A ladder that looks fine from the ground can still have a cracked rung, a worn foot or a loose spreader. A proper ladder inspection checklist turns that glance into a repeatable routine, and in a UK workplace that routine has two layers: a quick check by the user before every use, and a recorded formal inspection at intervals you set. This guide sets out both, plus the extra checks needed for mobile safety steps and platforms.
What the law expects
Ladders, stepladders and steps are work equipment, so they fall under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), which require equipment to be suitable, properly maintained and used safely. Because they are used to reach a height, they also fall under the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Our guides to PUWER and to LOLER versus PUWER explain where each applies.
HSE's brief guide, Safe use of ladders and stepladders (INDG455), sets out the practical expectation: check the equipment before use, and have a system of regular formal inspection for the ladders in your workplace. The Regulations do not give a fixed interval for that formal inspection. You set it through your risk assessment, taking account of how often a ladder is used, where, and how roughly it is treated.
Is a ladder the right equipment in the first place?
Inspection only matters if the ladder should be used at all. HSE guidance treats ladders as suitable for low-risk work of short duration, or where a site feature rules out anything else. If staff climb to the same shelf every day, or carry loads up and down, a platform step with a handrail is usually the better answer. Our guides to choosing warehouse steps and mobile safety steps versus podium steps compare the options, and the hop-up platforms guide covers low-level work.
Pre-use checks: the 60-second routine for every climb
The person about to climb carries out these checks every time. They take about a minute and catch most defects before they matter.
- Stiles: straight, with no bends, dents, cracks or splits.
- Rungs and treads: present, secure, not worn smooth, and free from cracks. Anti-slip surfaces should be intact.
- Feet: present on both stiles, undamaged and not worn through, and free of anything that would stop them gripping.
- Fixings: no loose, missing or corroded screws, rivets, nuts or bolts.
- Locking devices: on stepladders, the spreader bars or locking stays lock fully and hold. On extension ladders, the latches engage and the rope or release works.
- Contamination: no oil, grease, wet paint, mud or ice on the rungs, treads or boots that would reduce grip.
- Labels: the manufacturer's label or rating is still legible, and the ladder is the right type for the job.
- Position: firm, level ground, and nothing that will move the base.
If any item fails, the ladder does not go up. Report it and take it out of use.
Formal inspection checklist
A formal inspection is more thorough than a pre-use look. It is carried out by a competent person at the interval your risk assessment sets, and it is recorded. Some organisations choose a three-monthly or six-monthly cycle for busy equipment, but that is a choice, not a legal figure. Use the table below as the basis for your own record sheet.
| Component | What to look for | Action if found |
|---|---|---|
| Stiles | Bends, twists, cracks, splits, dents, corrosion, damage from impact | Remove from use |
| Rungs / treads | Cracked, loose, worn, missing, damaged slip-resistant surface | Remove from use |
| Feet | Missing, split, worn flat, embedded debris | Replace by a competent person or remove |
| Joints and fixings | Loose or missing rivets, bolts or screws; rust staining at joints | Repair by a competent person or remove |
| Hinges and spreaders (stepladders) | Bent, stiff, or not locking fully | Remove from use |
| Extension mechanism | Latches, guides and rope condition; smooth operation | Remove from use |
| Platform and handrails (steps) | Cracks, distortion, loose rails, damaged anti-slip surface | Remove from use |
| Identification | Tag or number present; label readable | Re-tag; replace unreadable rating label |
Record the date, the identification number, who inspected, what was found, and what was done about it. A tag or serial number on each ladder lets you trace its history.
Extra checks for mobile safety steps, podium steps and towers
Steps and platforms carry more people, more often, so add these to the list above. Our mobile safety steps, warehouse safety steps, folding telescopic steps and aluminium towers all fall into this group.
- Castors and brakes: wheels turn freely, brakes lock, and the steps do not creep when weight is applied. Many mobile steps are designed so the castors retract or lock under load, so check that mechanism works as the manufacturer intended.
- Handrails and safety gate: secure, undistorted, and the gate latches shut behind the user.
- Platform: flat, undamaged, with a sound anti-slip surface.
- Stability: no rocking on a flat floor; stabilisers or outriggers fitted where the design needs them.
- Rating: the safe working load on the label is not exceeded by the user plus tools.
- Towers: every component present, locked and in the right sequence, and the structure inspected after assembly and before first use, in line with the manufacturer's instructions.
The Klime-Ezee mobile steps we stock are rated at 300 kg and 500 kg safe working load depending on the model, and the Climb-It access steps and towers cover heavier-duty and larger-platform applications. See the full access platforms and steps range if you are replacing equipment that has failed an inspection.
When to take a ladder out of service
Take it out of use at once if you find any of the following: a bent, cracked or twisted stile; a missing, loose or cracked rung or tread; a missing or badly worn foot; a spreader or locking device that does not hold; a damaged platform or handrail; or any repair you are not competent to judge. Do not improvise a fix. Label the equipment so it cannot be picked up again, then repair it through a competent person or dispose of it.
Putting the system together
For most sites the system fits on one page. Give every ladder and set of steps a number. Brief staff on the pre-use checks. Choose an inspection interval from your risk assessment, as the Management Regulations require you to assess risk, and diarise it. Keep the record sheets together. Finally, review the list of equipment once a year: if the same ladder keeps failing, or the same task keeps needing one, replace it with equipment better suited to the job.
Ladder inspection FAQs
How often should ladders be inspected?
Check a ladder or stepladder before every use. Formal, recorded inspections should also happen at intervals set by your own risk assessment. HSE does not set a fixed calendar interval, so the frequency depends on how often the equipment is used and in what conditions.
Who can carry out a ladder inspection?
Pre-use checks are done by the person about to climb. A formal inspection should be done by someone competent, meaning they have the training and experience to recognise defects and know what is and is not acceptable on that type of equipment.
Do I have to keep a record of ladder inspections?
HSE guidance expects a system of inspection, and keeping a written record of formal inspections is the practical way to show that system works. Many employers also tag or number each ladder so its record can be traced.
What should I do with a damaged ladder?
Take it out of use straight away, label it so nobody picks it up by mistake, and have it repaired by a competent person or dispose of it. Do not carry on using a ladder with bent stiles, cracked rungs or missing feet.
Can I paint a ladder to protect it?
No. Paint can hide cracks and other defects. If you need to identify a ladder, use a tag or label rather than coating the stiles or rungs.
Do these checks apply to mobile safety steps and podium steps?
Yes. Steps, platforms and towers are work equipment under PUWER and are covered by the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Add the platform, handrails, safety gate, castors and brakes to the checks on any mobile steps.
Is a ladder the right equipment for the job?
Not always. HSE guidance treats a ladder as suitable for low-risk, short-duration work. If the job is repeated, heavy or prolonged, a platform step, podium step or access tower with a guarded platform is usually a better choice.
This page is general guidance, not a substitute for your own risk assessment. Always refer to current HSE guidance (including INDG455) and the manufacturer's instructions for the equipment you use.