Ladder and Step ladder User Safety Training

Ladder and Stepladder User Safety Training

Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of fatal workplace injury. Most are preventable.

Ladders are not inherently dangerous. Misused ladders are. The statistics from the HSE are consistent: falls from ladders and stepladders account for a disproportionate share of serious injuries and fatalities at work each year, in maintenance, facilities management, retail, warehousing, construction, arboriculture and dozens of other sectors.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require employers to ensure that work at height is properly planned, appropriately supervised, and that those carrying it out are competent to do so. Where ladders are used as the access method, competence means specific, documented training in their safe selection, inspection and use. An online awareness course alone is not sufficient. What ladder safety actually requires is the kind of hands-on, practical training that changes muscle memory, not just knowledge.

This course is that training.

What You Will Learn

Legislation and duty of care

• The Work at Height Regulations 2005: employer duties, worker responsibilities and enforcement
• The hierarchy of control for working at height, including elimination, passive protection, active protection and training
• When a ladder is, and is not, the appropriate access method
• Employer liability in the event of a ladder-related incident

Ladder types and selection

• The difference between ladders, stepladders and combination ladders
• Ladder ratings: Class EN 131-1 and EN 131-2, including load capacity, safe working load and when ratings matter
• Leaning ladders versus self-supporting ladders: appropriate applications
• Selecting the right ladder for the task, height and environment

Pre-use inspection

• What to check before every use: stiles, rungs, feet, locking mechanisms and spreader bars
• Recognising and responding to damage, including cracks, deformation, corrosion and contamination
• Documentation: inspection records and when to remove equipment from service
• Storage and maintenance requirements

Safe use technique: practical application

• The three-point contact rule and why it matters
• Correct foot positioning and tie-off points
• Angle of lean: the 1:4 ratio rule and how to set it in practice
• Securing the top and foot of a leaning ladder
• Positioning a stepladder on uneven ground
• The correct body position for reaching and working at height
• What not to carry, and how to carry when required
• Getting on and off at height
• Awareness when working on roofs, scaffolding and fragile surfaces

Course Details

On-site delivery is strongly recommended for ladder safety training where delegates use specific ladder types or work in specific environmental conditions. Training on the actual equipment in the actual environment produces better competence retention. In the event of an incident, it also provides stronger evidence of the employer’s duty of care.

Course Type:

• Face to Face training (maximum of 12 learners to 1 instructor).

Certificate:

• Ladder & Steps User Training
• You will receive an A4 sized PDF certificate issued by Chris Garland Training that is valid for 3 years.

Course duration:

• 4 guided learning hours.

Time:

• Typically 09:00-13:00hrs & 13:30-17:30. Please note the exact times for your course booking.

Test:

• • Each candidate will undertake a practical ladder & steps safety training assessment. Candidates are required to score 100% to achieve a pass.

Pre-requisites:

• Candidates should be at least 16 years old to undertake this qualification.
• It is recommended that candidates have at least level 1 literacy to undertake this qualification within the course duration.

Candidates:

• All courses have a minimum and maximum number of candidates that we can take on a course.
  • Minimum: We need a minimum of 4 candidates booked on an open/scheduled course for the course to run. Click here for more details. There is no minimum for a private course.
  • Maximum: We are limited by the Health & Safety Executive, and where applicable by the Awarding Organisation, to a maximum of 12 candidates per instructor. Should you have more than 12 candidates that need to be trained, please contact us to arrange a private course, where we can arrange for a second instructor/assessor to be present to comply with this restriction.

Geographical coverage:

• This Ladder and Step ladder User Safety Training course is available to candidates throughout the UK.
• The course can be delivered in other countries, however, candidates should be aware that the content was developed in accordance with current UK practice.

Venue:

• Scheduled courses run at our training centre in Knutsford, Cheshire.
• Why not arrange to have a private courses run at your workplace? Simply fill in our quote builder tool to request a quotation.

Ladder and Step ladder User Safety Training Joining instructions:

• All candidates are to bring their own:
  • clean hi-viz
  • hard hat (not bump cap)
  • work gloves
  • steel toe-capped safety footwear
• Visit this page to read the course joining instructions.
• Where your course is not being run at our main training centre, you’ll also receive an email with additional joining instructions including the venue address.