Work at Height Safety Ladder Compliance & Testing

Height Safety Ladder Inspection, Testing, Compliance & Maintenance

Height regulations make clear that any height safety equipment must be properly maintained and inspected by a competent person at least every 12 months. Inspecting ladders should be done in accordance with PUWER 1998 and BS EN 795 & BS 7883 2019 standards - as all our inspections are at Altus Safety.

One of our operatives will carry out a thorough test and inspection of your access ladders to ensure they're fit for purpose and in good working order for your workers' continued use. We can also provide recommendations for personal protective equipment that might support the safe use of your ladder and improve safety standards on site, whilst also providing additional Work At Height training services for your team.

We conduct all of our height safe compliance tests with the proper regulations in mind, using specialist equipment that can load test, inspect, and assess the quality of the access ladders you use. We can help you remain compliant with all working at height regulations and requirements and ensure your system is relevant to the latest British Standards for safety.

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Portable, Temporary and Step Ladders

Temporary ladders are ladders that are used for short duration tasks. A risk assessment should be undertaken to find out whether this is the best method of access for the task or a more suitable access solution could be found.

There are many regulations that are applicable to temporary ladders, Altus Safety follows PUWER and The Working Height Regulations.

All of the following British standards apply to temporary ladders:

BS 1129 Specification for portable timber ladders, steps, trestles and lightweight stagings
BS 2037 Specification for portable aluminium ladders, steps, trestles and lightweight stagings
BS EN 131 Ladders (Specification for terms, types, functional sizes; Specification for requirements, testing, marking; User instructions; Single or multiple hinge-joint ladders)

If you're concerned about your temporary ladders' compliance, speak to a member of our team today.

Ladder Ties

Often used with temporary ladders, ladder ties remain a critical fixture when ensuring short duration tasks are performed safely. Ladder ties can be put under a lot of strain and if not tested correctly could result in a preventable situation.

Ladder ties require a minimum inspection time of 12 months. Our team at Altus Safety uses specialist equipment to make sure your safety ladders and other height safety equipment are compliant in accordance with the latest relevant standards.

Fixed ladders

Fixed Ladders will need to be inspected at least every 12 months. Employers also have a responsibility to ensure that all work equipment provided is used only by people who have received instruction and training.

An inspection is recommended every 12 months for compliance and to satisfy any insurer if a problem was to occur. Although inspections should be undertaken as and when any changes to the working environment happen, before this time, if you see any signs of loose or missing fixtures, corrosion or rust, broken fittings or items of equipment not working as they should, then an additional inspection is necessary and the ladder ought to be taken out of action until a competent person is on site to carry out a height safe inspection in accordance with industry standards and regulations.

All of the following British standards apply to fixed ladders:

BS 4211:2005+A1:2008 – Specification for permanently fixed ladders.
BS 5395-3:1985 – Code of Practice for the design of industrial type stairs, permanent ladders and walkways.
BS EN 14122 – Safety of machinery. Permanent means of access to machinery. Working platforms and walkways.

16 Questions when choosing a Fall Protection Company

Our engineers are approved and experienced and familiar with the full range of access ladder products and manufacturers found in the UK, including fixed caged access ladders and temporary access ladders, so you can rely on Altus Safety to ensure that all equipment is fully compliant and ready to use next time it's needed.

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Altus Safety Protection

If any repairs or improvements are needed to your equipment we will provide you with a clear, easy to understand, detailed report and estimate.

Should a minor repair be needed that our engineers are able to complete in the same visit, our team will contact you to agree to the works whilst we are still on site – avoiding the need for costly additional visits.

Featured Case Studies

IKEA

Client: IKEA
Site Name: 19 Stores & Distribution Centres
Value: £700,000
Sector: Retail
Solutions Provided: Freestanding Guardrail, Horizontal Safety Systems, Fixed Access Ladders, Stepover Platforms Walkway, Skylight Protection
John Lewis & Partners

Client: John Lewis & Partners
Site Name: Herbert Parkinson
Value: £135,000
Sector: Retail
Solutions Provided: Horizontal Safety Systems, Freestanding Guardrail, Stepover PlatformsAluminium Walkways, Fixed Access Ladders, Access Hatch, Fixed Guardrail
BAE Systems

Client: BAE Systems
Site Name: BAE Systems - Barrow-in-Furness
Value: £148,000
Sector: Industrial
Solutions Provided: Aluminium Walkways, Fixed Ladders, Fixed GuardrailHorizontal Safety Systems
ALDI

Client: ALDI
Site Name: 9 Distribution Centres
Value: £500,000
Sector: Retail
Product Details: Guardrail, Horizontal Safety Systems, Fixed Access Ladders, Stepover Platforms, Walkway, Skylight Protection
KINGSTON UNIVERSITY

Client: Kingston University
Site Name: Multiple Campus
Value: £93,000
Sector: Education
Product Details: Fixed Access Ladders, Access Gantry Systems, Stepover Platforms, Horizontal Safety Systems, Freestanding Guardrail, Skylight Protection.
FINSBURY TOWER

Client: mace
Site Name: Finsbury Tower, London
Value: £21,000
Sector: Commercial
Product Details: Davit Arms & Davit Sockets
JOHNNY WALKER

Client: BAM
Site Name: Johnny Walker Experience
Value: £25,000
Sector: Leisure
Product Details: Abseiling Anchors, Ladder Ties & Ladder Restraints, Horizontal Safety Systems, Fixed Access Ladders, Stepover Platforms Walkway, Skylight Protection
HINKLEY POINT

Client: Premier Modular
Site Name: Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station
Value: £180,000 Sector: Infrastructure
Product Details: Freestanding Guardrail, Horizontal Safety Systems, Fixed Access Ladders, Anti Slip Roof Walkways
ROYAL ARSENAL

Client: Berkeley Group
Site Name: Royal Arsenal Riverside
Value: £68,000 Sector: Residential
Product Details: Davit Arms & Davit Sockets, Freestanding Guardrail
BRISTOL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

Client: Bristol City Football Club
Site Name: Bristol City Football Club - Training Ground
Value: £7,000 Sector: Sport
Product Details: Horizontal Safety Systems
AQUATICS CENTRE

Client: KIER
Site Name: Manchester Aquatics Centre
Value: £96,000
Sector: Retail
Product Details: Aluminium Walkways, Fixed Guardrail

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View all case studies

The Ladder Association was founded in 1947 and is an industry body that promotes the safe use of portable ladders.
Whilst not always relevant to the access ladders we inspect at Altus Safety, their guidelines for safe usage are often something workers need to be aware of even when working at height. Their guidelines are especially relevant to step ladders and temporary access ladder solutions.
Whilst it's your duty to remain compliant, you don't actually need to know the ins and outs of every work at height regulation and British Standard for access ladders. That's our job as height safety experts.
It's your responsibility to properly maintain ladders at your site and ensure they are inspected regularly by professionals. This is what keeps you compliant.
At Altus Safety we even help you take care of that with reminders for compliance testing a few months before they're due. This keeps you ahead of the game and ensures your site is always height safe compliant.
There are a range of things we look out for when carrying out our inspections - knowing some of them could mean you spot an issue that arises between inspections, making your site even safer:
- Stiles/frame sections should have a secure front to rear frame attachment
- Ladder ties should be load tested before use to ensure fittings are secure
- Rung restraint devices should be secure and fitted easily
- No significant corrosion, loose fittings and fixtures or obvious damage to any part of the ladder
- Platforms between ladders should be fitted safely and securely
- No obvious signs of deterioration
Healthy and safe conditions are paramount if you are to prevent workplace injuries. Visual inspections between ladder inspection services is key to worker safety.
Make sure your team is aware of potential problems to look out for so that they can carry out their own, simple ladder inspection before and after each use. These pre use checks will protect the ladder user.