How to Choose the Right
Fixed Ladder

Confirm Height & Climb Frequency

Measure from the finished floor or grade to the top landing. This single number drives material, cage, platform and fall-protection decisions.

• • One-piece HDG sections up to 14 m (galvanizing bath limit); longer runs are spliced or split by rest platforms.
• • Over 6 m install an intermediate rest platform (EN ISO 14122-4); over 50 ft OSHA requires a landing every 50 ft.
• • Climbed daily? Add a walk-thru top, swing gate and fall-arrest rail. Climbed monthly for inspection? A simpler cage or safety system is usually enough.
• • Confirm the exit: side rails extend 1100 mm (42 in) above the top landing.

Choose the Material

Match the material to the environment — indoor, outdoor, coastal, chemical or food-grade.

Pick the Configuration

• With cage — Φ700 mm safety cage, hoops 40×5 mm @1500 mm, 5 vertical straps 30×3 mm, cage starts 2.2 m (7–8 ft) above base. Classic solution outside the US.
• Without cage — paired with a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) or ladder safety system; the required choice for new US ladders above 24 ft.
• With platform — intermediate rest platforms or walk-thru landings for long runs and daily climbing.
• Retractable / extension — space-saving access for hatches and mezzanines.

Define the Standard by Market

Tell us the destination country — we issue an order-level Declaration of Conformity for the applicable standard.

Check Loads & Dimensions

Every standard build ships with the same verified rating — 1.5 kN per rung, Φ20 mm @ 280 mm pitch, 500 mm clear width, Φ700 mm cage. Confirm the numbers in the table below match your application.

Add the Accessories

• Swing gate — self-closing gate at the top landing, stops falls at the exit.
• Guards — protective cages or shields where the ladder passes a work area.
• Rungs — spare or replacement rungs for retrofit and repair jobs.
• Wells — ladder wells that enclose the climb for added protection.
• Also available: fall-arrest rails, walk-thru tops, anti-slip rungs and RAL-matched paint.

Confirm the Documentation

Every order ships with a free compliance file — this is what inspectors and project files ask for:

• • DoC — order-level Declaration of Conformity (ISO 17050-1) for the chosen standard
• • MTC 3.1 — EN 10204 Type 3.1 material certificates (Q235B / SS304 / SS316)
• • Structural calculation report — verified per order, free of charge
• • Weld inspection records (ISO 5817 Level C), dimensional verification report, HDG coating report, packing list

Ordering a cage for new US ladders above 24 ft

Cages installed after Nov 19, 2018 do not satisfy OSHA above 24 ft. Specify a PFAS or ladder safety system for new US climbs — cages remain valid in most other markets.

Under-specifying the coating for the environment

Indoor paint on an outdoor ladder, or 85 μm HDG on a coastline. Match ISO 9223 corrosivity: C3 85 μm, C4–C5 up to 140 μm, or move to SS316 in marine air.

Forgetting rest platforms on long climbs

Over 6 m per EN ISO 14122-4 and every 50 ft per OSHA, a landing platform is required — and it must be engineered into the run, not bolted on later.

Ignoring the top exit and its guards

Side rails must extend 1100 mm (42 in) above the landing, and the exit needs a swing gate or fall protection where the climb opens onto a platform edge.

Comparing total prices without checking the breakdown and paperwork

Insist on an itemized quote — material, fabrication, surface treatment, packaging — and confirm DoC, MTC 3.1 and structural calculations are included. The cheapest price without documents is the most expensive ladder.