Ladder Inspections

Ladder Inspections – Protect Your Workforce, Prevent Falls and Meet Legal Duties

Why Ladder Inspections Are Crucial for Your Business

Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the UK, accounting for roughly a quarter of all deaths and 8% of non-fatal injuries every year – with many incidents involving ladders or stepladders. The risks are clear: faulty, poorly maintained, or unsuitable ladders put workers in danger and expose employers to significant legal and financial consequences. Whether used for brief maintenance tasks or daily operations, ladder inspections are essential in ensuring that every ladder is safe, fit for the job, and compliant with regulations such as PUWER, WAHR, INDG402, and industry best practice.

Total Ladder Safety Solutions from HSE Store

At HSE Store, we supply the full suite of ladder inspection products from Good to Go Safety, making safety checks simple, consistent and fully auditable. Our offering includes:

• Ladder Inspection Checklist Books: Comprehensive, easy-to-follow inspection sheets for every type of ladder and stepladder. Duplicate (carbon copy) sheets are retained for management records and evidence.

• Status Tags: Highly visible tags attach to the ladder, clearly displaying if it is “Good to Go” or “Do Not Use” until a valid inspection is complete. Tags fit most industrial ladders, including BS EN 131, BS 2037 Class 1, and BS 1129.

• Tamper Evident Seals: Protect the integrity of your inspections, ensuring completed checklists can’t be altered or replaced without authorisation.

• Information Posters: Clear guidance on inspection procedures and best practice, keeping ladder safety front of mind for every operative.

• Storage Wallets & Boxes: Safeguard check books and documentation against damage, dirt or loss, ensuring records are accessible for audits and compliance checks.

Our system supports daily, weekly, or ad-hoc inspection routines – whatever suits your business needs – and can be used for every ladder on your premises.

Benefits of Implementing Ladder Inspections

Robust ladder inspections deliver powerful business advantages:

• Reduces Accident Risk: Pre-use checks and scheduled inspections catch defects before they cause injuries or fatalities.

• Eradicates Assumption and Complacency: Visual evidence and status tagging eliminate guesswork and ensure faulty ladders are removed instantly.

• Demonstrates Compliance: Meets legal requirements under PUWER, WAHR and HSE guidelines, protecting your company against fines or enforcement action.

• Streamlines Recordkeeping: Duplicate check sheets provide ready-made audit trails and crucial evidence in the event of an incident.

• Boosts Workforce Confidence: Employees feel safer and better protected, reinforcing a culture of care and diligence.

Suitable Industries and Who Uses Ladder Inspections

Ladder inspections are indispensable across a wide range of UK industries:

• Construction and Civil Engineering

• Maintenance and Facilities Management

• Warehousing and Logistics

• Retail, Hospitality and Events

• Utilities and Public Sector

Key users include:

• Operatives and Technicians: Responsible for pre-use checks and reporting defects.

• Site Supervisors and Managers: Overseeing inspection regimes, record management and responding to issues.

• Health & Safety Officers: Auditing procedures, training staff and investigating incidents.

• Maintenance Teams: Using inspection insights to schedule repairs and replacements.

• Business Owners and Directors: Demonstrating compliance, reducing liability and protecting reputation.

How Ladder Inspections Work in Practice

By attaching a Good to Go Safety status tag at eye level near the grip point, every ladder’s inspection status is instantly visible. Users perform a pre-use check (especially after the ladder is dropped, moved, or stored in dirty areas), and if the ladder passes, the checklist is placed in the tag, showing the date and status of inspection. Any ladder that fails is flagged as “Do Not Use,” safely quarantined and recorded in the duplicate check book for robust management tracking. Regular detailed visual inspections by a competent person – recorded and retained in line with WAHR requirements – provide evidence for audits and support continuous improvement in your ladder safety strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How often should ladders be inspected?
A pre-use visual check should be done by the user before first use each day and after any incident (e.g., drop or impact). Scheduled detailed visual inspections must be undertaken by a competent person at fixed intervals and recorded.

2. Who is responsible for ladder inspections?
Users perform daily pre-use checks, but employers must arrange and record regular inspections by a competent person, as per manufacturer guidance and relevant regulations.

3. What should be done if a defect is found during an inspection?
Faulty ladders should be quarantined immediately, tagged as “Do Not Use”, and reported to management. Defects need to be repaired or the ladder replaced before it can be returned to service.

4. Are inspection records legally required?
Yes. PUWER and WAHR require that detailed ladder inspections are recorded, maintained on site for the duration of the job, and kept for three months after work completion.

5. Why are dedicated ladder inspection products preferable to generic forms?
Purpose-designed checklists address every essential safety point and ensure all legal obligations are met, while visible status tags make the safety status clear for everyone, reducing risk and showing compliance.

Choose HSE Store for Ladder Inspection products—make every climb a safe one, safeguard your people, and stay confidently in control of your ladder management.