No matter how skilled you are in ladder use, a damaged, unsafe ladder can let you down. Even if you follow all the usual safety protocols, such as keeping three points of contact at all times, if your ladder fails, you too will be at risk. With this in mind, we wanted to double-check the importance of scheduling regular ladder inspections. Keeping your kit safe and in full working order is as important as following all the usual health and safety rules yourself.

Always keep in mind to inspect the ladder before and after usage.


When planning a safety meeting or safety moment about ladder inspections, don’t forget to emphasize these important points.

  • Always visually inspect ladder feet to ensure that foot pads and feet assembly are present and in safe condition.
  • Damaged or missing feet pads can cause you to slip or lose balance and suffer a deadly fall.
  • Inspect the rungs, rails, lock (dawgs), rope, and pulley assembly of an extension ladder and be sure that all parts work properly.
  • It is very important to make certain that the rope and pulley are working and that the ladder locks (dawgs) do not slip!
  • Never attempt to repair a ladder! Do not use wire, screws, bolts, duct tape or electrical tape as a way to fix any ladder; instead, tag it and remove it from service.
  • Inspect the top cap, all steps, side rails, and locking braces on a step ladder before using.
  • Loose locking braces or spreaders can cause the ladder to wobble and become unstable.
  • Ladder inspections should include making sure that labels are readable and haven’t been painted over or damaged.
  • Check the rungs and steps for mud, grease, or dirt to avoid potential slip/fall hazards.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for proper inspection and use of the specific ladder.
  • Remove any ladder from service that is found to be defective!
  • Never use a step ladder (in a folded position) as an extension ladder!

We hope that you take care of your health and safety practices at work whether you use a ladder on a regular basis, or not. Here at Step by Step, we care about your safety while working with ladders. Remember to always inspect your ladder before you every single use. Contact or WhatsApp us today and we’ll do everything we can to help you in terms of ladder safety and inspection.