Steps, ladders, and safe low-level access

Reaching for stock, displays, boxed items or equipment is a routine part of pharmacy work. Injuries often occur when people rush, overreach, stand on unsuitable furniture, or try to manage without proper access equipment.

Ladders and stepladders can be appropriate where the task is low risk and a risk assessment shows that equipment with greater fall protection is not needed.

What every team member should know

• Use the right equipment: step stools or stepladders should be used for suitable tasks. Do not stand on chairs, shelves, boxes, or counters.
• Check before use: if steps or ladders look damaged, unstable, or unsuitable, do not use them.
• Check the equipment and the area before starting: damaged steps, unstable flooring, poor lighting, or obstructions can all make a routine task unsafe.
• Avoid overreaching: keep your body centred and reposition the equipment rather than stretching sideways.
• Keep contact and control: climb carefully, keep proper contact with the equipment, and do not carry awkward items in a way that affects balance.
• Think about the task: if the load is too bulky, the space is too tight, or the task does not feel safe, stop and get help.

Low-level access tasks can become unsafe in narrow stockrooms, busy dispensaries, or areas where passers-by may distract the person using the steps or ladder.

What managers and employers should put in place

Most ladder and step accidents happen during ordinary tasks. Use the right equipment, do not improvise, and stop if the task or the load does not feel safe.