Every course fact below comes from WorkSafe Ireland's live Ladder Safety and MEWP course pages, read on 28 September 2026. Search figures come from Semrush (Ireland) and Google results from SerpApi on the same day.

Working at height training teaches people to plan and do work off the ground without falling. In Ireland, employers must make sure anyone working at height is trained and competent for the equipment they use. WorkSafe Ireland offers two practical courses for this: a half-day Ladder Safety course for groups of 5 to 12, and a one-day MEWP course for 2 to 4 operators. Both are run for groups on request.

Contents

• What counts as working at height
• What the law says in Ireland
• Who needs working at height training
• WorkSafe's half-day ladder safety course
• When you need MEWP training instead
• A simple ladder check before every climb
• Cost and how to book
• Working at height training FAQs

What counts as working at height

Working at height means any work where a person could fall a distance and be injured. It includes using a step ladder in a shop, a leaning ladder on a house, a scissor lift in a warehouse or a scaffold on a building site. It also covers working near an edge or a fragile roof, even at ground level.

What the law says in Ireland

The work at height rules are in Part 4, Chapter 1 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007. In plain English, employers must:

• avoid work at height where they reasonably can;
• plan, organise and supervise the work at height that remains;
• pick the right equipment, putting collective protection (like guard rails) before personal protection;
• make sure the people involved are trained and competent.

The Health and Safety Authority explains this in its work at height guidance, which is the best place to read the detail.

Who needs working at height training

Your employer's risk assessment decides this. In practice it usually includes caretakers, maintenance and facilities staff, warehouse and retail staff who use step ladders, and trades who use ladders or MEWPs. WorkSafe also runs a dedicated course for school caretakers.

WorkSafe's half-day ladder safety course

• For: any member of staff whose work involves the occasional or regular use of portable ladders, both step and leaning/upright
• Duration: half day
• Group size: minimum 5, maximum 12
• Method: theory and practical, confirmed orally
• Certificate: certificate of attendance for each participant upon course completion

The course covers ladders and their parts, legislation and standards, pre-use checks, inspection and records, and storage, handling and maintenance. It also teaches planning ahead under four headings:

1. Site: positioning, stabilising, protecting others and thinking about the weather.
2. Task: how long it takes, climbing and descending safely, and handling loads.
3. Equipment: the right class, material, height and type of ladder.
4. Personnel: competent people wearing the right PPE.

The course is interactive and needs physical fitness, a head for heights and mobility. Wear comfortable clothes and footwear with a heel, and bring weatherproof clothing if needed. A selection of the ladders and stabilising devices you normally use must be available in good condition.

When you need MEWP training instead

If your staff work from a scissor lift, cherry picker or boom lift, a ladder course is not enough. They need MEWP training. Read our MEWP training guide or the MEWP course page.

A simple ladder check before every climb

1. Is a ladder the right equipment for this short, low-risk job?
2. Are the stiles, rungs and feet undamaged?
3. Is the ground firm and level, and is the ladder stabilised?
4. Can you keep three points of contact while you work?
5. Is the area below protected from people walking past?

If any answer is no, stop and sort it out before anyone climbs.

Cost and how to book

WorkSafe Ireland quotes ladder safety and MEWP training per group, and there are no public dates for either course at present. Call 053 94 81445, email info@worksafe.ie or contact us for a quote. For construction workers, the Safe Pass course is bookable on the live calendar.

Full course details are on our Ladder Safety page.

Working at height training: frequently asked questions