Portable ladder inspection checklist

Label — Manufacturer’s label with maximum load and ladder class present and legible

Identification — Ladder number and inspection tag present and in date

Surface — No paint or opaque coating that could hide a defect

Stiles — Stiles not bent, cracked, split, dented or corroded

Stiles — No burn marks, heat or chemical damage

Rungs and steps — No rung or step missing, loose, bent or cracked

Rungs and steps — Clean, free of oil, grease, paint or mud

Fixings — Rivets, bolts and joints tight and intact

Feet — Every anti-slip foot present, not split or worn smooth

Spreaders and locking bars — Step ladder spreaders lock fully open and are not bent

• Lock fully, undamaged (Conforming)
• Bent, loose or do not lock (Non-conforming)
• Not applicable to this ladder

Platform and top cap — Platform locks in place and top cap is undamaged

• Undamaged and secure (Conforming)
• Damaged or does not lock (Non-conforming)
• Not applicable to this ladder

Extension locks — Rung locks and guide brackets engage; rope and pulley in good condition

• Engage correctly, rope sound (Conforming)
• Do not engage, or rope frayed (Non-conforming)
• Not applicable to this ladder

Stability — Ladder stands without rocking on level ground

Storage — Stored dry and supported, away from heat and traffic, not used as a shelf

Verdict — Ladder fit for use. If not: withdraw it from service and label it "Do not use"

Remarks — Defects found and action taken