Ladders

Some can extend your risk

Household ladder injuries are one element of sweat equity you may not hear about on home-improvement shows. While human error may explain some of the roughly 180,000 emergency-room visits and 150 deaths reported each year by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, so might lax safety rules and questionable designs.

Six telescoping and seven tall multiuse ladders we evaluated presented risks that were serious enough for us to judge them Not Acceptable. All 13 compete with regular extension ladders for taller tasks. Threats we found include crushing hazards to hands and fingers, ladder feet that slid out during testing, and injury risks when we tried to use some models fully extended.

We also found some less-robust models among 6-foot stepladders, which have occupied the highest rung in sales. While there are no mandatory safety rules for consumer ladders, manufacturers typically assign them maximum weight ratings from 200 pounds (Type III) to 300 pounds (Type IA) based on a voluntary standard published by the American Ladder Institute (ALI), the industry’s major trade group, and accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). All the ladders in our Ratings met that standard. But three stepladders we rated have steps that bent under the higher weight we used to help account for the stresses of climbing and weight-shifting.  But three stepladders we rated have steps that bent under the higher weight we used to help account for the stresses of climbing and weight-shifting.

Other ladders proved less stable, and some scored low overall despite their high weight ratings. Here are the details:

Some walked and wiggled. Even the most stable stepladders twisted enough for their feet to “walk” slightly when we stood on them and simulated the twisting and weight-shifting typical when painting or sanding. The Davidson W-2212-06S tipped and swayed more than others of the same kind.

A steeper learning curve. Multiuse ladders have climbed fastest in sales as manufacturers tout their compactness and versatility. But the complexity created by having to lock various parts into place explains their mediocre ease-of-use scores. Adjusting the Jaws JJT14 involves a lengthy process of loosening and tightening.

Tougher standards needed

Ladders must resist bending under step-load tests with weights up to four times their weight rating as well as side-twisting tests as part of meeting the ANSI standard. But some experts believe that the standard falls short.

Harold Stillman, who chaired the ANSI task force that most extensively revised ladder standards, notes that side-stability tests haven’t been substantially updated since 1980. “The tests provide an easy out for manufacturers--they can stick with old designs that easily pass.”

James Glancey, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Delaware, sees a common theme in many ladder-injury trials on which he has consulted. “By far, the most common failure is where one of the side rails bends inward right below the lowest step,” he says.

Glancey says that spotting such side-rail failure would require a dynamic test not currently included in the standard. An ANSI-compliant ladder, he says, “should pass more realistic dynamic loading in more than one direction at a time.”

The American Ladder Institute, the industry’s major trade group, recently attributed the high number of ladder injuries mostly to misuse and improper selection. Yet the Consumer Product Safety Commission questions that claim. “While we think that those are primary factors, we have no hard data to say that for certain,” says Scott J. Wolfson, a CPSC spokesman. “That information comes from no CPSC study that I know of.”

Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, believes that meeting ladder safety standards should be mandatory, a position the American Ladder Institute’s Ron Pietrzak endorses, and should include updated tests. We also believe that the four existing ANSI consumer-weight classifications are troublesome because it’s hard to predict who will use a ladder and how. Instead, we advocate one rating for consumer ladders to meet Type IA standards. “While that may mean more weight and fewer bargain-priced ladders, the added margin of safety is worth it,” says Don Mays, senior director for product safety at Consumers Union.

How to choose

See Types to determine which type of ladder works best for you. Then check our Ratings and CR Quick Recommendations for models that blend strength and ease of use. Also:

Look beyond the label. Don’t buy by weight rating alone. Two Type IA stepladders walked more than others, and several Type I ladders scored lowest in our tests. Check our Ratings for Type IA models that scored well. For taller tasks, we suggest a traditional extension ladder.

Consider the material. Aluminum ladders weigh the least but shouldn’t be used near power lines or other voltage sources. Choose a fiberglass or wooden ladder where electricity is a factor, and remember that any ladder can conduct electricity when it’s wet.

Try before buying. For stepladders, climb three steps and try shifting your weight; the ladder shouldn’t deform, tip, or walk. For multiuse models, check how easy the ladder is to adjust and lock at the store, and ask if you can return it if it proves more challenging than you thought.