Idiots On Ladders

It’s estimated that over two million ladders are in daily use in the UK, and with falls from height still one of the main causes of death and injury in the workplace, it’s vital that these ladders and stepladders are regularly inspected and safe to use.

Idiots on Ladders: After the huge success of last year’s contest to find the biggest idiot on a ladder – which saw thousands of people tuning into the Ladder Association’s Facebook page every week to view, vote and send in pictures of the most stupid ladder use they could find – Idiots on Ladders is back for 2013. When it comes to working at height, just as important as getting the right equipment is knowing how to use it.

The Ladder Exchange means nothing if people take their new ladders home and start balancing on them on one leg, so Idiots on Ladders is on a mission to shame the worst. Taken or found a picture of ridiculously unsafe ladder use? Just either post it on the Facebook page, send it to us on Twitter, or email michael.fern@ladderassociation.org.uk with the picture attached. The voting works just like last year – the number of ‘Likes’ each picture gets on Facebook is tallied up and the winner is announced at the end of the Ladder Exchange.

It’s estimated that over two million ladders are in daily use in the UK, and with falls from height still one of the main causes of death and injury in the workplace, it’s vital that these ladders and stepladders are regularly inspected and safe to use. The annual Ladder Exchange, now run and managed by the Ladder Association, is your opportunity to exchange any dodgy, bent and broken ladders for safe, brand new ones. Simply take your old ladders to a participating partner near you and swap them at a discount. You get a new ladder at a concessionary price and everyone stays safe. And this year you’ve got an extra month to do it in!

Now extended to 31st December 2013! It’s estimated that over two million ladders are in daily use in the UK, and with falls from height still one of the main causes of death and injury in the workplace, it’s vital that these ladders and stepladders are regularly inspected and safe to use. The annual Ladder Exchange, now run and managed by the Ladder Association, is your opportunity to exchange any dodgy, bent and broken ladders for safe, brand new ones. Simply take your old ladders to a participating partner near you and swap them at a discount. You get a new ladder at a concessionary price and everyone stays safe. And this year you’ve got an extra month to do it in! 

Click to enlarge.

Is My Ladder Dodgy? It might not always be easy to tell if your ladder is in a fit state to work with, and a ladder that worked fine before could become unsafe the next time it’s used. With that in mind, here’s a checklist approved by the Health & Safety Executive that should be carried out by the user at the beginning of the working day and after a change (like dropping the ladder or moving it from a dirty to a clean area). If you are still unsure on whether your ladder is fit for use simply take it to one of the Ladder Exchange trade-in partners and they will check it over for you.