November 2022

Total Talk: Werner
SAFETY AT HEIGHT: RAISING
STANDARDS & CHANGING MINDSETS
In order to avoid serious injury or falls when working at height, adequate training and
knowledge of height safety remain critical. With this in mind, we put the questions to
Justin White, Managing Director at Werner UK, discussing attitudes to safety,
messaging around training and best practice, product development and innovation,
plus look back on the company’s 100 years in business, which it celebrates this year.
TC: How is the company celebrating its
100 year anniversary? – it’s such a
significant milestone
JW: Over the past year we have celebrated with
our staff and customers by offering special
promotions and launching innovative products in
order to provide the best service possible. The
celebrations will be overflowing into 2023, so
watch this space!
TC: What have been some of the key
developments for the company in recent
years?
JW: Leading the way in innovation has always
been a large focus here at Werner and we are
continually looking at how we can evolve our
products, using buyer feedback, to make easy to
use and safe working at height equipment.
We are proud of the products that we develop and
some key launches over the last couple of years
have been our Leansafe X3 multi-purpose ladder,
and the very exciting launch of our Adjustable &
Linking PRO Platform which is being unveiled at
this year’s National Painting and Decorating Show.
To grow as a business, we have recently invested
in a new 174,000 sq ft facility which will enable
us to increase our UK manufacturing as well as
host more industry events and training.
TC: What do you feel is the key to Werner
having been able to not only survive 100
years, but develop its offering and grow
as a brand?
“People
shouldn’t be
afraid to
demand the
right training
and equipment
for the job”
JW: Investment in staff is vital in order to show
value and create a positive working space. A
happy and well-equipped team enables us to
work effectively to meet the demands of our
customers and end users. This also allows us to
diversify our offering to ensure we are covering all
bases of product offering and innovation.
With a strong pipeline of product innovation and a
global manufacturing and distribution offering,
Werner is in a strong industry position and we are
excited to see what the next 100 years hold!
TC: You recently launched your Stepping
up to Ladder Safety campaign – how has
it been received and what are the main
takeaways from the guidance for
tradespeople?
JW: Safety is key for us and it always has been.
Our job as a manufacturer is to help educate
users into understanding when to use work at
height equipment and how choosing the right
equipment is key to safety. Year on year falls from
height remain the leading cause of workplace
fatalities due to the incorrect use of work at height
Left: Justin White, MD at Werner UK.
equipment caused by inadequate
training or attitudes to safety.
The research we have carried
out for the Stepping Up to Ladder
Safety campaign shows that
tradesmen want to prioritise their
safety, and as manufacturers, we have a duty to
advise best practice when using access
equipment.
Our research revealed that 48% of people worry
about safety when working at height, that is why
we created a series of best practice guides to
help users feel more confident when using
working at height equipment. By launching
Stepping up to Ladder Safety we hope to
encourage users to think about whether they are
using the right tools for the job and how they can
safely use their equipment to prevent accidents
occurring.
Following the launch of the campaign, we have
received high levels of engagement across all
our social channels, as well as positive
feedback and support from tradesmen within
the industry.
It is something that we’re keen to keep promoting,
as the falls from height figures have remained
consistent for the last decade, we’re keen to see
them drop and to help be a part of that positive
change.
Continued on page 40
38 TC NOVEMBER 2022