The Ladder Association is emphasising the need for regular ladder inspections after Birmingham City Council released details of a builders' merchant that was prosecuted for multiple work at height issues.

The breaches particularly related to ladder equipment found in a terrible and life threatening condition and led to fines of over £8000.


Disregard of such safety issues will ultimately result in prosecution and potentially hefty fines, as well as leaving employees at risk.


The Association says that national schemes such as the Ladder Exchange are vital in promoting safety among ladder users and stockists.


The Ladder Association’s chairman, Cameron Clow, said: “People must ensure that any ladder equipment they use in the workplace is safe and fit for use.


“Through programmes like our current Ladder Exchange, we hope to further reduce the number of dangerous ladders in use around the country, and ensure that people never have to work with equipment in this state.”


The Ladder Exchange is a way to raise awareness of unsafe ladders through a national campaign, and to incentivise firms to do something about the state of their ladders with the help of discount offers.


The association hope that if more firms are encouraged in this way that they will act before they are forced to by health and safety investigations, or worse, someone is injured or killed.


A complete account of this prosecution, supplied by Birmingham City Council, can be found here.


Photo supplied by Birmingham City Council