Ladders and Asbestos Top Priorities for IOSH

Choosing the right ladder type and being educated as to the dangers of asbestos are both crucial to UK worker safety, according to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

A recent IOSH event explained that workers should learn the importance of choosing the most suitable ladder for each specific job.

At said event, demonstrations of different ladder types were used by IOSH to improve awareness of the issue, which in turn will hopefully improve safety conditions.

Members were also shown other equipment including harness or ladder stoppers.

Commenting, Ian Steward of IOSH’s Tyne and Wear Executive Committee, stated:

“The ladder training was aimed at all personnel responsible for staff who may be presented with situations where ladders or steps have to be used.

“They must consider their safety when working at height, where the option of a cherry picker or scaffolding cannot be used.”

Commenting on the regulative and legal responsibilities regarding asbestos, which were both discussed at the event,

Steward added:

“With people potentially working in close contact with known or unknown asbestos in their working areas, it is paramount that a management plan of control or monitoring is in place to prevent someone becoming exposed to a potential harmful substance which may lead to a potential disease in the future.

“There are many different roles where workers are posed with both the risk around ladders and asbestos. Hopefully both presentations will help many organisations put a system in place to manage all risks.”

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