THE verdict is in. According to the many delegates who attended, the recent 2019 Ladder Association’s Annual Members’ Meeting and Conference was an exceptionally interesting, informative and enjoyable event for both members and non-members alike. 94 per cent of respondees to a follow-up survey rated the event ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’.

Held at Hogarths Stone Manor Hotel, Kidderminster, the day began with the formalities of the AMM at which the Chairman of the Association, Paul Bruton, reported on another successful year for the Association which saw the number of LadderCards issued in 2018 up by 27 per cent compared with the previous year.

The conference itself began with a joint presentation by the Ladder Association’s Technical Manager, Don Aers, and HSE Inspector and Policy Advisor, Alex Farnhill. It delivered the clear message that anyone wanting to purchase new ladders, or needing to replace existing ladders because they were damaged or unfit for future use, should only buy ladders to the revised EN 131 European product standard. The transition period from the old to the revised standard was now over.

In addition to the launch of ‘Abbi’s Story’ with RoSPA, the audience heard from the Office for Product Safety and Standards, Leyton UK, British Marine, Transport for London, the No Falls Foundation and received updates on the APPG on Working at Height and the updated Ladder Association training courses. You can find a full report plus links to videos (as they are uploaded) on the Ladder Association’s Conference page