Podium Step Inspections

Company fined over £50,000 after worker fell from Podium Step

Podium steps are considered a safer way to work at low-level heights as they provide guard rails and ensure the user is enclosed and secure on a platform. They still however prove a risk and should be inspected to ensure they are safe for use.

Podium steps should be compliant with BS 8620 (the only British standard available in Europe for Podium Steps) which sets the benchmark for strength, access, stability, and rigidity. A company was fined over £50,000 in 2020, following an HSE investigation, after a worker had fallen two metres to the floor and fractured two vertebrae. It was found that the podium steps had been modified with the addition of incorrect feet, contrary to the manufacturers’ instructions. Stabiliser bars had not been fitted and workers had not been trained in their correct use. Read the full story by clicking here

Podium Steps

The accident above emphasises the fact that you don't need to be very far off the ground to be seriously injured by a fall. As the HSE inspector noted, podiums are a safe way to work at height - but of course, only when they're used properly.

In the UK, an average of 14 deaths and 1200 injuries are a result of falls from ladders. The Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) suggests using equipment with a working platform and guard rails where ever possible, as an alternative to traditional stepladders, to help prevent the risk of a fall.

Most podium steps are foldable and can fit through standard doorways. Easy to assemble and ready to use in minutes. Podium steps (like mobile scaffold towers) should be inspected before and after each use to make sure the there is no damage that will compromise the user’s safety.

Ensuring workers are trained and competent in the safe use of access equipment is an important step towards ensuring their safety. Providing them compliant, suitable equipment for the job in hand is equally essential. As with any work equipment, podium steps also fall under the remit of PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) and as such must be maintained in a suitable condition and routinely inspected to ensure this remains the case.

By attaching a Good to Go Safety Status Tag at the entry point of the steps, it provides a clear visual reminder to complete a pre-use check prior to use. The Good to Go Safety Podium Step Safety Checklist then allows the user to complete essential pre-use checks before they start using the equipment. Once completed, the checklist is placed inside the tag to display the date and findings of the inspection, while a duplicate copy is retained inside the podium steps check book for management records. The frequency of inspection will be defined by the frequency of use and the environment they are being used in, but the flexibility of the checklist system means it will meet the demands of each individual. Each check book contains 25 checklists, helping companies meet their statutory requirements in the provision of safe and well-maintained equipment (and evidence of that regime).


Podium Step Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

Podium Step Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

The Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) suggests using equipment with a working platform and guard rails such as podium steps wherever possible. In the ..

£6.20

Podium Step Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

Podium Step Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

The Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) suggests using equipment with a working platform and guard rails such as podium steps wherever possible. In the ..

£37.10

Podium Step Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

Podium Step Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

The Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) suggests using equipment with a working platform and guard rails such as podium steps wherever possible. In the ..

£109.50

Podium Step Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Podium Step Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Our podium step safety poster has been designed to highlight key components of a podium step ladder and reinforce the importance of completing podium ..

£21.77

Inspection Information Station

Inspection Information Station

The information station will provide your workplace with the ideal central location to store inspection check books. Organising your inspections an..

£233.20

Inspection Wallet and Pen

Inspection Wallet and Pen

A handy wallet that not only provides additional protection from the elements but also gives inspectors a solid writing surface to complete inspection..

£6.20

Weather Resistant Inspection Holder

Weather Resistant Inspection Holder

These industrial strength pockets have a press seal fastening to keep important documents clean and dry. An ideal solution for storing check books, in..

£6.31

Inspection Book Dispenser

Inspection Book Dispenser

Allow the storage of checklists in a central location for quick and easy access to important inspection checklists. Provide workers with the ideal ..

£13.25

Showing 1 to 8 of 8 (1 Pages)

News

Now's the time for farms to change

Now's the time for farms to change

Farmers are being reminded they must change their attitude towards safety as Britain’s workplace regulator readies itself for a wave of inspections in the coming months. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will visit farms ac...CONTINUE...

Quick thinking 16-year-old saves own life after tractor accident

Quick thinking 16-year-old saves own life after tractor accident

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited, had failed to adequately protect a 16-year-old whilst on paid work experience. On August 3, 2021, the teenager, Tom Cutler, was h...CONTINUE...

Tyre Safety Month

Tyre Safety Month

TyreSafe has announced the launch of its highly anticipated “Safe and Save” campaign as a part of this year’s Tyre Safety Month - a campaign which aims to educate and empower motorists across various groups to prioritise tyre safety, save money, and ...CONTINUE...

Wood workshop fined after HSE inspection

Wood workshop fined after HSE inspection

A Lincolnshire-based workshop has been fined after his employees were exposed to a hazardous substance. Inspectors found a significant build-up of wood dust and that Local Exhaust Ventilation systems, provided to capture wood dust and protect ...CONTINUE...

We're Supporting National Scaffolding Week 2023

We're Supporting National Scaffolding Week 2023

National Scaffolding Week provides an opportunity for members of the industry (no matter the role) to provide advice, information and valuable insights which can influence the direction of training in the industry. The campaign, which runs from 9...CONTINUE...

How to save time and money with effective equipment maintenance

How to save time and money with effective equipment maintenance

On average, predictive maintenance increases productivity by 25%, reduces breakdowns by 70% and lowers maintenance costs by 25%. Depending on the type of assets, costs and technical sophistication, a broad spectrum of maintenance strategies should be...CONTINUE...

The importance of workplace site assessments

The importance of workplace site assessments

A farm has been fined £60,000 following the death of a 43-year-old father-of-three who was electrocuted on the 13th May 2021 by a power line. Patrick Rice was unloading stone when the hydraulic arm of the dumper truck came into contact with 11kV o...CONTINUE...

A Safer and Healthier Farm Life Environment

A Safer and Healthier Farm Life Environment

A three-year-old child was among 27 people killed in agriculture-related activities in the last 12 months. Britain's workplace regulator has called for a cultural shift away from poor behaviours due to the rate of fatalities, which has remained ...CONTINUE...

Forklift Safety - a simple reminder

Forklift Safety - a simple reminder

Monitoring all your workplace equipment (such as forklifts) and assessing working environments with regular (pre-use / pre-move) inspections will help achieve a safer workplace environment for employees. Pre-use / pre-move inspections will not only i...CONTINUE...

Work-related fatality statistics 2022-2023

Work-related fatality statistics 2022-2023

There were one hundred and thirty-five workers killed due to work-related incidents in the United Kingdom the last year, according to figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on the 6th of July 2023. The statistics released ...CONTINUE...

Straddle Carrier Incident causes Fatality

Straddle Carrier Incident causes Fatality

A straddle carrier tipped over at Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg earlier this week, killing the driver The accident occurred shortly before the end of the night shift at around 5am CET (3am GMT) on Wednesday, 18th January 2023. The stradd...CONTINUE...

HSE finds Faulty, Damaged and Defective Equipment

HSE finds Faulty, Damaged and Defective Equipment

As part of a nationwide inspection campaign, the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) visited hand car washing facilities throughout West and Mid Sussex and found "shocking" health and safety failings at 20 of the sites in West and Mid Sussex. T...CONTINUE...

Worker suffers two broken ribs, a punctured lung and fractured vertebra

Worker suffers two broken ribs, a punctured lung and fractured vertebra

A company has been fined £200,000 after an employee was crushed by a 700kg crate filled with replacement glass. The man who was working at a warehouse located in Stakehill Industrial Estate, Middleton, was moving the crate, with the help of an...CONTINUE...

FLASH DEAL – Limited Time Offer – 30 Day Access

FLASH DEAL – Limited Time Offer – 30 Day Access

What you get … • FREE UNLIMITED ACCESS to the TakeAIM app and Company Dashboard • FREE LIVE VIDEO TUTORIAL on Teams • FREE REAL-TIME SUPPORT to help with set-up • NO HARD SELL, NO PAYMENT DETAILS REQUIRED, NO COMMITMENT Wha...CONTINUE...

National Forklift Safety Day 2023

National Forklift Safety Day 2023

In the UK, we bear witness to over 1300 fork lift truck accidents every year, which means on average there are five accidents every workday in the UK that involves a forklift. In the US there are over 35,000 serious injuries every year due to forklif...CONTINUE...

How the Cost-of-Living Crisis is affecting Road Safety

How the Cost-of-Living Crisis is affecting Road Safety

Over the last year cost-of-living has impacted us all, but when it comes to travel, the increasing costs are crippling many drivers ability to keep their vehicles maintained and road safe. In a survey (by Brake and AXA) regarding vehicle safe...CONTINUE...