Know your employer obligations on ladder inspections
Posted on 30th Jul, 2014 | By Lorretta Tatham
Regular and thorough ladder inspections are no small part of keeping your staff safe when working at height. A quick search on Google returns almost 2 million results for the term “ladder inspections”, many of which relate to checklists produced by public sector organisations, Universities and schools – all drafted with a view to protecting staff from falls.
This week, we’re taking a look at employer obligations relating to ladder inspections and asking: is an online checklist really enough?
What the HSE has to say about ladder inspections
When advising employers how to keep their businesses compliant with the Work At Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR 2005), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that, before working at height, employers must “minimise the distance and consequences of a fall by using the right type of equipment.”
Furthermore, in order to comply with the law, employers must “ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job, maintained.”
Proving your business is compliant
While the meaning and purpose of the HSE’s advice on working at height is clear, imagine the following scenario: one of your staff members has suffered a fall from a ladder, sustaining serious injuries. As their employer, it is your legal obligation to prove that your business was operating in compliance with the HSE’s guidance.
You need to prove that you fulfilled your duty of care towards your staff member by ensuring the suitability, stability, strength and quality of your access equipment. Imagine this happened today. Are you really in a position to do that?
Browns Ladders helping you protect your staff and business
Any piece of access equipment should be inspected before every use: we’ve produced a handy ladder inspection checklist, which can be printed out and displayed around your premises to remind your staff of the expected safety standards in your business.
But while pre-use checks are an essential part of using access equipment safely, more maintenance is needed – which is where our ladder inspections come into play.
Browns Ladders has been keeping big businesses like Walkers, Warburtons, Silentnight and Heineken safe at work since 1997, carrying out regular access equipment and ladder inspections across their sites to ensure that all equipment is properly maintained and safe for use.
Our ladder inspections provide you with an effective way of demonstrating your company’s compliance with HSE guidelines and the WAHR 2005. Simply book in for regular ladder inspections with us (every three, six or 12 months depending on your needs) and we’ll inspect and repair up to 50 items of access equipment in one day.
All your inspected equipment will be marked with its inspection date – and the date of its next inspection – and we’ll issue you with a report to certify that you’ve taken steps to ensure the safety of your ladders and access equipment.
Find out more about our ladder inspections today
Our ladder inspections experts can help to spot and resolve any issues with your ladders and access equipment, keeping your staff safe and your business protected from costly legal action.
Contact a team member at Browns Ladders today to find out more, or call 0845 130 9225 to book your ladder inspections today.
