Henchman Launch 'Be Ladder Wise' campaign.
Article date: 10 March 2008
Download your free 'Be Ladder Wise' booklet.
Email us if you'd like to share your story about an accident involving a ladder.
A British businessman, appalled by the number of deaths in gardens and homes caused by falls from ladders, has personally financed a safety leaflet after the government cancelled funding for their publication.
Mike Kitching, founder of Henchman Limited, has produced ‘Be Ladder Wise’, an informative booklet that gives advice and guidance on the safe use of ladders in homes and gardens.
“Someone in Britain is likely to die this week by falling off a ladder in their garden or home. According to UK government statistics fifty or more of these totally avoidable deaths occur each year. It is also estimated that 6000 people a year who tumble off ladders require hospital emergency treatment,” he explained.
His booklet is supported by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, The British Safety Council, The Horticultural Trades Association, The House of Commons Horticultural Group, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission and leading gardening journalists.
“The Work At Height Regulations 2005 provides much needed safety precautions for people in the work place but the government does nothing to protect or even advise private gardeners and homeowners. The DTI previously produced a series of advisory booklets but these were stopped.
“Despite the number of death and injuries – and consequent burden on the NHS – successive minister have not deemed it sufficiently important to allocate funding to reinstate these publications. I felt so strongly about it that I decided to take up the challenge myself,” added Mike.
Copies of Be Ladder Wise can be downloaded free of charge. Mike and his colleagues would also like to hear from gardeners who have been injured in accidents involving ladders.
“Something else that we highlight in the booklet is that anyone who pays for help in their garden is liable under the Work at Height Regulations. This is often overlooked and literally thousands of home owners in the UK are putting themselves at risk,” he added.
