Product Overview

Summary: This Ladder Safety Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for selecting, inspecting, setting up and using ladders safely in Australian workplaces. It helps you control one of the most common causes of workplace injury—falls from height—while demonstrating compliance with WHS legislation and best practice.

Ladders are used in almost every industry, yet they remain a leading source of serious injuries and regulatory scrutiny across Australia. This Ladder Safety Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, easy-to-follow framework for managing ladder use from planning through to completion of work. It guides workers and supervisors on when a ladder is appropriate, how to select the right type and rating, how to inspect for defects, and how to position and use ladders to minimise the risk of falls and other incidents.

Developed with Australian WHS expectations in mind, this SOP helps businesses demonstrate that ladder work is properly risk assessed, controlled and supervised. It supports compliance with the Work Health and Safety Regulations and height safety guidance by embedding controls such as three‑points‑of‑contact, exclusion zones, and alternatives to ladders where reasonably practicable. By standardising ladder practices across your sites, you reduce variability, improve training outcomes, and create defensible documentation that can be relied upon in audits, incident investigations and contractor management.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of falls from height and associated injuries through clear, step-by-step ladder use instructions.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and guidance on working at height and use of portable ladders.
• Standardise ladder selection, inspection and use across all sites, contractors and workgroups.
• Improve worker competence and confidence with a practical, training-ready procedure.
• Minimise downtime, incident-related costs and reputational damage arising from avoidable ladder accidents.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Construction Managers
• Maintenance Supervisors
• Facilities Managers
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Tradespeople (Electricians, Plumbers, Carpenters, HVAC Technicians)
• Warehouse and Store Managers
• Cleaning and Property Services Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Falls from height due to incorrect ladder setup or use
• Ladder slippage on unstable, wet or uneven surfaces
• Ladder tipping caused by overreaching or incorrect angle
• Structural failure of damaged or unsuitable ladders
• Electrical shock from using metal ladders near live electrical installations
• Struck-by injuries from tools or materials dropped from ladders
• Musculoskeletal injuries from manual handling and transporting ladders
• Entrapment or collision in high-traffic or vehicle areas where ladders are used

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Ladder Types
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Risk Assessment and When to Use Alternatives to Ladders
• 6.0 Ladder Selection (Type, Rating and Height)
• 7.0 Pre-use Inspection and Tagging Requirements
• 8.0 Safe Transport, Handling and Storage of Ladders
• 9.0 Ladder Setup and Positioning (Angle, Support and Securing)
• 10.0 Safe Use of Ladders (Three Points of Contact, Tools and Materials Management)
• 11.0 Working Near Electrical Hazards and Other High-Risk Environments
• 12.0 Housekeeping and Exclusion Zones Around Ladders
• 13.0 Maintenance, Defect Reporting and Ladder Withdrawal from Service
• 14.0 Emergency Response and Incident Reporting for Ladder-Related Events
• 15.0 Training, Induction and Review of Procedure

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and applicable state/territory variants)
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth and applicable state/territory variants) – Part 4.4 Falls
• Safe Work Australia – General Guide for Working at Height
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice
• AS/NZS 1892.1: Portable ladders – Metal
• AS/NZS 1892.2: Portable ladders – Portable timber ladders
• AS/NZS 1892.3: Portable ladders – Reinforced plastic
• AS/NZS 1892.5: Portable ladders – Selection, safe use and care