Health, Safety & Quality Consultancy
All ladders manufactured and supplied within the United Kingdom and the European Union should be manufactured to specified standards and correctly classified. These requirements apply to all portable ladder types and include both step ladders, platform steps and extension ladders. Specialist single use ladders, (e.g. pole ladders, loft ladders), and fixed access ladders, (e.g. static roof access ladders), are not intended for classification under these standards.
There are three main classifications of ladder – Class 1, Class EN131 and Class III. Each classification indicates the safe working load that a ladder is designed to support.
The value of the safe working load is intended to cover the weight of a single person and their equipment and is also referred to as the ‘Maximum Static Vertical Load’.
These classifications can be broadly categorised into the type of use that a ladder is designed to support ie. Heavy Duty Industrial Use, Commercial Light Trade Use and Light Domestic Use.
Classification: Class 1
Duty Rating: 130kg
Maximum Static Vertical Load: 175kg
Application: Industrial
Classification: EN131
Duty Rating: 115kg
Maximum Static Vertical Load: 150kg
Application: Commercial
Classification: Class III
Duty Rating: 95kg
Maximum Static Vertical Load: 125kg
Application: Domestic
Contrary to popular reports, ladders are not banned under legislation, although a safer form of access should always be considered first (e.g. mobile tower scaffolds) before using ladders or stepladders. Almost all construction sites will insist on Class 1 equipment (where allowed).