Builders, roofers and other small construction firms are confused by what they can and can't do under the weight of Health and Safety legislation they now have to satisfy on a daily basis.

"Are ladders banned?" was one of the questions at a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) seminar in Liverpool, focusing on staff who work at height.

Nearly 60 people were injured after falling from height on Merseyside in 2004/5, and the HSE is determined to stop the number rising as the area's building trade goes through a boom in the run up to Liverpool holding title of European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Oh, and using ladders isn't actually banned yet - as long as a "proper risk assessment" has been carried out before you start climbing.