A ladder inspection is necessary if you are a company or business that uses ladders and stepladders regularly for work. These inspections ensure that your ladders are safe and fit for work. Fall from heights, including from ladders, is a common reason for worker injuries and deaths and therefore, government regulations are very strict regarding this. The organisation can be penalised severely if it is found that they have failed to conduct ladder inspections. Not only do ladders have to be inspected, but they also have to be scrutinised in the right way. In fact, there is a ladder inspection checklist that has to be followed when conducting the inspection.
Ladder Inspection Training
In order to ensure that these ladder inspections are carried out correctly, there is also ladder inspection training that you can undergo. This will give you a better understanding of how the inspection is to be carried out as well as all the legal requirements. You can learn all the different steps that are part of a ladder inspection and the common faults when conducting an inspection. You are also guided on the steps to undertake if a ladder is found unfit for use.
Safety Of Workers
Studies in the UK have shown that improper manual handling of ladders is an important reason for their malfunctioning. As a result of this, workers suffer from upper and lower limb and back disorders. This results in a loss of working days and a significant financial burden for the sector. Regular ladder inspection will ensure that workers are safe and productive. These inspections have to be conducted by competent and trained persons. A ladder inspector has to have the technical expertise and experience in checking and using ladders. As per HSE regulations, there is no particular frequency for ladder inspections mentioned. However, it is expected that the user must do a pre-use check to ensure it is in good shape.
Maintain Records
Ladder inspection should ideally be carried out every three months if they are being used daily. If ladders are used only weekly, then a check once in six months should suffice. For infrequently used ladders, only an annual inspection is required. It is not merely enough to do the inspection. Records must be maintained when the inspection is carried out, and the inspection has to be carried out as per the ladder inspection checklist. The inspection record will also contain information about the handling of the ladder, such as if it was dropped or if the screws have loosened and so on. The health and safety officer can request these records if needed.
An Ongoing Process
Ladder inspection is an ongoing process that starts the minute you own or rent a ladder. Besides the elaborate inspection following the ladder inspection checklist, you also have to do a visual and physical check before and after each use. Attention to detail will go a long way in ensuring the safety of your workers. The workers who use the ladders also have to be trained in this daily inspection routine. If the ladder is found to have a problem, it must be tagged and put out of use.