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Time to step up ladder training says chair of Ladder Association after school caretaker wins ladder fall case
Leeds, Thursday 10 July 2008: Following the recently publicised court case in which a school caretaker successfully claimed damages against his local authority employer, demonstrating that their failure to train him in the proper use of a stepladder was a major contributory cause to the injuries he sustained, Don Aers, chair of the Ladder Association, has issued a statement highlighting the link between training, safety and competency, and reiterating his previous call to all employers to address the need for training when using ladders and stepladders.
Comments Mr Aers: "Training is the most important tool to reduce falls from height. Users expect to receive formal training on other types of access equipment such as access towers and work platforms, so why not on ladders?"
"Although it seems straightforward, it's essential to decide if a ladder is the right piece of equipment through risk assessment. Then to choose the right type of ladder and to know how to use it safely. It's about taking an informed, common sense approach to working at height."
"The Ladder Association has long advocated the need for formal training to combat the potentially dangerous mentality practiced and entertained by those who rely solely on learning on the job. There is no room for this sort of complacency."
"For uncomplicated, short duration work, ladders and stepladders remain a good option, particularly when you consider the global risk of using other types of access equipment that take much longer to erect and dismantle."
"With an estimated two million ladders in daily use, the need for professional training has never been more pressing, which is why the association actively supports the Health & Safety Executive's "Shattered Lives"campaign."
"One of the aims of the campaign is to make sure that those working at height have the knowledge, skills and training necessary to work safely, a view supported by the Ladder Association for many years."
"This recent case demonstrates very clearly the potential consequences of insufficient training, both for the ladder user and his or her employer."
Ladder Association New Publication "LadderBook"
The Ladder Association has published the "LadderBook" a 12 page best practice guide to the safe use of ladders and stepladders. Containing a foreword by Eddie Bailey, Health & Safety Executive programme manager for Falls from height, and an interview with Geoffrey Podger, chief executive of the HSE, it contains a wealth of information about an invaluable piece of workplace equipment.
To download your free copy please click here LadderBook - June 08.pdf alternatively to obtain your free hard copy please email freecopy@ladderassociation.org.uk giving your name, company details and address.
Ladder Association Launches LadderCard in Ireland
The Ladder Association launched its LadderCard & Training scheme in its Irish Seminar held at the Construction Industry Federation, Dublin on Friday 9 May 2008.
The Ladder Association once again participated in the SAFETY & HEALTH EXPO, the main showcase for the Access Industry Forum (AIF), the umbrella organisation representing the principal trade bodies and associations connected with working at height.
Rather than a formal conference, the Forum opted to run the Work at Height Seminar Theatre. This gave visitors the opportunity to pick and choose the topics of immediate interest in their everyday work.
HSE SHATTERED LIVES CAMPAIGN
The Ladder Association and the HSE:
Working at Height&Working Together!
Focusing on competency and running from now until the end of March 2008, the HSE's 'Shattered Lives' campaign is intended to highlight the range of skills and knowledge that an HSE or Local Authority inspector looks for when assessing competency in the workplace.
By responding to the 'Shattered Lives' campaign you will be helping to reduce the number of tragic deaths and terrible injuries resulting from falls from height. That is why the Ladder Association is enthusiastically embracing this latest HSE initiative.