Workplace Safety and Health (Work at Heights) Regulations 2013

Ladders

18.—(1) Where a ladder is being used to carry out any work at height in a workplace, it shall be the duty of the responsible person of the person who is carrying out or is to carry out the work to ensure that the requirements in paragraphs (2) to (6) are complied with.

(2) Every ladder in a workplace shall —

(a)	be of good construction, sound material and adequate strength;
(b)	be free from patent defects; and
(c)	be suitable and safe for the purpose for which it is intended.

(3) The surface upon which any ladder (except for fixed ladders) rests or bears upon when used by a person shall —

(a)	be stable;
(b)	be level and firm; and
(c)	be of sufficient strength to safely support the ladder and any person and load intended to be placed on it.

(4) Every ladder in a workplace shall be so positioned as to ensure its stability during use.

(5) Notwithstanding paragraph (4), every ladder which leans against a wall, building, structure or tree during use shall be securely fixed or lashed, or is firmly held by a person stationed at the foot of the ladder to prevent the ladder from slipping.

[S 280/2014 wef 01/05/2014]

(6) Where a ladder is used for access or as a working place, the ladder shall rise, or adequate handhold shall be provided, to a height of at least one metre above —

(a)	the place of landing; or
(b)	the highest rung to be reached by the feet of any person working on the ladder.

(7) Where a fixed vertical ladder is used in a workplace, it shall be the duty of the occupier of the workplace to ensure that the requirements in paragraphs (8), (9) and (10) are complied with.

(8) Every fixed vertical ladder or run of fixed vertical ladders used by any person carrying out any work which rises a vertical distance of over 9 metres shall, if practicable, be provided with an intermediate landing place so that the vertical distance between any 2 successive landing places does not exceed 9 metres.

(9) Every landing place referred to in paragraph (8) shall be provided with sufficient and suitable guard-rails or barriers to prevent falls.

(10) Where a fixed vertical ladder used by any person carrying out any work in a workplace rises a vertical distance of more than 3 metres, there shall be provided a safety cage or other practicable measures to prevent fall of the person.

Search within Legislation