Ladder safety checklist

Site: ______________________ Date: ____________ Checked by: ______________________

01Right tool

Task cannot reasonably be done from the ground or a platform. WAH Regs reg 4
Task is short and light, with no more than about 10 to 15 minutes continuous work on the ladder.
Ladder is the right type and length for the job and rated for the user plus tools.

02Condition

Stiles straight, with no cracks, bends, corrosion or cracked welds. WAH Regs reg 18(2)
All rungs or steps present, tight and clean of oil, grease and mud.
Non-slip feet present and not worn smooth.
Step ladder spreaders and locks working.
Ladder is not homemade or repaired with improvised parts.

03Set-up

Base on firm, level, stable ground strong enough for the load. WAH Regs reg 18(3)
Leaning ladder at about 4 up to 1 out.
Leaning ladder tied at the top, lashed, or footed by a second person. WAH Regs reg 18(5)
Ladder or handhold rises at least 1 m above the landing. WAH Regs reg 18(6)
Step ladder fully open with both spreaders locked.
Not in a doorway, walkway or vehicle route, or barricaded if it must be.
No overhead power lines or live equipment within reach.

04Use

Worker faces the ladder and keeps three points of contact.
Tools carried in a belt or pouch, not in hand.
Nobody standing on the top step or top cap of a step ladder.
One person on the ladder at a time.

05Fixed ladders

Safety cage or other fall measure fitted where the ladder rises more than 3 m. WAH Regs reg 18(10)
Guarded intermediate landing for runs over 9 m, where practicable. WAH Regs reg 18(8), (9)
Access to the ladder controlled so only authorised workers use it.

Legal requirement

Regulation 18 of Singapore's Work at Heights Regulations 2013 requires ladders to be sound and fit for purpose, set on stable, level and firm ground, and positioned for stability. Leaning ladders must be fixed, lashed or footed. The ladder or a handhold must rise at least 1 metre above the landing. Fixed vertical ladders need a cage over 3 metres and landings at intervals of no more than 9 metres where practicable.

This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.

Ladder safety checklist

01Right tool

02Condition

03Set-up

04Use

05Fixed ladders

Sources and further reading

Related reading

Ladder safety: what supervisors need to know

Toolbox talk: ladders

Toolbox talk: ladder pre-use checks