The Health & Safety Executive started it's ladder exchange campaign in Jun2 2007 to promote ladder safety and get unsafe ladders exchanged - 24th January 2008

Falls from ladders are costing the UK economy in the region of 60 million pounds a year with around 100 people a month suffering serious injuries from these types of accidents at work.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ran the Ladder Exchange campaign starting in June of 2007 trying to promote ladder safety. In partnership with around 60 local authorities and some ladder hirers and retailers the aim was to get 4,000 substandard ladders out of the workplace. 4,194 unsafe ladders had been removed from Britain’s workplaces by the local authorities and partners by the end of last year.

The campaign worked by giving small businesses the chance to have their ladders safety checked, and where necessary exchange them at discounted prices for new ones.

The HSE say that there are still a lot of dodgy ladders in use in the workplace and plan to run another Ladder Exchange campaign during Autumn 2008 in an attempt to educate on the correct usage of ladders, and cut down falls from ladders which result in people sustaining injury at work.

There are questions that should be asked prior to using ladders: -

Is a ladder suitable for the task or would something else be more suitable?

Is it the correct type of ladder?

Is the ladder being used in the correct and a safe manner?

There was widespread support for the HSE in their Ladder Exchange initiative from organisations like the Ladder Association, ladderstore.com, Wickes, SGB Taskmaster, Speedy Hire and HSS Hire. 

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