Ladder Exchange releases festive safety tips

Its five ladder facts for Christmas are:

1.       Loft ladder, leaning ladder or stepladder: Use the right one for the job
2.       Check it's safe: Are the treads firm, clean and in good condition?
3.       Position it correctly: Make certain it's secure and won't slip
4.       Don’t cut corners, deck the halls on a stepladder not a dining chair
5.       Why fall for it? Never risk stretching up or overreaching.

Cameron Clow, Chairman of the Ladder Association, said: "Around Christmas time people all over the country are putting Christmas decorations up, and they might be using ladders or stepladders for the first time for a long while.
 
"Even regular users sometimes need to be reminded of the basics, so it seemed an appropriate time for us to prompt people to start thinking about ladder safety – sooner rather than later.”

These Christmas tips, covered in more detail on the Ladder Exchange website (ladderexchange.org.uk), highlight some of the safety essentials to consider when using ladders and stepladders in the run-up to, and during, the Christmas period.
 
As part of the Ladder Exchange – the Ladder Association’s annual campaign which lets people swap their old, dodgy ladders for discounts on new ones – the Christmas campaign is the last in a series of monthly themes explaining how to be safe on ladders. Previous months have focused on everything from inspecting the equipment itself to the importance of training in the workplace.
 
Also linked to on the Exchange site are Toolbox Talks – online videos looking at important developments and essential talking points for anybody doing work at height. Related talks take in subjects including training for occasional users, new Health & Safety Executive guidance, and ladder inspection.

Falls from height are responsible for more deaths in the workplace than any other cause. The Ladder Exchange’s final month aims to reduce the risk of that danger by asking people to use the right ladder and to use it safely.