The Complete Guide to Ladders & Steps

Leaning ladders rest against a structure. A step ladder is used with all four feet on the ground.

On a construction site you will meet portable ladders and steps, and ladders used to get on and off a scaffold.

Portable ladders and steps. These are the extension ladders, steel ladders and step ladders you carry to the job and set up where you need them.

Scaffold ladders. These are the ladders and fittings built into a scaffold so people can climb on and off it safely. They include ladder decks, access transoms, trapdoors and the clamps that hold a ladder to scaffold tube.

HSE guidance accepts ladders for low risk, short duration tasks, and says equipment that gives a higher level of fall protection should be used where the risk or duration makes that justified.

They suit short, low risk tasks. HSE guidance accepts ladders where a risk assessment shows the task is low risk and short in duration. If a job would keep you on a leaning ladder or step ladder for more than 30 minutes at a time, HSE recommends using alternative equipment.

They need correct use. HSE guidance says you should keep three points of contact, and that you should not stand a ladder on movable objects such as pallets, bricks or tower scaffolds.

Extension Ladders

Extension ladders are leaning ladders made in two or three sections, and you lean them against a wall or structure. See Ladders for the range.

Step Ladders

You use a step ladder with all four feet on the ground. Do not use one to get up to another level unless it has been specifically designed for this.

Scaffold Access Ladders and Fittings

To get on and off a scaffold, you secure ladders to it with clamps or couplers, protect the ladder opening with a trap door, and fit a ladder guard to make a ladder unusable when it has to stay in place. See Ladder Safety equipment.

Low Level Platforms

If a job would keep you on a ladder for more than 30 minutes at a time, HSE recommends alternative equipment. Access platforms such as podiums are one option. See Low Level Platforms

• Start with the task. Decide the working height and how long you will be up there. Short, low risk jobs suit a ladder or step ladder.

• Match the type to the job. Use the most appropriate type of ladder for the task.

• Check the standard. Look for BS EN 131 on the product. Professional users should choose an EN 131 ladder marked as suitable for professional use.

• Pick the material. Aluminium ladders are lightweight and easy to move, but they conduct electricity. For any electrical work, use a non conductive ladder such as fibreglass or timber. The Steel Ladders range suits industrial settings, with a non sparking finish for highly flammable environments.

• Set the ladder angle correctly. HSE guidance uses the 1 in 4 rule, which is one unit out for every four units up. Secure the ladder and extend it at least one metre or three rungs above your working position.

• Plan scaffold access early. Build access into the scaffold with a ladder deck, an access transom or a trapdoor. Fix portable ladders with clamps where they meet scaffold tube.

• Control access. Fit a ladder guard to a ladder that has to stay in place when it is not in use.

Altrad Hire & Sales supplies Ladders for hire and sale to trade and construction customers across the UK, so you can arrange ladder hire or buy through one supplier. Browse the range within Light Access equipment.

Extension Ladders For Hire and Sale

• Altrad Hire & Sales supplies two aluminium extension ladders. The H7 Pro Aluminium Extension Ladder features flat rungs, non slip rubber feet, locking catches on all multiple sections and a built in stabiliser bar for heights above 3m.

• The H9 HD Aluminium Extension Ladder is a heavy duty aluminium extension ladder with an integrated stabiliser bar above 3m.

Steel Ladders For Hire and Sale

If you want a metal ladder for industrial work, Altrad Hire & Sales supplies Steel Ladders from 3.0m to 8.0m. These ladders comply with the latest BS EN 131 standards. The aluminium zinc coating resists corrosion and the non sparking finish suits highly flammable environments.

Step Ladders For Hire and Sale

• The Platform Steps Ladder is an aluminium step ladder with wide non slip treads, a 410mm by 300mm platform and a 150kg maximum load. It comes in 3 to 10 tread versions and complies with BS EN 131. If you need a platform ladder or platform steps, this is the model in the Ladders range.

• The Swingback Steps Ladder offers platform heights from 1.0m to 3.3m, with channel section stiles, box section back legs, non slip treads and a 150kg maximum load.

Ladder Safety Accessories

• Ladder Clamps fix a ladder to scaffold tube with a standard scaffold spanner, and are available for hire and sale.

• The Scaffolding Ladder Trap Door is high visibility orange and gives fall protection for people and materials at the access point.

• The Ladder Guard restricts access to any ladder left in place.

• The Tuffsteel Ladder Guard locks onto the ladder with the padlock supplied, so you can take a ladder out of use when it is deemed unsafe.

Low Level Platforms

Altrad Hire & Sales also supplies Low Level Platforms as alternative access equipment for low level work that would keep you on a ladder for long periods, including the Podium Steps, Folding Tower, Delta Deck Work Platform, Alphastep Tower, and MAST Low Level Tower.

The right ladder or set of steps, set at the correct angle and secured, keeps a simple task simple. Altrad Hire & Sales supplies extension ladders, steel ladders and step ladders for hire and sale across the UK. Ladder clamps, ladder guards and scaffold access equipment such as ladder decks and access transoms are also supplied. Contact Your Local Branch to find the right ladders and steps for your project.

Q. What is the 1 in 4 rule for ladders?
A. The 1 in 4 rule sets the ladder angle. For every four units of height, place the foot of the ladder one unit out from the wall. That gives an angle of about 75 degrees. Secure the ladder as well, and make sure it extends at least one metre, or three rungs, above the place where you work or land.

Q. How do you secure a ladder?
A. Tie both stiles of the ladder at the top so it cannot slip sideways or outwards, and rest it against a strong point. HSE and Ladder Association guidance lists tying first, then a stability device, then wedging, and treats footing the ladder as the last resort. On a scaffold, fit ladder clamps to the tube. NASC guidance says stability aids such as base bars are not needed within scaffold structures. Elsewhere, consider using an effective stability device with a leaning ladder. The H7 Pro and H9 HD extension ladders have a built in stabiliser bar for use above 3m.

Q. What is the difference between a ladder and a stepladder?
A. A ladder leans against a structure and gives you access to a working height. You secure it at the top and set the angle with the 1 in 4 rule. A step ladder should not be used to get up to another level unless it has been specifically designed for this. Check that all four feet touch the ground, and do not work on the top three steps unless there is a suitable handhold.

Q. Can you use a ladder on scaffolding?
A. You can use a ladder to get on and off a scaffold if it is a suitable grade of industrial ladder, in good condition and tied, and if it extends at least one metre above the landing point. Never try to gain extra height by standing a ladder on bricks, boxes or other makeshift supports. Always choose a ladder that is long enough for the job.