The Ladder Association has taken over responsibility for the construction industry’s Ladder Exchange programme this autumn, which will allow anyone who relies on ladders for work to receive discounts on new ladders by exchanging their old ones.

The exchange will launch at the beginning of September and continue to the end of November. The exchange – which previously operated under the auspices of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – has already received more than 10,000 broken, bent and damaged ladders from British workplaces over the years.

The chairman of the Ladder Association, Cameron Chow, said that they operate under the mantra of ‘don’t let a dodgy latter shatter your life’.

“Dodgy ladders are dangerous and need to be removed from service,” he said. “The Ladder Exchange provides the perfect incentive to do just that and replace them with safe, brand new ones at a discounted price.”

A number of Britain’s biggest construction equipment suppliers are partners in the scheme – including HSS Hire and Speedy – and information on all of them can be found at the official Ladder Exchange website.

The HSE’s Paul Cook said that the Ladder Association was in an excellent position to assume control of the exchange programme, with its long established cross-sector membership and contacts.

He said, “We look forward to the Ladder Association making a real success of the Ladder Exchange as it develops in future years, helping to reduce serious risks that can cost people their livelihoods and their lives.”