Article Page – HSA Ladder Safety
HSA Ladder Safety
This article will tackle the safety measures and provisions the HSA in Ireland has provided to ensure safe use of ladders, which includes the dos and don'ts, and using free tools and resources for overall ladder and working at heights safety.
Table of Contents
Article Summary
- The HSA Ladder Safety Checklist is used to help employees comply with the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007—Inspection of Work Equipment that requires working at heights, including the use of ladders.
- The Health Safety Authority has established regulations and guidelines to efficiently manage these dangers and avoid accidents and incidents involving ladders.
- Before working with stepladders on-site, safety precautions must be taken. This is to guarantee that all ladders are in satisfactory working order, that ladder-related activities have been hazard-assessed and given suitable controls, and that personnel are the best fit for the task.
What is the importance of HSA Ladder Safety?
Ladders are common equipment used in construction and other industries. However, these simple objects have inherent hazards that could jeopardize personnel, especially in significantly elevated locations. Because of this, the HSA has provided regulations and standards to effectively control these hazards and prevent accidents and incidents involving ladders.
Ladder falls cause up to two fatalities and 220 injuries in the Republic of Ireland each year. Slippage, typically due to overreaching or improper ladder security, is the most common cause of ladder accidents.
Companies and industries should always consider the potential risks when it comes to working at heights, such as activities that involve ladders and scaffolding. The Health and Safety Administration (HSA) in Ireland has placed regulatory provisions to require companies to provide a strong implementation of the safety protocols and procedures. This ensures that all hazards receive the necessary safety controls and precautions, creating a safe workspace for all personnel.
How to format your safety forms for ladders and working at heights?
An HSA Ladder Safety Checklist for ladders and working at heights is used to assist in compliance with the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 —Inspection of Work Equipment that involves working at heights, including the use of ladders. HSA, the regulatory body in Ireland, requires that this inspection form be completed with all the necessary checklist items it mandates.
It should include when the equipment was last inspected, its status, the action required for found defects, and the deadline for the action items. To better paint a picture of how this should look, visit the given example below for your perusal.
Free HSA Ladder Safety Checklist Template
Use this HSA Ladder Safety Checklist for free
HSA Ladder Regulations
Using ladders has been well known to be hazardous, especially when employing them on already elevated areas. The HSA has established rules and regulations to guarantee ladder safety at all times in order to avoid any undesirable situations. The relevant legislation includes:
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007: Part 4: Work at Height
Part 4 of the General Application Regulations 2007 aims to prevent occupational fatalities and injuries caused by falls from height, which account for a considerable proportion of fatalities and severe injuries annually. Part 4 of the General Application Regulations outlines safe work at height guidelines for all sectors of employment. This framework is based on risk assessment and applies to various job activities at height.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
The Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which repealed and replaced the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act 1989, was enacted to provide more protection for workers' safety, health, and well-being. This act defines and strengthens the duties of employers, self-employed individuals, workers, and other stakeholders in respect to workplace safety and health. The Act also defines the role and activities of the Health and Safety Authority, outlines various enforcement tools, and establishes penalties for violations of occupational safety and health.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 aim to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the construction industry. This purpose aligns with the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, and relevant EU Directives. A safe working environment is a fundamental entitlement for workers, and a healthy workforce is beneficial for both society and the economy.
HSA stepladders: primary safety steps
Before using ladders on-site, safety precautionary measures must first be conducted. This ensures that all ladders are functioning optimally, that activities involving ladders have been assessed for hazards and provided with adequate controls, and that workers are suitable for the job. Here are the primary safety steps that must be conducted before using ladders.
Inspections for HSA Ladder Safety
Inspections give a comprehensive assessment of stepladders and other involved equipment. This may assist in identifying problems that may be the root cause of possible risks and hazards during ladder use.
Risk assessments for working at heights and using ladders
Risk assessment is a rigorous process for detecting dangers. It assesses all stepladder activities to detect potential hazards. Appropriate safety measures are subsequently provided for these dangers based on the risk analysis obtained. A risk assessment is a reliable method of removing all potential dangers in any given job activity or environment.
Employ certified and skilled people
Working on stepladders demands certain knowledge and abilities to securely traverse and perform tasks on them. Field managers and supervisors must guarantee that their employees have the right safety knowledge and skills to use ladders in the field
In addition to safety practices when using ladders, the same method also applies to anything working at heights, like scaffolds. Read more on the scaffold safety practices in Ireland, in this article, HSA Scaffolding Code of Practice.
HSA use of ladders: the do's and don’ts
One way of enforcing a safety mindset when using ladders is to provide information about the do’s and don’ts. These help employees retain safety information faster and can easily be shared during safety meetings and toolbox talks. Here are a few dos and don'ts from the HSA for using ladders.
Do’s of using ladders
- Perform a daily pre-use check.
- Secure ladders before using them
- Set up on stable ground, not on moving surfaces like tower scaffolds, MEWPs, pallets, or blocks.
- Have a robust upper resting point.
- Keep ladders at a safe angle (1 out of every 4 units up).
- Do use ladders for short-term work only.
- Use it only for light work.
- Always grip the stiles while ascending and descending.
Don’ts of using ladders
- Avoid overreaching; keep your belt buckle between the stiles and both feet on the same rung.
- Avoid activities that create sideways loads.
- Avoid working on the top three rungs or two steps of a stepladder.
- Do not straddle an A-frame ladder.
- Avoid moving a ladder while standing on its rungs.
- Do not slide down the stiles.
- Do not extend a ladder while standing on its rungs.
An easier and smarter way to conduct ladder inspections
Inspections are crucial for identifying hazards, especially when ladders are involved. However, employing paper-based forms may make things even more challenging. Creating paper-based forms takes time, which can lead to delays in implementing safety measures.
However, thanks to the advancement of the technology, there is now a simpler and smarter way to conduct inspections. The Inspection Report App simplifies the inspection process by streamlining tasks such as identifying defects, problems, and insufficient safety measures. Completing inspections will now need just a few clicks and taps, speeding up the inspection process. Furthermore, paper cabinets will now become obsolete. The forms completed in this app can be directly saved to the cloud, which stakeholders can revisit anytime and anywhere they want. With the Inspection Report app, every inspection conducted will now be easier, more efficient, and sweat-free.
Summary of HSA Ladder Safety
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in Ireland has provided regulations when employing ladders in the workplace. These regulations will guide companies and establishments on the necessary safety precautions and control measures required for activities that involve ladders. Following these safety regulations will not only keep companies compliant with regulations but also provide and maintain a safe working environment for workers, ensuring a constant productive output.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the HSA Ladder Safety Checklist required for by law for construction companies in Ireland?
Yes – this process is required under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 in Ireland. Construction companies must carry out inspections on ladders and other work-at-height equipment. You can easily comply with these regulations by scheduling regular inspections by a competent person, documenting the findings in the checklist, and keeping the reports on site during the project and for 5 years after completion.
How is technology changing how people do inspections?
Technology is transforming inspections by moving away from paper checklists and manual reporting toward digital solutions like Dashpivot. With these tools, teams can complete inspections more quickly, capture photos directly in forms, automate record-keeping, and ensure consistent compliance. The result is smoother workflows, more accurate data, and ultimately safer worksites.
Does Sitemate offer templates for other HSA ladder forms?
Yes – Sitemate provides ready-to-use and fully editable templates for HSA ladder-related forms. Like this GA2 Form: Scaffolding Inspection Template, Scaffold Tower Pre Use Checklist,and Mobile Tower Scaffold Inspection Report Templatep. Construction companies of all sizes are already using them to make their inspections faster, more consistent, and easier to keep compliant.
Related resources
GA2 Form Scaffolding Inspection
Comply with HSA guidelines during scaffold inspections and use this GA2 form for internal audit.
Scaffold Tower Pre Use Checklist
Conduct a pre-use checklist for whenever you use scaffold towers to ensure safety use.
Mobile Tower Scaffold Inspection Report
Streamline the inspection report of mobile tower scaffolds and comply with regulations easily.
Sitemate builds best in class tools for built world companies.
English (United States) 
English (Australia) 
English (UK) 
English (New Zealand) 
English (South Africa) 
German