Use and Care Manual

You may have many, if not all, of these ladders at your workplace. You may also have ladders specially
made for a specific purpose. Familiarize yourself with all of the ladders available to you. This will help
you select the proper ladder for the job.
Duty Rating
A ladder’s duty rating tells you its maximum weight capacity. There are five categories of duty ratings:
Never load a ladder with a weight in excess of its load capacity.
Doing so could damage the ladder and cause injury.
Use a towline to bring up tools and supplies.
Do not assume that a longer ladder has a higher load capacity. There
is no relationship between length and load capacity. Before using any
ladder, check its load capacity by looking at the sticker on the side of the
ladder. If the sticker is missing, notify your supervisor.
ANSI Requires a duty rating sticker
be placed on the side of every ladder.
Determining the right ladder length
To help ensure safety when using a ladder, do not use
a ladder that is too long or too short. If you would
need to stand on or above the first step below the top
cap of a step ladder, or the third rung from the top of
an extension ladder, it’s too short. Your ladder is too
long if ceiling height prohibits proper ladder set-up or
more than 3 feet extends above upper support point.
Type IAA – These
ladders have a Load
Capacity of 375 pounds.
Type IAA ladders are
recommended for extra
heavy-duty use.
Type IA – These
ladders have a Load
Capacity of 300 pounds.
Type IA ladders are
recommended for extra
heavy-duty use.
Type I – These ladders
have a Load Capacity of
250 pounds. Type I
ladders are
manufactured
for heavy-duty use.
Type II – These ladders
have a Load Capacity of
225 pounds. Type II
ladders are approved for
medium-duty use.
Type III – These
ladders have a Load
Capacity of 200 pounds.
Type III ladders are
rated for light-duty use.
To figure out the
total amount of
weight a ladder
will be supporting,
add your weight
plus the weight
of your protective
equipment, the
weight of your
tool belt and tools,
plus the weight of
the supplies you
will be carrying up
the ladder.