the highest rung on which the user has to stand.
If you are using an extension ladder, you must make sure that there are at least 3 rungs overlapping, and the ladder should be raised and lowered from the base, ensuring that the hooks are properly engaged.
Step Ladder Safety
Step ladders are used for low level, short duration work, and are not designed for any degree of side loading.
Always check that the step ladder stays, chains or cords are of sufficient and equal length, and kept in good order, and check that treads are not missing or loose, and that hinges are not damaged. Defects in any of these areas should be repaired by a qualified person, or the step ladders destroyed.
When using step ladders, you must practice the following simple rules:
Spread the ladders to their fullest extent, and place on firm level ground, positioned at right angles to the work wherever possible.
Don't be tempted to use them in the closed position as a ladder, and never attempt to carry out work from the top platform unless it has specially designed hand-holds.
Avoid over-stretching, and make sure that only one person uses the step ladder at any one time.
Finally, if the steps are used in a doorway, the door should be wedged open securely, so that people can see you working from both sides.
Trestle Safety
Trestle platforms are intended for light work of a short duration.
Before using trestles, always check that they have been properly maintained and are of sound construction.
Trestle scaffolds should be placed on firm, level ground, and should always be opened to their fullest extent, using only lightweight staging to create the working platform.
Boards should be of firm construction, and must rest securely and evenly on the supports, ensuring that the trestles are not too far apart for the thickness of board being used.
Working platforms should be constructed so that they are no more than two thirds of the height of the trestles, and if the working height is more than 1.98 metres, work should be carried out in the sitting position.
Access to trestle platforms should be by means of a step ladder, which should extend to about one metre above the platform itself.
Trestles over 3.65 metres high should be tied to the building, and must not be used if a worker is liable to fall more than 4.5 metres to the ground.
General Access Scaffolds
Scaffolds must be on firm, level foundations, capable of supporting the weight of the scaffold and any loads likely to be placed on them.
Scaffolds must be braced and tied into a permanent structure, or stabilised by some other appropriate means.
All working platforms on the scaffold should be fully boarded and wide enough for work taking place, and easy access. The boards should be adequately supported, making sure they don't overhang excessively.
There should always be safe ladder access onto the working platforms of a scaffold. It is not safe to climb up the outside of a scaffold. If an access ladder is not available, do not use the scaffold.
If scaffolding is not safe for use, or has been partially erected or dismantled, a warning notice must be displayed and access removed. Do not use a scaffold displaying such a warning notice.
A green 'scafftag' displays the scaffold loading capacity and its inspection record. Before using the scaffold, check if it is for access only, or load bearing, and if load bearing what the load limit is. Also check the inspection record on the reverse, and make sure the use-by date has not lapsed.
Tower Scaffolds
Always follow the manufacturers instructions for erection, use and dismantling of tower scaffolds.
Scaffolds should be erected to a height no more than 3 times the width of its base, and must be vertical with the legs resting on firm level ground. Wheels and outriggers, if any, must then be locked into position.
On platforms from which a person could fall greater than 2 metres, edge protection, such as guard rails and toe boards, must be provided.
All tower scaffolds must have a safe way of getting to and from the work platform. Climbing up the outside of the tower itself should never be considered in any situation.
Never position a ladder on the top platform in order to extend the height of a tower scaffold, and never place a ladder against the outside of the tower.
The tower should be rigidly tied to the structure it is serving :
if the tower is sheeted,
if it is likely to be exposed to strong winds,
it is going to be used for carrying out grit blasting or water jetting,
if heavy materials are likely to be lifted up the outside of the tower, and
if the tower base is too small to ensure stability for the height of the platform.
Mobile towers with castors should only be used on hard, level surfaces, or on temporarily laid level bases or runways. When the scaffold is in use, the wheels should be turned outwards, and the wheels locked.
Mobile & Suspended Access Equipment
Before work starts on mobile and suspended access equipment, the following criteria must
first be satisfied.
A hand-over certificate must be provided by the installer. The certificate should cover
how to deal with emergencies, operate, check and maintain the equipment, and state its safe working
load.
The equipment must only be installed, modified and dismantled by competent specialists.
Areas on site where people may be struck by the platform or falling materials must be barriered off.
Systems should be in place to prevent people within the building being struck by the platform as it
rises and descends, and prevent the platform from coming into contact with open windows or
similar obstructions which could cause it to tip.
The supports on the platform should be adequately protected from damage.
The equipment must be protected from adverse weather such as high winds.
As well as the checks to be made before work can start on mobile access equipment, a few
more checks should be made at the end of each working day.
The platform should be cleared of tools and equipment.
Power should be switched off, and where appropriate, power cables secured and made dead.
The equipment should be secured where it is not accessible to vandals and trespassers.
Notices should be attached to the equipment warning that it is out of service, and
must, under no circumstances, be used.
Roof Work
Rooftop work should only be undertaken by persons who have knowledge and experience of the hazards involved.
If work is going to be done on any roof, you should make sure that the following safety measures are
considered and implemented.
There should be a safe means of access onto the roof, either by tied ladders for
short-term work, or general access scaffolds for extensive work.
A safe means for moving across the roof should be in place, e.g. by the use of suitable
roof ladders, or crawling boards.
There should be a safe means for working on the roof itself, by using guard-railed platforms,
for example.
Roof Ladders
On fragile and most sloping roofs, purpose made roof ladders or crawling boards must be used.
When using roof ladders, you must ensure that the ridge hook is properly positioned over
the ridge tile.
The ladders must be of sufficient length for the slope involved and should be inspected
regularly for damage or excessive wear. if any equipment is found to be faulty, it should be taken
out of service immediately and destroyed.
Roof ladders are usually adequate for restricted short-term work, but when extensive work
is required, a catch barrier or working platform must be erected at the eaves of the building.
Guard Rails
Where long-term extensive work has to be done on a flat or sloping roof, you should make sure that
the edges are protected by a guard rail, or by anchorage points for safety belts.
Safety Harnesses
Where people can approach an open edge from which they could fall two metres or more, some
form of protection will be needed.
A safety harness allows freedom of movement together with a high risk of protection, but
a harness will not prevent a fall and can only minimise the risk of injury if a fall occurs.
The free fall distance should be no greater than two metres, and a shock absorber should
be fitted to the harness lanyard to reduce the risk of injury from shock loads.
A suitably qualified person must supervise the installation of the equipment to which
harnesses are to be fixed.
People using harnesses must know how to check, wear and adjust them before use.
Users must be able to connect themselves from a safe position, before they move into a
place where they will rely on the protection provided by the harness.
Protection Against Falling Materials
The risk of falling materials causing injury can be minimised by keeping working platforms
clear of loose materials.
Therefore you should always replace tools into their correct holsters when you are not
using them, and take care to remove debris such as roofing tiles, before they build up.
Ways of preventing materials and other objects from rolling, or being kicked off the
edges of platforms must be provided, such as toe boards, solid barriers and brick guards.
If a scaffold is erected in a public place, nets, fans and covered walkways may be needed
to provide extra protection for pedestrians.
Never throw materials from a roof or scaffold, but instead use either a debris chute or
lower the debris carefully in a container.