The Ladder Association, the not-for-profit industry body dedicated to ladder safety, has published an eight-page guide explaining changes to British and European ladder standards.
BS EN 131 – the single British and European product standard covering all types of portable ladders – has been revised to help improve safety and make buying the right ladder simpler.
The revision is being touted as the most extensive review and update since standards for ladders were first established and includes improved stability and enhanced test requirements designed to improve strength, rigidity and durability.
The guide covers the implications for specifiers, users and health and safety professionals.
A long-standing member of the European standards committee for ladders, CEN TC93, the Ladder Association has also made a major contribution to the development of the new standard.
Following the changes, there are now two classes of ladder: “non-professional” for domestic users only, and “professional” for use in the workplace. Both have the same minimum capacity of 150kg.
Don Aer, technical manager of the Ladder Association, said: “These are positive changes that improve ladder design and therefore ladder safety. However, with change can come uncertainty, which is why we have produced the guide.
“It makes clear that ladder standards do not apply retrospectively so there is no immediate requirement to change existing ladders. Business users should simply give consideration now to updating their purchasing policies as soon as reasonably practical to reflect the latest standard when new or replacement ladders are required.”
He added: “During this transitional period users will also be able to purchase ladders meeting the old – BS 2037 and BS 1129 – ladder standards, but the opportunity to do so will diminish over time as supplies are exhausted.
“The revised standards are now published and manufacturers are currently in the process of changing over to the new designs.”
A copy of the guide is included with the September issue of Construction Manager or for more information click here.
