Health & Safety FAQ
Workplace Ladders
Is it true that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has
banned the use of ladders in the workplace?
No, the use of ladders has not been banned. The HSE appeared in
an August edition of the BBC's Newsnight programme to dispel the
myth that ladders and stepladders are somehow banned by the Work at
Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR). The principal objective of these
regulations is to ensure that activities where working at height is
required have been suitably risk-assessed and that sensible risk
management techniques are implemented to secure compliance with
health and safety regulations, including the WAHR.
In essence, ladders should be used only when all other safer
alternatives for working at height have been ruled out, the task is
low risk and of short duration, or there are site features that
mean other equipment is not appropriate. If this is the case, then
ladders may be acceptable.