Industry Forum: Just a Ladder? - Challenging Normalised Risk

This interactive industry forum brings together workforce representatives, leaders, HSE professionals, and safety practitioners to explore one of the most normalised risks across our industry – the everyday use of step ladders.

Through a thought-provoking safety animation and facilitated discussion, the session will go beyond ladder use itself to examine the behaviours, decisions, systems, and assumptions that influence how work at height is carried out.

Together, we’ll explore questions such as:

• Are ladders being treated as a last resort – or simply the default option?
• What risks remain hidden due to underreporting of minor incidents and near misses?
• Why do other industries apply stricter controls for the same hazard?
• Are we fully applying the hierarchy of controls, or allowing convenience to influence decision-making?

This forum is not about banning ladders.
It’s about creating an open and honest industry conversation around how and why they are used – and whether safer alternatives are always being considered.

• Challenge normalised behaviours
• Share perspectives and industry insight
• Reflect on current practices
• Play your part in improving work at height safety

Let’s move beyond “just a ladder” – and start talking about the choices behind it.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Step Change In Safety