The Ladder Association campaigns for users to replace their old ladders with new ones, and then use them safely. It runs a part exchange trade-in scheme. It also holds photo competition in tandem that invites people to send in photographs of dangerous ladder use.
The Ladder Exchange programme traded 15% more ladders in 2014 than in the previous year, continuing three straight years of growth since the Ladder Association took over the initiative from the Health & Safety Executive in 2012.
The Idiots on Ladders contest similarly saw a rise in entries. The winning photo, in full below, shows one man standing inside the raised bucket of a telehandler holding the bottom of a ladder (he got that bit right at least). A second man is at the top of the ladder, looking down the chimney. The identity of these idiots has not been revealed.
Ladder Association communications & social media officer Michael Fern said: “This year the public sent in more pictures of people working dangerously at height than ever before, and some of the pictures were among the most unbelievable we have seen.
“Along with the winner, one of the runners up also showed a ladder being used from inside an excavator, hinting at how worryingly common even ideas as ridiculous as these can be. Idiots on Ladders is a great reminder of the importance of training. Its message is clear – if you are using a ladder you must make sure that you are competent, otherwise you really are taking your life in your hands.”
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