Ladder Training up 47%

The number of people trained by the Ladder Association in the safe use of ladders reached an all-time high in 2012, passing 5,000 for the first time. This unprecedented increase of almost 50% on 2011 came during a year when, despite a reduction in deaths and injuries, falls from height remained the most common cause of fatalities in the workplace.

The increase to 5,052 people trained in 2012 marks a 47% increase on 2011’s figure of under 3,500. In training almost 1,000 people during November, the Association also reached its highest ever number trained in one month.

Don Aers, the Ladder Association’s Technical Director, said: “It is great to see that more people and organisations than ever are taking the safety message on-board and understanding that there is a vital need for people who use ladders for their work to be trained and competent. 

“There are a number of reasons for such an impressive increase, but first and foremost it is evidence of the increasing recognition within industries that ladder training is essential. One of our main goals at the Ladder Association is to make sure that industries where ladders are commonly used understand the dangers of work at height and the need for people using ladders to be competent.” 

Throughout the year, the Ladder Association bolstered this recognition through campaigns and media appearances, particularly the Ladder Exchange, a campaign previously run by the Health & Safety Executive which the Association fully took control of in 2012.

Activities relating to the Ladder Exchange included a competition which saw the public posting and voting on pictures of “Idiots on Ladders” through Facebook, and a number of interviews on BBC Radio. It was during the Ladder Exchange’s final month, November 2012, that the Association reached its record monthly total of almost 1,000 people trained.

Don Aers added: “Our campaigns throughout 2012 played a large part in getting the safety message out, and we have plans to do even more in the coming year. By the end of 2013 we are aiming for another equally sharp jump in the number of people who have the training and understanding they need to be safe at work.”