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Faulty telescopic ladders

Versatility

Telescopic ladders are a type of collapsible ladder which you pull out to assemble and push back together when finished with. The ladder narrows towards the top due to the interlocking pyramid-style of the assembly. They’re generally made of very lightweight materials (aluminium with plastic fittings), so they’re easily stowed in a car or even carried on public transport.

Warning

However, there are concerns that these ladders are much more vulnerable to problems, as there can be as many as 32 locking mechanisms. If just one of those becomes faulty, the ladder may collapse. In March 2017 Derbyshire County Council announced that following an investigation with three other authorities, a total of 13 different telescopic ladder types were withdrawn from sale. Council officers bought a variety of cheap ladders, mostly online, and found that none of them passed their test.

The ladders were all easily damaged and one snapped in half beneath the test load. All suppliers of the products were told to withdraw them from sale and Derbyshire County Council prosecuted the importer of the ladder which snapped, Rai Fashions Ltd.

What to do?

If you’ve been tempted into purchasing this type of ladder, it’s time to check it over. You should also review how it’s being used and maintained. The Ladder Association has published a guide to assist you (see The next step ).

Tip 1. When buying a telescopic ladder, avoid the cheap end of the supply chain. Go for reputable online or high street suppliers and look for names which are associated with other quality products. Buying the cheapest ladder is not a good idea. We found reputable suppliers selling them for £100-£200.

Tip 2. Look for evidence that the ladder complies with BS EN131 . It should come with labelling and an instruction booklet confirming that this standard applies. If there’s no booklet available, it doesn’t comply.

Tip 3. If a ladder has a CE mark, avoid it and report it to Trading Standards. CE marking doesn’t apply to ladders so this shows it’s a dud.

Tip 4. Due to the number of moving parts, you must store and transport the ladder with care, keeping it clean and dry and not stacking other equipment on top of it. If the environments you work in are dirty or dusty, don’t choose a telescopic ladder as the dirt will get into the closing mechanism and cause failure.

Tip 5. Check the maintenance instructions before doing anything beyond a wipe down with a cloth. Don’t, for example, lubricate the sections unless this is specified in the manual.

Tip 6. Make sure that users understand the signs that a telescopic ladder is at risk of malfunction. For example, if the gaps between the extended sections are not equal or each section does not lock. It should be inspected before each use.

For a link to the Ladder Association guidance, visit http://tipsandadvice-healthandsafety.co.uk/download (HS 15.19.06).