Dangerous ladders still being sold
The campaign. The Ladder Association’s (LA) campaign “Step Up to Safe Ladders” began by highlighting the very real dangers of poor-quality telescopic ladders on the market. Since then, they’ve turned their attention to multi hinge-joint (multipurpose) ladders. For more information on the studies, see The next step .
Latest study. Testing the “Top Ten” multi hinge-joint ladders found via a Google search, these products were purchased anonymously either from physical stores or online. 70% of those multi hinge-joint ladders tested failed the required safety tests, e.g. buckled during the strength test or failed stability testing and so were non-compliant and unsafe to use.
Regulatory control? Despite ongoing campaigning, no action has been taken to improve the problem. The LA is calling on the government to step in urgently to make regulatory changes to hold suppliers and online platforms accountable. Until then, consumers are being put at risk daily.
Check the ladder labelling. All ladders should now be designed and manufactured to the current EN131 standard only. If it’s an old ladder, you might see markings for BS 2037 and BS 1129 . These are old product standards and no reputable company is making or supplying ladders to these standards anymore. If you do have ladders that were made to the old standards, you may continue to use them if they are in good condition. Tip. For our ladder checklist , see The next step . If you spot any defects, don’t use the ladder. Make sure your staff know the correct procedure for reporting a defective ladder and its removal from use.
Recommended course of action. It’s estimated there are over two million ladders in regular use in the UK. To determine if your existing ladder is safe to use check its markings to ensure it meets the required standards. Make sure the ladder is checked prior to each use.
For the Ladder Association’s report and our ladder checklist, visit https://www.tips-and-advice.co.uk , Download Zone, year 22 issue 04.
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