Chicago, January 22, 2018 -- The
American Ladder Institute (ALI) -- the only American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved developer of ladder safety standards -- has released revised standards in the portable ladder arena, specifically the A14.2 Standard (which addresses various metal ladders) and the A14.5 Standard (which addresses various reinforced plastic ladders).
This is the first time since 2007 that revisions to these standards have been released. Both revised standards were open to public review in 2017 and subsequently approved by the A14 Committee, in accordance to ANSI guidelines and rules.
"As for these two updates, many individuals from a wide variety of technical backgrounds, disciplines and companies worked months to review, test and re-test these revised elements of the standards, which we are proud to now release," said Mike Van Bree, A14.5 committee chairman and senior consultant at Engineering Systems Inc. (ESi).
As an overview, new specifications and testing requirements were added to the A14.2 Standard for telescoping ladders, and additional specifications and testing requirements were added to the A14.2 and A14.5 Standards for articulated ladders. A new generic floor test surface was adopted for both standards, as well.
The revisions also include revised, non-mandatory labeling instruction illustrations from the A14 Committee's Labeling/Marking Task Force, which incorporate ANSI Z535.4 guidelines and the labeling practices of ANSI ASC A14.
Standards are technical specifications, developed and tested by subject experts, which prescribe rules governing the safe construction, design, testing, care, and use of various types of ladders. They are periodically reviewed to ensure the standards are keeping abreast of the products and uses in the marketplace today.
"A thorough and ongoing review of standards is one of the best ways an industry can ensure safety issues are continuously addressed and updated, for both the manufacturers and end users of products" said Dr. Erick Knox, A14.2 committee chairman and principal engineer and head of the biomechanical and safety engineering groups at ESi.
