Ladders must be inspected before use. Ensure a ladder tag has been completed.
Be Class 1 ladder for industrial use.
Must be in good condition with no missing or defective rungs. Report Defects
Must not be painted.
Help should be obtained to place and remove a long ladder.
To be set on a firm level base with stiles evenly supported - no loose packing.
To extend at least 1m above the landing place unless an adequate handhold is provided.
Angle to be 75° (1 out for 4 up).
To be securely fixed at the upper resting place unless the ladder is being footed by another person.
Not to be used as a workplace unless the work is of light nature and short duration.
Landing places to be provided at least every 9 m. vertically.
Rungs to be free of mud and other slippery substances.
Area at base to be clear of obstructions.
Not more than one person to be on a ladder at one time.
Safe use of folding stepladders
Step ladders must be suited to the purpose for which they are used, i.e. strong enough and in good repair.
They must be inspected before use. Report defects
Must not be painted in a way that would hide defects.
Only Class 1, Industrial, to be used on construction site.
To be level and stable, and be fully open
To be set at right angles to the work-face whenever possible.
Users must not stand on the top 3 treads unless the steps have been provided with a special hand-hold.
To be used by only one person at a time.
Not to be subjected to side-loadings.
Safe use of trestles
Steel extending trestles are used to support scaffold boards and are adjustable in height.
They must be erected and dismantled by someone trained.
They must be inspected before use and be in good condition with no missing or defective parts. Report defects
It is most important that they be erected on a firm level base.
Bricks, blocks, etc. must not be used to level them up.
Use the correct pins. Bolts and nails in place of the proper pins can shear and cause the platform to collapse.
The trestles must be spaced not more than: 1.5 metres apart for 38 mm boards and 2.6 metres apart for 50 mm boards.
Boards must not overhang by more than four times their thickness.
Trestles must be fully boarded across (usually four in number) using boards of the same thickness, with no gaps or traps.
Never stand on the overhang!
To be provided with edge protection guard-rails and toe-boards.
Access ladder to be provided, properly secured and extending 1m above the landing place.
Take care not to overload the platform.
Working on scaffolding
Scaffolds must not be erected, modified or dismantled except under the supervision of a competent person (Trained Scaffolder), who must inspect all materials before use.
Do not use a scaffold while it is being erected, altered or dismantled, or is in any way incomplete.
Always use the access provided and never climb the scaffolding.
Ensure that access ladders are properly secured before you use them. Check the ladder tags to ensure they have been inspected.
Generally scaffold platforms must be close-boarded with no gaps or tripping hazards, and every side from which a person could fall must be provided with guard-rails and toe-boards. There must be no gaps greater than 470 mm, which may require the fitting of intermediate guard-rails or double width toe-boards. The edge protection top rail must be at least 950mm high. If in doubt - ask your supervisor.
When stacking materials, always leave a passageway at least two boards wide to allow people to pass.
Do not overload a scaffold. Position stacks near standards, not between them.
Do not stack materials above the height of toe-boards unless brick-guards have been provided.
Do not leave tools or materials lying around on platforms.
Tools and materials must never be thrown, tipped or dropped from a height. They must always be safely lowered or placed in specially provided chutes.
Report any defect at once.
Working on Mobile towers
Prefabricated system scaffolds can only be erected, altered and dismantled by persons who have been trained to do so. (PASMA training).
A tower may only be used on a firm level surface. Where ground is soft or sloping, adequate support must be provided.
The platform height on a free-standing tower or mobile scaffold must not be exceeded as follows:
static internal tower 4:1
static external tower 3.5:1
mobile internal tower 3.5:1
mobile external tower 3:1
If outriggers are fitted and properly grounded, the minimum base width of the outriggers can be taken into account.
The height-to-base ratio does not apply if the scaffold is securely tied to the structure.
Care must be taken when moving the platform that pushing or pulling actions do not overturn the tower.
Ladders must not be used from the platform - the forces created can overturn the tower.
Working platform must be fully boarded.
Where trap doors are provided for internal access, they must be kept closed while the platform is in use.
Guardrails and toe-boards must be provided at all sides from which persons could fall. The maximum gap must not exceed 470mm.
Materials must not be stacked above the height of toe-boards. Where materials are stacked, brick-guards are to be fitted.
The frame or tubes of the scaffold must not be climbed. Proper access must be provided by way of a fixed ladder or stairway inside the tower.
A mobile tower must not be moved with men or materials on the platform.
Before moving the tower, outriggers, if fitted, must be raised just clear of the ground.
Prior to moving the tower, ensure that the route to the new location is free of obstructions. In particular ensure any holes, pits, ducts or gratings are covered or avoided, and that no overhead obstructions such as cables or beams are present.
To move the tower, horizontal force must be applied, only at the base - shoulder height is ideal.
After moving and before use, wheels must be locked.
Roof work
If there is no parapet or similar barrier to prevent falls, edge protection or safety harness must be provided.
If there is no edge protection, or if you do not have a safety harness, do not go onto the roof.
If you have a safety harness and there is no secure anchorage point available, do not go onto the roof.
Holes in the roof through which a person could fall must be guarded or covered. Covers must be secured against dislodgment, strong enough to take a person’s weight, and clearly marked to indicate their purpose.
Fragile material such as glass must be similarly guarded.
Open joisting through which a person could fall must be covered over to provide safe access
Work on sloping roofs to be undertaken only by persons who have an aptitude for the work.
Work to be undertaken from crawling boards or ladders which are securely fixed to prevent slipping.
Ridge hooks must not bear on ridge or capping tiles.
Crawling boards or ladders are not required if strong roof battens, not more than 400 mm. apart, afford a safe foot-hold
