Podium Step Inspections - Workplace Inspection Checklists
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
News
We support National Scaffolding Week 2024
National Scaffolding Week provides an opportunity to celebrate the industry and provide advice, information and valuable insights which can influence the direction of training in the industry. The campaign, which runs from 7th – 11th October 2024 will showcase the diverse range of career options available within the industry; highlight achievements of both organisations and individuals operating within the sector and aim to inspire the next generation to take up a role within the scaffolding ...CONTINUE...
Recycling company fined after worker loses leg
An investigation was carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a gruesome incident which was so severe that an employee had to have his leg amputated above the knee. The incident occurred on the 5th of October 2022, whilst employees were sorting out refuse at the Pink Skips (NW) Ltd site at Levenshulme. CCTV footage provided the HSE investigators with key knowledge about the incident. When reviewed, it showed employees working around and in close proximity to a 360° ro...CONTINUE...
Work-related fatalities in the UK 2023/24
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have released the 2023/24 statistics for UK work-related fatal injuries and according to these statistics, there were 138 deaths across all UK workplaces in 2023–24 with the construction industry accounting for more than a third of the total with 51 fatalities. The new figures, which can be found here, show that the annual number of work-related fatalities has remained broadly similar for over a decade. Additionally, as per previous years, male workers co...CONTINUE...
Company and director fined after a catalogue of serious injuries
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation following an incident at Code-A-Weld, Harfreys Industrial Estate, Great Yarmouth on the 19th November 2022. A man (54 years) was airlifted to hospital and placed into an induced coma after being struck by an object whilst manufacturing steel cable drums for the offshore industry. During the manufacturing process, the jacking set-up failed, causing parts to strike the man in the face. This caused extremely serious injuries in...CONTINUE...
When did you last check your car?
2% OF ALL ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO VEHICLE DEFECTS AND FAULTS Given that the National average age of UK vehicles is 8 years, it's no surprise that faults such as tyre blow outs, broken lights and smearing window wipers are causing accidents across the UK. ONLY 44% OF PEOPLE INSPECT THEIR CAR PRIOR TO TRAVELLING FOR WORK.. and of that 44% who do complete checks... • 30% don't check their oil levels • 42% have a warning light on their dashboard • 57% ...CONTINUE...
Man spared jail for unsafe work on own home
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted a thorough investigation following a site visit to a property where a man was carrying out unsafe work on his home in Manchester. The HSE served enforcement notices to put work to an immediate stop in August 2020. During their initial visit, the Health and Safety Executive found that Abdul Rehman had engaged operatives to help him build an extension to the property on Kings Crescent in Old Trafford. At the property there was an extremely uns...CONTINUE...
Worker drowns and loses life two days later
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation was carried out after the death of a construction worker. Gary Webster, a 60-year-old man was repeatedly pulled under water after his boat capsized during routine cleaning of the River Aire. Mr Webster and another worker (who managed to swim to safety) had been removing debris at the bottom of the weir gates at Knostrop Weir. The accident occured when the boat they were using was pulled into churning water due to the considerable rush of w...CONTINUE...
Managing workplace hazards
Managing hazards in a business is fundamental to maintaining the safety of employees. Under UK law, employers have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of all employees. This means it’s an employer’s responsibility to identify the hazards facing their employees and implement measures to mitigate them. It's fairly common for employees (and in many cases, management) to be unaware of the hazards they face regularly. Those who haven't encountered an accident often feel ...CONTINUE...
Workplace Equipment Inspections - Construction - Farming - Warehousing
Numerous health and safety accidents or incidents occur every day due to equipment being used in the workplace that is improperly managed, maintained or is not made for the intended purpose. Industries such as farming and agriculture, factories, warehouses and construction are all high risk due to numerous equipment types being used daily. Employers are required to ensure that all the workplace equipment provided to employees is regularly inspected and maintained in safe working order. Th...CONTINUE...
Forklift Engineer Seriously Injured during forklift servicing
A 47-year-old grandfather sustained multiple fractured vertebrae on the 14th November 2019 at a Pirelli Tyres' factory in Carlisle. The forklift truck engineer was in the process of servicing a truck when two metal skips fell from a stack of waste tyres, crushing Mr Weightman against the ground. A HSE investigation found that in order for Mr Weightman to work on the forklift truck, he had to move the truck. He was however, unaware that the truck was positioned to stabilise the skips. This...CONTINUE...
Motorsport engineering firm fined following HSE inspection
A motorsport engineering firm based in Kent has been fined after Britain’s workplace regulator identified numerous health and safety breaches. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited Hispec Motorsport Limited - a specialist designer and producer of aftermarket brake upgrades for road, race, track, and kit cars. During their visits, the inspectors found serious breaches of the law and enforcement notices were issued. The subsequent investigation found the busin...CONTINUE...
22-year-old carpenter sustains fatal head injury
On 30 October 2019, Niall McCormack from Kettering, Northamptonshire had been working with another carpenter at a new build construction site in Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire. The pair were removing trusses from a pack, to then spread and install across there building. As they were in the process of spreading, a gust of wind caught a spandrel panel, pushing it against the remaining trusses in the pack. Both the truss pack and spandrel panel fell into the work area, hitting Niall McCorma...CONTINUE...
Worker crushed at London Heathrow Airport
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation after an employee of Dnata Ltd was crushed to death at London Heathrow Airport on the 23rd February 2022. The incident occurred during the unloading of baggage containers from an Emirates Airbus which had arrived from Dubai. The employee walked underneath a high loader (a raised platform similar to a scissor lift) in order to access the other side of a trailer. At the same time the high-loader operator lowered one of its tw...CONTINUE...
Why you should complete daily forklift inspections
Forklift truck inspections can increase productivity by up to 25%. Additionally it will reduce breakdowns by 70% and lowers forklift truck maintenance costs by 25%. Depending on the type of forklift truck, costs and technical sophistication, a broad spectrum of maintenance strategies should be applied. A faulty forklift truck may significantly slow or completely halt your entire production process. Poor maintenance strategies can reduce the overall productive capacity of a warehouse by 5...CONTINUE...
Tragedy at Go-Kart Centre
Capital Karts in Barking, East London has been fined almost £120,000 after an incident on the 6th August 2021. Newham youth group organised a fun filled day at Capital Karts with a group of teens, however the day turned to horror when one of the teens had to be resuscitated at the venue after her hijab (a traditional muslim headscarf) got caught in a go karts drive axle. Ruwaida Adan, 15, died in hospital of hypoxic brain injury and asphyxiation four days after she visited Capital ...CONTINUE...
Banksman loses leg in MEWP accident
A food manufacturing company has been fined following a serious incident at its premises in Wirral. Sharon Bramhall had been supervising four members of staff as they completed high-level cleaning tasks during a night shift on the 22nd April 2022. She had been acting as a "banksman" as the MEWP turned at a right angle into the warehouse and struck Sharon, crushing her left leg. The 58-year-old had to have her left leg amputated below the knee following a incident at Baker & Baker Products ...CONTINUE...
