The use of portable ladders and steps in industry is controlled by a number of legal items, amongst which are:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Manual Handling Regulations 1992
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations 1992
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

Much of this legislation has applied specifically to construction. The new Work at Height Regulations, which became effective in 2005, incorporates many of the requirements of these items of legislation, and applies them to all sectors of industry.

The aim of this legislation is to ensure that employers and the self-employed:

• Eliminate or minimise risks from work at height.
• Organise and plan work at height properly.
• Select suitable equipment to perform work at height.

This will involve the need to conduct risk assessments for all jobs and, where work at height cannot be eliminated, the following points need to be considered as far as ladders are concerned:

• What is the ladder to be used for?
• What type of ladder is required?
• What loads are to be carried?
• How long will the work take?
• How can falls be prevented?
• The wear and tear of the equipment.
• Alternative suitable access equipment.
• Frequency of access required.
• Workplace, ground and site conditions.
• Training and abilities of users.