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Ladders

Updated: 07 Aug 2007
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Introduction

We tested 11 ladders suitable for home maintenance and DIY - and only 4 passed our safety test.

Safety is a major concern when you're up a ladder. We're disappointed that a number of ladders failed an important test that's part of the voluntary standard. One of the ladders failed 3 tests, and we advise against buying it.

See also our separate Multifunctional ladders test report.

Models we tested

We tested the following models of ladder:

120kg load-rated models

  • Ability AB10004
  • Alco ACH6 Homemaster
  • Bailey Comet 6
  • Butlers Extendable AXL1.8
  • Gorilla DM006C
  • Sentinel SE10023
     

More than 120kg load-rated models

  • Alco ACH6 Trademaster
  • Bailey Comet 6 Plus
  • Gorilla DM0061
  • Ullrich CS06
  • Warthog WHSE06
     

About our test

What we tested

We tested ladders suitable for most home maintenance and DIY projects. The ones we chose had six rungs and were 1.8 metres high in the "A" shape and extended to around 3.2 metres when used as a straight ladder. We bought our combination ladders at major hardware outlets.

When you buy a ladder it's usually rated in kilograms and as "domestic" or "industrial/trade". The combination ladders we tested fell into two categories: a 120kg load rating and a rating that ranged from 135 to 180kgs.

Use the load rating as your guide when buying a ladder rather than whether it's labelled for "domestic" or "trade" use. The 120kg ladders will handle general DIY activities around the home. But if you're using your ladder for heavy-duty DIY, then go for the highest load rating you can afford. They are built to a higher specification.

Our test

For our test we used a laboratory accredited for testing ladders. It put our 11 ladders through their paces against nine parts of the Australian/New Zealand standard that test for safety, strength and rigidity. When you're several metres off the ground cleaning the guttering or painting you want to know your ladder is safe.

What we found

Overall results

  • Only two of the 120kg rated ladders (Ability AB10004 and Butlers Extendable) passed all our strength tests.
  • The Sentinel was the worst with three failures out of the nine tests.
  • The ALCO ACH6, Bailey Comet 6 and the Gorilla DM006C, along with the Sentinel, all failed the twist test.
  • Of the over 120kg rated models, the Bailey Comet 6 Plus and the Gorilla DM006I were the only two that passed all nine strength tests.

Performance tests

The most common failure was the twist test. This tests the rigidity of a ladder in its extended form when you're climbing it, particularly at the top. If you're carrying heavy loads, ladder rigidity is really important - especially if it's not standing on an even surface.

The Warthog was an exceptionally rigid ladder. Six of the 11 ladders failed this test to varying degrees. The ALCO ACH6, Bailey Comet 6 and Sentinel failed to meet the standard by considerable margins. The others - Gorilla DM006C, ALCO AC6 and Ullrich CS 06 - only failed by small margins.

The Gorilla DM006C with its 120kg load rating would have passed the twist test if it had been labelled as a "domestic" rather than an "industrial" ladder. The performance requirement is more rigorous for "industrial" ladders.

There can be some manufacturing variability between ladders, and failing the twist test by a small margin may have been because of the particular ladder we bought. Another ladder from these models may have passed the twist test.

All the ladders except the Sentinel passed the walk test. This tests how prone the ladder in the "A" shape is to "walking" when you shift your weight from side to side. A ladder that tends to "walk" may move unexpectedly and you could fall - especially if you're high up on the ladder sanding or cleaning.

Manufacturers' responses

A number of manufacturers were able to provide us with test results from independent accredited labs that showed that an example of these particular models had passed the twist test. This was the case for both ALCO ladders, the Bailey Comet 6 and the Ullrich CS 06. Harkness & Young provided a test report from an accredited laboratory that passed a Gorilla DM 006C ladder for the twist and cantilever tests that our tested model failed.

Our view

This manufacturing inconsistency just strengthens the case for a mandatory standard for ladders (see below) - with testing being carried out at approved accredited laboratories.

Ease of use

Generally all the ladders were easy to operate when used as a stepladder ("A" shape) or fully extended. The main problems were stiff latches and braces that made locking into place and unlocking difficult.

Use of ladders

Don't use the back section as a ladder unless there's labelling saying it's safe to do so. The Ability, Bailey Comet 6 Plus, Butler and Gorilla designs would allow you to use either the front or the back. Only the Butler and Gorilla DM006I were labelled as double-sided ladders.

The ACLO AH6 &AC6 warn against double-sided use, as has the Ullrich since April 2007.

As ladders get older, the rivets and fittings can become loosened and the tendency to "walk" becomes more pronounced. Replace your ladder if it starts to feel "loose" when you use it.

Mandatory standards needed

Based on these results it's time for government to make the standard for ladders mandatory. Back in 2005 when we tested multifold ladders, we found none that we could recommend as they all failed at least one test in the standard. Manufacturers need to do better.

We recommend

We profile the recommended ladders. All prices are based on a survey in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch during April and May 2007.

120kg load rated models

Ability AB10004

Ability AB10004

  • Price: $125
  • Good points: Passed all the strength tests. Short stiff bracing for the "A" shape.
  • But: Bracing arms stiff to use.
  • Comment: Could be used double-sided but not labelled for this.
  • Availability: Benchmark or Bunnings.


Butlers Extendable AXL1.8

Butlers Extendable AXL1.8

  • Price: $125
  • Good points: Passed all the strength tests. Short stiff bracing for the A configuration.
  • But: Only the bottom rungs braced to the stiles. Rivets holding feet pads stick out beyond the ladder.
  • Comment: Labelled as double-sided ladder. From July 2007 the Butlers brand will be renamed Warrior.
  • Availability: Hammer Hardware and Mitre 10


More than 120kg load rated models

Bailey Comet 6 Plus

Bailey Comet 6 Plus

  • Price: $319
  • Good points: Passed all the strength tests. Automatic locking system for the extended ladder with push-button release.
  • Comment: Could be used double-sided but not labelled for this.
  • Availability: Several hardware chains.


Gorilla DM0061

Gorilla DM006I

  • Price: $269
  • Good points: Passed all the strength tests. One-movement engagement of the two latches for the "A" shape. Two clips to hold extended ladder. Pre-drilled holes to attach a Gorilla stabiliser accessory when ladder extended.
  • Comment: Labelled as double-sided ladder.
  • Availability: Mitre 10.

Other ladders tested

120kg load rated models

Gorilla DM006C

  • Price: $172
  • Good points: One-movement engagement of the two latches for the "A" shape. Two clips to hold extended ladder. Pre-drilled holes to attach a Gorilla stabiliser accessory when ladder extended.
  • But: As an "industrial" ladder it failed the twist test by a small margin. It also failed by a small margin the back-stile cantilever test because it could be used as a double-sided ladder and had no instructions saying it couldn't be used this way.
  • Availability: Placemakers and Mitre 10 (but called "domestic" Gorilla DM006D)


Alco ACH6 Homemaster

  • Price: $165
  • Good points: The latch holding the ladder when extended has a spring clip to prevent accidental unlatching.
  • But: Failed the twist test. Rounded rear stile foot pads limit contact area with ground. Long flexible stays to hold ladder in the "A" shape - with robust use these could become bent and less effective as bracing.
  • Availability: Several hardware chains.


Bailey Comet 6

  • Price: $260
  • Good points: Short stiff bracing for the "A" shape.
  • But: Failed the twist test.


Sentinel SE10023

  • Price: $129
  • Good points: Short stiff bracing for the "A" shape.
  • But: Failed three strength tests. Hinge pin a punched rivet rather than a steel bolt and nut.
  • Comment: Not recommended.
  • Availability: Kmart, but being discontinued once stocks sold.


More than 120kg load rated models

Alco AC6 Trademaster

  • Price: $280
  • Good points: Two latches with a spring lock hold the extended ladder to prevent accidental unlatching.
  • But: Failed the twist test by a small margin. Rounded rear-stile foot pads limit contact area with ground. Long flexible stays to hold ladder in the "A" shape - with robust use these could become bent and less effective as bracing.
  • Availability: Several hardware chains


Ullrich CS 06

  • Price: $279
  • Good points: All front treads braced to stiles. Guide plates to hold rear stiles in place when the ladder is stored flat.
  • But: Failed the twist test by a small margin. Rounded rear-stile foot pads limit contact area with ground. Long flexible stays to hold ladder in the "A" shape - with robust use these could become bent and less effective as bracing.
  • Comment: From April 2007 the CS 06 has a label warning against using as a double-sided ladder.
  • Availability: Ullrich.


Warthog WHSE06

  • Price: $281
  • Good points: Very rigid. Splayed front and back stiles for additional stability. One pair of clips brace and latch the ladder in the "A" shape and when it's extended.
  • But: Failed the cantilever test. Easy Access Ltd. told us stronger rivets were now being used. Double rungs instead of treads could be hard on the feet for prolonged use.
  • Comment: At 180kg it had the highest load rating of the ladders tested. Rungs welded to stiles for extra strength.
  • Availability: Several hardware chains.

Ladder safety

Top tips for ladder safety

Before use

  • Make sure a ladder is the best and safest way of doing the work - a ladder is for access, it shouldn't be used as a work platform.

  • Make sure your ladder is tall enough for the work you want to get to, and is strong enough for the job.

  • Check the ladder for signs of damage - don't use a ladder that has missing or damaged rungs, damaged or worn treads, loose screws or bolts or nuts, sharp edges, cracks, rust or rot, missing stays (a stay is the bit that runs between two uprights in a stepladder), or any other sign of damage.

  • Set the ladder's feet on a firm, even surface. Never set a ladder on soft ground and never place a ladder on boxes or scaffolds to gain extra height.

  • Secure the ladder's feet so they can't slip (it's a good idea to get someone to hold it).

  • Set the top of the ladder against a solid surface that can take the load - not a window or any other fragile surface such as plastic guttering. Don't use the ladder's rungs to take the weight - they're not made for it. And don't use a stepladder leaning against a wall - they're only made for use in the open, 'A-shaped' position.

  • Secure the top of the ladder so it can't move sideways or tip backwards (if possible, tie a straight ladder to something stable).

  • Set up your ladder at the correct angle - one measure out for every four measures in height

  • Don't set up a ladder near overhead power lines or other hazards.

  • Make sure you have appropriate footwear - your shoes/boots should have heels and their soles must be non-slip.

  • Make sure the ladder and your footwear are clean and dry.

During use

  • Face the ladder at all times.

  • Use both hands when you're climbing up or down, and when you're working keep at least three points of contact with the ladder - i.e. two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand. Raise or lower tools or materials using a hand line.

  • Don't climb any higher than 1m/three steps below the top of the ladder (i.e. your belt buckle shouldn't be higher than the top of the ladder).

  • Don't over-reach. Instead of reaching sideways, climb down and move the ladder.

  • Never have more than one person on the ladder at a time.

  • Make sure no-one is underneath the ladder while you're climbing it.

  • Don't hang tools or anything else from the steps/rungs.

  • Don't leave a ladder unattended if a child could get to it.

  • If you're working around doors, make sure they're locked properly.


Case study: Max's story

Max Richards

Max Richards (pictured right) will never walk again. He has heart trouble, has to use Cialis for sex that he then can't feel, and regularly wakes in excruciating pain.

Max fell from a ladder. In 2004 Max took a holiday job as a labourer with a Wellington construction company. His seemingly simple task was to cut wood and carry it up a ladder from the first to the second floor.

Ninety minutes into his first day on the job, the ladder slipped out from beneath him. Max dropped a relatively short distance - 1.8m. The impact travelled up his legs into his spine.

"I knew straight away I'd broken my back. I couldn't move my legs, and just had this intense pain, like all the pins and needles you've ever had, rushing up at you all at once ... I wanted to black out but I didn't."

Max was in hospital for 16 weeks, most of it at Christchurch's Burwood spinal unit.

Afterwards, he had to learn over again the skills most of us take for granted. Even learning to sit up straight in his wheelchair, with no control over the muscles in his lower abdomen or back, was a challenge. "Sitting up took me quite a lot of time and exercise."

The fall has affected every aspect of his life - from practical things like getting ready for work in the morning or getting from place to place, to his work and social life.

Max supports himself, working rather than relying on a benefit.

He often takes up the battle on behalf of people with disabilities - for example, he convinced the city council to make disabled parks 24/7 when previously anyone could use them after 6pm.

He has a strong sense of humour - his personalised number plate is CRIPPL - and has no time for self-pity.

Our advice

  • Try the ladders in the shop to make sure you can easily operate the latches and braces. A bit of lubrication should improve any stiffness.
  • Buy the highest load rating you can afford.
  • Use our five tips for spotting a good ladder:
    1. The latches are easy to operate and lock firmly in place.
    2. It feels rigid when you try to twist it - both in the "A" shape and when extended.
    3. There's plenty of bracing between the rungs and the stiles.
    4. It has broad steps or rungs that will not be too tiring when you're standing on it for long periods.
    5. There are no sharp edges or protrusions that might catch clothing.
  • We say it's time for government to make the standard for ladders mandatory. Back in 2005 when we tested multifold ladders, we found none that we could recommend as they all failed at least one test in the standard. Manufacturers need to do better.


 

More information

Ladder safety

Ladder suppliers

Report by Peter Rankin.