This Ladder Risk Assessment/JSA (Job Safety Analysis) is pre-filled for selecting, setting up and working from step, A-frame, extension and platform ladders. It covers 18 activities, from assessing access and weather conditions to post-work inspection and emergency response, with the hazards, control measures and risk ratings before and after controls for each. It's written by WHS specialists, aligned to Australian WHS legislation, and fully editable in Microsoft Word.
 
Who it's for
Builders, painters, electricians and plumbers
Maintenance and facilities crews
Cleaning and window cleaning contractors
Signage, AV and installation businesses
It also works as a written task risk assessment for any business where workers use a ladder, the same way you'd use a JSA or Safe Work Procedure.
A risk assessment, also called a JSA, JSEA or task risk assessment, records the hazards of a task and how you control them. If the task is part of high risk construction work, the law requires a SWMS for that work, so use our Ladder SWMS instead.
 
Use it to
Show clients, insurers and auditors how you manage the risks
Apply for tenders, contracts and supplier panels
Get through prequalification with Avetta, Cm3 and other contractor portals
Induct new workers and train them in the task
 
What this risk assessment covers
Site information, unlicensed or untrained workers and PPE
Assessing access, lighting, weather and members of the public
Preparing the work area and manual handling ladders
Choosing the right ladder for the task
Positioning ladders on stable ground and managing trip hazards for pedestrians
Using ladders, including falls, dropped objects, equipment failure and contact with powerlines
Setting up, climbing and working from platform ladders
Leaving the work area safely
Securing the site and stopping tools and materials falling on people below
Lightning, wind, rain, slippery surfaces, heat and sunburn
Post-work checks for unsecured or damaged ladders, and housekeeping
Emergency response to falls, electrical contact, fire or serious injury
 
What's included
Hazards and control measures for 18 work activities
Risk ratings before and after controls, with a 5x5 risk matrix and the hierarchy of controls
PPE requirements checklist
Plant and equipment list covering step, A-frame, extension and platform ladders
Daily pre-start checks, scheduled inspections and maintenance, plus induction and activity training
Site specific hazards section for anything unique to your job
Further controls action plan to track anything still to be done
Worker sign-off sheet and worker consultation record
 
Why use this template
Saves hours compared with writing a risk assessment from a blank page
Covers the most common hazards and control measures for this work, ready to use out of the box
Fully editable, so you can add, remove or change anything to suit your workplace and how your team works
Helps your business stay compliant, with risk ratings, an action plan, worker sign-off and consultation records already set up
Comes with a step-by-step implementation guide
 
How it works
Buy online and download straight away. You'll also get an email with your link.
Add your logo, ABN, area and site details.
Check it suits your workplace and task, edit anything you need to, and consult your workers before you finalise it.
Brief your team and collect signatures.
 
Common questions
Do I need a SWMS or a risk assessment for working from a ladder?
A SWMS is legally required when the job is high risk construction work, for example where someone could fall more than 2 metres, near energised electrical installations or powerlines, or next to a road in use. Outside those situations a SWMS isn't mandatory, but you still have to manage the risks, and a risk assessment or JSA is a practical way to record how. Clients, head contractors and prequalification portals often ask for one either way. If the job is high risk construction work, use our Ladder SWMS instead.
Does it cover platform ladders?
Yes. It has separate activities for setting up platform ladders, climbing up and down them, and working from them, covering falls, falling objects, powerlines and slips.
Can I change it?
Yes. It's a Microsoft Word file, so you can add, remove or change any hazard, control or rating, and add your own logo and details.
Does it suit my state?
Yes. It's written to the model WHS laws and suits all states and territories, including Victoria under the OHS Act and Regulations.
What if it doesn't suit my work?
You're covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee if it isn't fit for purpose.