The Law On Ladders And Maximum Working Heights

I heard a lot of 'ladder lies' on the first construction site I worked on. I was told that ladders were banned (they weren't). Ladder use is against the law on construction sites (it's not). Ladders are dangerous (they aren't - if used correctly). You can't use ladders over 3m tall (that ones not true either!).

There was a lot of confusion amongst the team about what was and wasn't allowed when it came to ladder use.

And like with most health and safety myths, there is some element of truth to it. Ladders are not banned, but they shouldn't be used for all work at height.

Before we dive deeper into the law on ladders, let's cover some key facts:

• Ladders are access equipment
• Ladders are not banned
• Ladders are suitable for short-duration work at height
• Ladders are suitable for low-risk work at height
• Ladders are not working platforms
• There is no maximum working height for ladders
• You do need to risk assess ladder use to determine if ladders are suitable for the task

Ladders are one of the most accessible items of equipment for working at height. They are cheap. Easy to use. And most of us probably have one in the garage or a storage cupboard.

But because ladders are so easy to get hold of, they tend to get used for things they shouldn't. And because we are all so familiar with ladders, we think we don't need training, or we forget the basic ladder safety rules. And that's when problems can happen.

Are ladders banned?

No, ladders are not banned. Not by law anyway. Some main contractors do restrict the use of ladders on their sites, but this isn't because ladders are against the law. Instead, restrictions on ladders tend to be because the work carried out is higher risk or requires a safe working platform, and other working at height equipment like tower scaffolds, or MEWPS, are provided.

5. Where the measures taken under paragraph (4) do not eliminate the risk of a fall occurring, every employer shall—

• a) so far as is reasonably practicable, provide sufficient work equipment to minimise—
  • i) the distance and consequences; or
  • ii) where it is not reasonably practicable to minimise the distance, the consequences, of a fall;

While ladders are not banned by law, health and safety regulations do cover ladder requirements and ladders should only be used when it is safe to do so. You can follow the STEP method to risk assess ladder use, and help you decide if a ladder is the right equipment for the job.

So while ladders are not banned (you can use them at work), you could argue that they are banned for certain high-risk activities. But the same is true for all work equipment, if you incorrectly use any equipment or for the wrong job, and it puts people in danger, you are breaking health and safety laws.

The working at height hierarchy of control applies to all work at height, and it requires you to avoid risks from working at height. And often, ladders won't do this, because they don't prevent falls. There's no safe platform to work from, there's no edge protection, and they can become unstable during use.

Learn more about how to safely select and use ladders in your workplace with our online ladder safety course.

In construction especially, temporary access for working at height is often required. To prevent falls, it is often much safer to use a temporary working platform with edge protection, especially for longer-duration work at height.

What does the law say about ladders?

Ladders don't have their own set of health and safety regulations, but ladder use is covered under the Work at Height Regulations.

This set of regulations covers all working at height, in all workplaces. Specifically, when work at height cannot be avoided, the regulations cover competence, selection and requirements of work equipment. And most of the time, ladders won't be the right choice. Because:

• Ladders are not working platforms
• Ladders have no edge protection

In many situations, scaffolding, cherry pickers, boom lifts and other platforms with edge protection or in combination with harnesses, netting systems or other restraint systems will be safer and prevent falls. Remember, all work at height needs to follow the working at height hierarchy of control.

But what about access and short-duration work, like changing a lightbulb or fixing a loose tile?

1. Every employer shall ensure that a ladder is used for work at height only if a risk assessment under regulation 3 of the Management Regulations has demonstrated that the use of more suitable work equipment is not justified because of the low risk and—
   1. the short duration of use; or
   2. existing features on site which he cannot alter.

So the law says that to use a ladder your ladder risk assessment must show that more suitable equipment for working at height is not justified because the work is:

• Low risk, and
• Short duration, or
• Have existing site features that prevent more suitable equipment from being used

Not sure what risks you need to consider? Use the STEP method to improve your ladder risk assessments and get more details on how the site, task, equipment and people can affect ladder safety.

If you have assessed the work and determined that it's safe and suitable to use a ladder, then Schedule 6 of the Work at Height Regulations covers the requirements for ladders.

In summary, the requirements are that:

• Ladders are used only where more suitable work equipment is not justified.
• Ladders are rested on stable surfaces of sufficient strength to support the ladder and any additional loads (e.g. the person using it and any tools or equipment they carry).
• Ladders are positioned to remain stable during use.
• Suspended ladders are attached and secured to prevent swinging.
• Portable ladders are secured to prevent slipping.
• Access ladders protrude sufficiently above the place of landing or a handhold is provided.
• Interlocking or extension ladder sections are prevented from moving during use.
• Mobile ladders are prevented from moving before they are stepped on.
• Landing areas or rest platforms are provided at suitable intervals for a ladder or run of ladders more than 9m.
• Every ladder shall be used in a way that ensures a secure handheld and support is available to the user, and the user can maintain a safe handhold or remain safe when carrying a load.

Learn more about the legal requirements for ladders with our online ladder safety course.

What's the maximum working height for ladders?

There is no legal maximum working height for a ladder. But remember, ladders are best for access and low-risk short-duration work at height.

Working at height is dangerous, it's number 1 on our top 5 construction safety hazards. Falls from height are often the top cause of fatal accidents at work (according to HSE statistics).

Work at a very high level is unlikely to be low risk - and remember, ladder work needs to be low risk. But the law doesn't say a specific height, because whether your work is high or low risk depends on several factors, not just the height. Like what you are using the ladder for, and where it is used, and how it is used, and what's going on around it.

While there is no maximum height for ladders specified in the regulations, where a ladder rises by 9m or more (for example for long access runs), you should provide landing areas or rest platforms at suitable intervals.

There is no maximum height for using a ladder. However, where a ladder rises 9 metres or more above its base, landing areas or rest platforms should be provided at suitable intervals.

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Find out more about safe ladder use in our online ladder safety course, or download the free ladder use toolbox talk for your team.