In Facilities Management, Ladders are a common way to work at height - and a common source of falls when they are misused. This guide explains how Facilities Management teams in Ireland use Ladders safely, and why a Working at Heights Course ties it all together.
Ladders in Facilities Management: where the risk lies
A maintenance technician changing high-bay lighting in a shopping centre, balancing footfall, access equipment and a tight overnight window. Ladders are suited to short-duration, light work where three points of contact can be kept and a better platform is not justified, but in a Facilities Management setting the margin for error is small.
Pre-use checks for Ladders
Before any Facilities Management worker uses Ladders, confirm that:
- Locking mechanisms and stays work fully
- Feet are present, intact and grip the surface
- No makeshift repairs, paint hiding cracks, or missing parts
- Stiles are straight and undamaged
The relevant standard here is EN 131 (the current European standard for portable ladders; older Class 1 / EN 131 markings indicate industrial duty).
Common Ladders faults to never ignore
- Worn or missing feet
- Bent or split stiles
- Loose or damaged rungs
- Mud or grease on rungs reducing grip
FM teams carry out the widest variety of height tasks of any sector, so general Working at Heights training plus task-specific assessments are essential.
The Working at Heights Course makes compliance simple
Here is the good news: getting compliant is fast and inexpensive. Our Working at Heights Course is delivered fully online, takes about 45 minutes, and issues a downloadable certificate the same day. It is CPD certified, RoSPA approved and QQI aligned, and it is written specifically for Facilities Management teams using Ladders.
The Working at Heights Training covers the avoid-prevent-minimise hierarchy, ladder and stepladder safety, MEWPs and scaffolds, harnesses and anchor points, and how to carry out a proper risk assessment. Every learner finishes with a recognised Working at Heights Certificate that stands up to HSA inspection and supports your insurance position.
Training that goes beyond the tick-box
Supervision is the quiet control that holds everything together. Even a perfectly trained worker drifts under time pressure, so someone on site needs the knowledge and the authority to stop unsafe work involving Ladders in Facilities Management before it becomes an incident. That only happens when supervisors are trained too.
The cheapest control is always to avoid the work at height in the first place. For Ladders in Facilities Management, that can mean long-handled tools, lowering the task to ground level, or designing the job so no one needs to climb. Where that is impossible, collective protection such as guardrails and platforms beats personal protection every time.
Frequently asked questions
Do Facilities Management workers need training to use Ladders?
Yes. Safe use of Ladders is part of working at height. A Working at Heights Course covers selection, inspection and safe use for Facilities Management tasks.
How often should Ladders be inspected?
Before every use by the operator, plus formal recorded inspections to the relevant standard. Keep the logs for HSA inspection.
Is online training enough for Facilities Management height work?
Our online Working at Heights Training covers the legal and safe-system knowledge; equipment-specific practical tickets (such as IPAF or PASMA) are added where the task requires them.
More on staying safe at height
The most expensive mistake employers make with ladders in facilities management is treating training as a box-ticking exercise. The Health and Safety Authority does not just want a certificate on file; it wants evidence that the worker understood the avoid-prevent-minimise hierarchy and applied it on the day. A genuine Working at Heights Course builds that understanding, which is exactly why our online programme uses real scenarios rather than slides.
Get certified today
Do not wait for an HSA inspection or a near miss to act. Facilities Management teams can complete the Working at Heights Course online in 45 minutes and download a certificate the same day. For 10 or more learners, see our team training rates, or contact our team for a tailored quote.
Start the online Working at Heights Training now and put a recognised certificate in every worker's file before the next job at height begins.
