Do ladders, stepladders and podium steps need inspecting?
Yes, if they’re used at work. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require ladders to be inspected at suitable intervals, with the results recorded. HSE expects a pre-use check by the user each working day, plus a recorded detailed inspection at fixed intervals by a competent person, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Ladders are everywhere. Warehouses, schools, care homes, pub cellars, garages and roof hatches in blocks of flats all have them. Plenty of workplaces have a stepladder in a cupboard that nobody has looked at properly in years. This post covers what the law asks for, how often, and what you can sensibly do in-house.
Which law covers ladders at work?
There's two sets of regulations, both doing different jobs:
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 cover the inspection. Regulation 12 says work equipment that’s exposed to conditions causing deterioration must be inspected “at suitable intervals”, and each time something happens that could affect its safety, such as being dropped or blown over. The result must be recorded and kept until the next inspection. The regulations define “ladder” to include fixed ladders and stepladders.
Schedule 6 of the same regulations sets the rules for using ladders. A ladder should only be used where a risk assessment shows that better equipment isn’t justified, because the job is low risk and short, or because of features on site you can’t change.
PUWER applies too, because a ladder is work equipment. It has to be suitable for the job, maintained, and used by people who’ve been trained. The inspection, though, comes from the Work at Height Regulations, not PUWER regulation 6. If you want the full picture, see PUWER regulations explained. If you're confused about what you need, just give us a call or drop us a message.
Pre-use checks and detailed inspections: what’s the difference?
HSE describes two levels of check:
Pre-use checks are done by the person using the ladder at the start of each working day, and again if something changes, such as the ladder being dropped or moved from a dirty area. They’re for the user’s own safety and don’t need to be recorded. If the user finds a problem, they report it and don’t use the ladder.
Detailed visual inspections are the employer’s responsibility. They’re carried out at fixed intervals by a competent person, following the manufacturer’s instructions, and they must be recorded. HSE says these records “provide a snapshot of the state of the ladders over time”. The detailed inspection can be done on site by a competent employee. It doesn’t have to be an outside contractor.
Who checks what, by type of equipment
Equipment | Before each use | Formal inspection | Recorded? |
Leaning and extension ladders | Pre-use check by the user at the start of each working day | Detailed visual inspection by a competent person at fixed intervals, following the manufacturer’s instructions | Yes, the detailed inspection |
Stepladders | Pre-use check by the user at the start of each working day | Detailed visual inspection at fixed intervals, including the platform, stays and locking bars | Yes, the detailed inspection |
Telescopic ladders | Pre-use check, paying close attention to every locking mechanism | Detailed visual inspection at fixed intervals, following the manufacturer’s instructions closely | Yes, the detailed inspection |
Podium steps | Pre-use check, including brakes, gate and guardrails | Detailed visual inspection at fixed intervals, including the anti-surf or locking devices | Yes, the detailed inspection |
Fixed ladders on buildings, such as roof access | Check before climbing | Inspection at suitable intervals if exposed to weather or wear, covering fixings, rungs and any safety cage | Yes |
Ladders that form part of a scaffold | Pre-use check | Inspected with the scaffold, at least every 7 days on construction work | Yes, in the scaffold inspection report |
Mobile access towers | Pre-use check | Inspected after assembly in each position, and every 7 days if used for construction work where someone could fall 2 metres or more | Yes, with a written report within 24 hours for construction work |
How often should ladders be inspected?
The law doesn’t set a number. HSE says detailed inspections should be at fixed intervals, in line with the manufacturer’s instructions, so start there. Then shorten the interval for ladders that:
are used every day, or by lots of different people
travel on vans or roof racks
are stored outside, or in damp places like cellars
are used on building sites, near chemicals or in dirty conditions
A stepladder used twice a year to change a light bulb in an office needs less attention than an extension ladder on the back of a maintenance van. Whatever interval you choose, write it down, along with why you chose it. Inspect straight away, whatever the schedule, if a ladder has been dropped, hit by a vehicle, blown over or used in a way it wasn’t designed for.
What should a ladder inspection check?
Between them, HSE and the Ladder Association list these checks:
feet: missing, worn, split or damaged
stiles: twisted, bent, dented, cracked or split
rungs and treads: cracked, worn, bent, loose or missing
tie rods: missing or damaged
joints, rivets and stays: cracked welds, loose rivets, damaged stays
locking bars and mechanisms on stepladders and telescopic ladders
platforms on stepladders: split or buckled
contamination such as oil, paint, mud or grease on rungs and treads
stability devices and accessories, checked in line with the manufacturer’s instructions
For podium steps, also check the brakes or anti-surf devices that stop the podium moving while someone’s on it, the gate and guardrails, and the platform locking.
A ladder with any of these faults should be taken out of use, labelled so nobody picks it up by mistake, and either repaired as the manufacturer advises or replaced. Don’t try to straighten or patch damaged stiles yourself.
Tagging and registers
The law doesn’t require ladder tags, but they’re a simple way to show at a glance that a ladder has been inspected and when the next check is due. Combine them with a register: a list of every ladder, stepladder and podium, with an ID number, where it lives, and the date and result of each detailed inspection. If an HSE inspector or your insurer asks, that register is your evidence.
If you hire or borrow a ladder or tower, regulation 12 says it should come with physical evidence of its last inspection, such as a tag or a copy of the record.
Which ladder should you buy?
New portable ladders should be made to EN 131. Since 2018 it has two ratings: Professional, for work use, and Non-Professional, for home use. Both have a maximum load of 150kg, and the Professional rating is tested much harder. Leaning ladders over 3 metres now need a wider base or a stabiliser bar. You don’t have to throw away ladders made to the old standards. HSE says ladders made to the withdrawn BS 2037 and BS 1129 standards can still be used, as long as they’re in good condition and used as the manufacturer intended.
New podium steps should be made to BS 8620, which replaced PAS 250. It covers stability, guardrails, toe-boards and the devices that stop a podium rolling while someone’s on it.
How long can you stay on a ladder?
There’s no legal limit. HSE’s guide says that if a job means staying up a leaning ladder or stepladder for more than 30 minutes at a time, you should use something else, such as a podium or a mobile tower. Ladders are for short, simple, low-risk jobs.
HSE also says to only use a ladder on firm, level, clean ground, where it won’t be hit by vehicles or doors, and where members of the public are kept away from it.
Ladder inspections across the East Midlands
I’m based in Nottingham and inspect work equipment for businesses across Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough, Lincoln, and the Midlands, including schools, care homes, warehouses, garages and managing agents.
As part of a PUWER visit, I’ll inspect your ladders, stepladders and podium steps, tag each one, and give you a register showing what passed, if anything failed and when each inspection is next due. I can also show your staff what to look for, so the checks in between are done properly.
How I work:
I carry out and sign every inspection myself. I’ve been doing this for 14 years.
PULO doesn’t sell, hire or repair equipment, so there’s no reason for me to find faults that aren’t there.
You get a reminder before each inspection is due.
Once I’ve quoted, the price is fixed for all your ongoing inspections.
PULO holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and CHAS Advanced.
While I’m on site I can look at your other work at height equipment too, including harnesses and fall arrest equipment and MEWPs. See my PUWER page and PUWER inspection costs,
A 60-second pre-use check
Run through this before you climb. If anything fails, don’t use the ladder, and tell your manager:
Feet: all there, not worn, split or clogged with dirt.
Stiles: straight, with no dents, bends, cracks or splits.
Rungs or treads: none missing, loose, bent or cracked.
Locks: stepladder locking bars and telescopic locks click fully into place.
Platform: on stepladders, not split or buckled.
Clean: no oil, paint, mud or grease on the rungs or your shoes.
Ground: firm, level and clear, with no vehicles or doors that could hit you.
Frequently asked questions
Do ladders need to be inspected by law?
Yes, if they are used at work. Regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 requires work equipment that deteriorates to be inspected at suitable intervals and after anything that could affect its safety, and the result must be recorded. HSE also expects a pre-use check each working day.
How often should ladders be inspected?
The law does not set a fixed interval. HSE says detailed visual inspections should be done at fixed intervals in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. Ladders that are used heavily, carried on vehicles or stored outside will need inspecting more often.
Do ladder inspections need to be recorded?
Detailed visual inspections must be recorded and the record kept until the next one. Daily pre-use checks do not need to be recorded, but any problem found should be reported to a manager and the ladder taken out of use.
Who can inspect a ladder?
A competent person. HSE says a detailed visual inspection can be carried out on site by a competent employee who has been trained in what to look for. It does not have to be an outside contractor, although some businesses prefer an independent check.
Are podium steps covered by the same rules as ladders?
Podium steps are a low-level working platform rather than a ladder, but the same Work at Height Regulations apply. They need a pre-use check and recorded inspections at suitable intervals. New podiums should be made to BS 8620, which replaced PAS 250.
Can I still use ladders made to the old standards?
Yes, as long as they are in good condition and used as the manufacturer intended. HSE says ladders made to the withdrawn BS 2037 and BS 1129 standards can still be used. When you replace them, buy to the current EN 131 standard, and choose the Professional rating for work use.
How long can you work on a ladder?
There is no legal time limit, but HSE suggests that if a task means staying on a leaning ladder or stepladder for more than 30 minutes at a time, you should use other equipment, such as a podium or a mobile tower.
Do ladders need a PUWER inspection?
Ladders are work equipment under PUWER, but their inspection comes from regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 instead of PUWER regulation 6. PUWER still requires them to be suitable, maintained and used by people who have been trained.
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