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Ladder Inspection Checklist

For step, extension and platform ladders. The user checks the ladder before each use; a competent person does the recorded inspection on the site schedule and removes any ladder that fails.

Before each use, plus a recorded inspection on your site schedule · 18 checks · free printable PDF

An electrician in a hard hat working at a wall-mounted control box

What the checklist covers

Identification

Ladder has an ID tag and its inspection is in date
Manufacturer's label and duty rating legible
Ladder type and rating suit the task and the load

Stiles and rungs

Stiles free of cracks, splits, bends and corrosion
Timber ladders not painted over (paint hides defects)
Rungs or steps secure, straight, clean and none missing
Rungs not worn smooth

Feet and hardware

Non-slip feet present and not worn
Rivets, bolts and hinges secure
Stepladder: spreader bars or locking braces lock fully
Extension ladder: locks engage; rope, pulley and guide brackets in good condition

Set-up and use

Set on firm, level ground at about one out for every four up
Extends about one metre above the landing point
Tied off or footed
User keeps three points of contact
Not used near live overhead electrical lines

Outcome

Pass: ladder fit for use
Fail: ladder tagged "Do not use" and removed from service until repaired or destroyed

How to use this checklist

1Give every ladder an ID or tag number so its inspections can be traced.
2The user checks the ladder before each use: stiles, rungs, feet and locks.
3A competent person does the recorded inspection on the site schedule using this form, one sheet per ladder.
4Mark every item OK, Defect or N/A, and record the outcome.
5A ladder that fails is tagged "Do not use" and removed from service straight away, then repaired or destroyed.

A general guide. Add your manufacturer's checks and your site's own standards, and follow your site's procedures for reporting and isolating defective equipment.

Convert this checklist into a digital form

Run it on an Android phone with no signal, attach photos as evidence, and every failed item raises an issue with an owner and a due date.

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Paper finds the defect. Then what?

On paper, a ticked "Defect" box often stays a ticked box. In Inspecable the same checklist keeps going after it is signed:

Run the checklist on an Android phone with no signal; it syncs when the crew is back in range.
A failed item raises an issue with an owner and a due date.
A corrective action cannot close without evidence and a signature.
Every completed inspection produces a signed PDF with its photos.

Questions

How often should ladders be inspected?

Before each use by the person using it, plus a recorded inspection by a competent person on your site schedule, often monthly or quarterly. Inspect it again after it has been dropped or damaged.

What makes a ladder unsafe to use?

Cracked, bent or split stiles, loose or missing rungs, worn or missing feet, faulty locks or spreaders, and contamination such as oil or paint on the rungs. Any of these means the ladder comes out of service.

Should a damaged ladder be repaired?

Only if the manufacturer allows the repair and a competent person does it. Otherwise destroy it so it cannot be picked up and used again. A tagged ladder left in the store tends to find its way back onto site.

Do the regulations cover ladders?

Yes. The General Safety Regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act set requirements for ladders and their use. Check the current regulation and your site standard, and add their checks to this form.

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