Stop work authority poster
Stop work if you feel unsafe
A site safety reminder to stop, tell your supervisor and report concerns when a task feels unsafe.
Free download · A4 poster
Free ladder safety poster with the 1 in 4 rule
A working at height poster with the ladder set-up drawn out: 4 up for every 1 out, 1 metre above the landing and 3 points of contact, from HSE’s ladder guidance. A4 PDF to print, and a PNG image for screens. Free to use and reuse.
- Format
- PDF and PNG
- Prints at
- A4 or A3
- Built on
- HSE INDG455
- Cost
- Free, always
What the ladder safety poster says
One page“I was only up there for a minute.”
The headline, with the line that falls from height kill more workers than anything else.
The ladder, drawn out
A leaning ladder at the 1 in 4 angle, 4 up for every 1 out, extending 1 metre above the top, with 3 points of contact.
Not sure it is safe? Do not go up. Ask.
The close, with the sources: HSE fatal injury statistics and HSE ladder guidance INDG455.
What HSE says about ladders
Checked against the sourceThe 1 in 4 rule
A leaning ladder should be at an angle of about 75 degrees: one unit out from the wall for every four units up.
HSE INDG455, Safe use of ladders and stepladders1 metre above, and 3 points of contact
A ladder used for access should extend at least 1 metre above the landing point, unless there is a suitable handhold. Keep three points of contact at the working position where you can.
HSE INDG455, Safe use of ladders and stepladdersLadders only when the risk justifies it
A ladder is used for work at height only where the risk assessment shows better equipment is not justified. That means the risk is low and the use is short, or the site cannot be altered.
Work at Height Regulations 2005, regulation 7 and Schedule 6How to use it
Put it where ladders are kept
On the ladder rack, in the store and on the van, so it is read when the ladder is picked up.
Check the ladder before it goes up
A pre-use check every time: stiles, feet, rungs and locking bars. The work at height checklist covers it.
Brief it with the talk
The working at height toolbox talk covers ladders, towers and edges, with a signed record that it was given.
Asked most often
Questions about
Questions about
this poster.
What is the 1 in 4 rule for ladders?
For every four units up, the foot of the ladder sits one unit out from the wall. That gives the angle of about 75 degrees HSE recommends in INDG455.
How far should a ladder extend above the landing?
At least 1 metre above the landing point, unless there is a suitable handhold to hold on to, according to HSE INDG455.
What are 3 points of contact on a ladder?
Two feet and a hand, or two hands and a foot, on the ladder at all times while climbing and, where you can, at the working position.
Is this ladder safety poster free?
Yes. It is free to download, print and reuse, including on paid work and for clients, with no sign-up and no email address.
Can I use the ladder diagram in our training?
Yes. The PNG is free to use in inductions, toolbox talks, presentations and on your intranet. No conditions, no credit needed.
More free downloads
All 99 downloads →
Site safety poster
Focus on the job
A reminder to give the task your full attention, put the phone away, plan ahead and take breaks.
Near miss reporting poster
See it. Report it. Prevent it.
A near-miss reporting poster encouraging the team to speak up about hazards before someone gets hurt.
Next step
The briefing behind the poster,
The briefing behind the poster,
signed on the phone.
On the platform a RAMS is read on the operative’s own phone, in their own language, and signed against the revision. Toolbox talks are signed on the phone too, so the office can show who was briefed, on what, and when.