The tabloids accused the Health and Safety Executive of taking way an Englishman's right to bear ladders

'Height Of Madness' ran the Daily Express, while The Sun went with 'Step Duds'. These were typical headlines in the tabloids earlier this year as they took lazy potshots at the HSE when it mentioned that stepladders may not be the best tool for 鈥渓onger, complex tasks鈥�.

One sandal sheet even trotted out that old chestnut 鈥淚s it me, or is this an example of health and safety gone mad?鈥�

The HSE鈥檚 website hasn't taken this lying down and has busted the myth on its web site. It declares, with a waving fist, that 鈥淲e have not banned stepladders - nor have we banned ladders!鈥�

Amazingly the HSE says that some firms have actually fallen for the myth and stopped using ladders. For more solid advice on ladder safety be sure to visit the HSE web site, where there is information on the current ladder exchange programme.

More for more myths go to HSE's