This standard prescribes rules governing the safe construction, design, testing, care and use of portable metal ladders of various types and styles.

Ladder styles include ladder type step stools, portable extension, step, trestle, sectional, combination, single, platform, and articulating ladders, but excluding ladders in and on mines, the fire services, mobile equipment, hoisting equipment, work platforms, antenna communications towers, transmission towers, utility poles, and chimneys. It does not cover special-purpose ladders that do not meet the general requirements of this standard, nor does it cover ladder accessories, including, but not limited to, ladder levelers, ladder stabilizers or stand-off devices, ladder jacks, or ladder straps or hooks, that may be installed on or used in conjunction with ladders.

Note: Ladder type step stools are covered by A14.2. It is recognized that a step stool standard is under development. When the step stool standard is approved, A14.2 will no longer cover ladder type step stools.

These requirements are also intended to prescribe rules and criteria for labeling/marking of the kinds of portable ladders cited in this standard, but exclusive of furniture type step stools and special purpose ladders. These labeling/marking requirements do not apply to those situations where training, supervision, or documented safety procedures would be in conflict, or serve in lieu of, these labeling/marking requirements.

Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to provide reasonable safety for life, limb, and property. In order to develop an effective safety program, the standard may serve also as a basis for purchase requirements and for instructions in personnel training, and in the preparation of motivational/ instructional material such as safety practices, manuals, posters, and the like.

This standard is also intended to provide the manufacturer, purchaser, and user of metal ladders with a set of performance and dimensional requirements against which this product may be compared. It is not the purpose of this standard to specify all the details of construction of portable metal ladders. The limitations imposed are for the purpose of providing adequate general requirements and testing methods needed for consistency.