Product Overview

Summary: This Ladder Safety on Scaffolds Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for safely installing, using and removing ladders on scaffold structures. It helps Australian workplaces control high-risk work at height, align with WHS obligations, and prevent serious falls, collapses and struck-by incidents on construction and maintenance sites.

Working from height is one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatalities in Australian workplaces, and the interface between ladders and scaffolds is a particularly high-risk zone. This Ladder Safety on Scaffolds SOP provides a structured, step-by-step method for planning, installing, securing, using and removing ladders on scaffold systems in line with Australian WHS expectations. It addresses common problem areas such as unstable ladder placement, unsafe access between scaffold levels, overreaching, and uncontrolled interaction with other trades on busy sites.

The procedure gives your team a consistent, defensible way to manage ladder access on both fixed and mobile scaffolds, from pre-start inspections and load rating checks through to exclusion zones, housekeeping and emergency response. By documenting who does what and how, this SOP helps you demonstrate due diligence, support worker training and toolbox talks, and reduce the likelihood of falls, scaffold damage and project delays. It is particularly valuable for contractors who must show clients and regulators that work at height is being managed systematically and in accordance with Australian standards and codes of practice.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of falls from height by standardising how ladders are selected, installed and used on scaffolds.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation, codes of practice and relevant scaffolding and ladder standards.
• Improve site supervision and worker competence through clear, documented roles, responsibilities and step-by-step instructions.
• Minimise project disruption and downtime caused by incidents, near misses and unsafe access arrangements.
• Demonstrate due diligence to clients, regulators and auditors with a robust, written procedure for ladder access on scaffolds.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• Scaffolding Supervisors
• Scaffolders
• General Construction Workers
• Maintenance Technicians
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Principal Contractors
• Facilities and Asset Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Falls from height when accessing or descending scaffolds via ladders
• Ladder slippage, tipping or collapse due to incorrect securing or placement
• Falls through gaps between ladders and scaffold platforms
• Overreaching or loss of balance while working from a ladder on or adjacent to scaffolds
• Struck-by incidents from tools or materials dropped from ladders or scaffold platforms
• Contact with overhead powerlines or services when positioning ladders near scaffolds
• Scaffold instability or damage caused by incorrect ladder attachment or overloading
• Trips and slips due to poor housekeeping around ladder access points

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 References and Applicable Legislation
• 3.0 Definitions (Ladders, Scaffolds, Access Points, Competent Person, etc.)
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 5.0 Competency, Training and Licensing Requirements
• 6.0 Pre-Start Planning and Risk Assessment for Ladder Use on Scaffolds
• 7.0 Selection of Suitable Ladders and Scaffold Access Systems
• 8.0 Pre-Use Inspection of Ladders and Scaffold Access Bays
• 9.0 Safe Installation and Securing of Ladders to Scaffolds
• 10.0 Safe Use of Ladders on and Adjacent to Scaffolds
• 11.0 Managing Interaction with Other Trades and Site Traffic
• 12.0 Housekeeping, Exclusion Zones and Drop Protection
• 13.0 Environmental Considerations (Weather, Surface Conditions, Overhead Services)
• 14.0 Removal, Storage and Maintenance of Ladders
• 15.0 Emergency Procedures and Incident Response for Falls from Height
• 16.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
• 17.0 Document Control and Record Keeping

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations – provisions relating to work at height, plant and high risk construction work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Construction Work
• AS/NZS 1892.1: Portable ladders – Metal
• AS/NZS 1892.2: Portable ladders – Portable ladder accessories
• AS/NZS 1576 series: Scaffolding
• AS/NZS 4576: Guidelines for scaffolding