EN 131 – the most important improvements

• EN 131 is the European standard for portable ladders.
• In the six-part standard, rules are laid down for the construction, inspection, labelling and instruction manual of ladders in order to ensure uniform quality and safety standards throughout Europe.
• The new version of EN 131-1 was already published in late 2015, with the new version of EN 131-2 following in January 2017. Both have a transition period that will last until the end of 2017.
• In the new version of EN 131-2, all ladders are categorised into two classes:
  The “Professional” category is for ladders that are intended for use in a professional setting.
  Ladders that are meant for household use are categorised as “Non-professional”.
• The testing requirements for the "professional" class have become stricter and harder.

All ladders 3,000 mm or longer that can be used as a leaning ladder are required by the new standard to have a base stabiliser.

Because of this new requirement, a few features are no longer available for multi-part ladders:

• For push-up ladders that are longer than 3,000 mm when retracted, the ladder parts are no longer allowed to be used separately.
• For multipurpose ladders that are longer than 3,000 mm when retracted, the upper ladder can no longer be used separately; such ladders are also no longer allowed to be used on stairs.

The change was initiated by consumer protection organisations and the standard was revised by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).

Other organisations involved include

• Testing institutes
• Occupational insurance associations
• Manufacturers

• EN 131-1: May 2016
• EN 131-2: July 2017; however, manufacturers are given a transition period that will last until the end of 2017 to implement the new requirements.

The standards apply to all manufacturer and resellers that place access systems on the market in Europe.

This European standard is applicable to portable ladders. However, it does not apply to ladders used in specialist applications, such as fire ladders, roof ladders and mobile ladders. EN 131-4 is applicable to single- or multiple-joint ladders, EN 131-6 to telescopic ladders, and EN 131-7 to mobile ladders with platform. EN 131-1+2 is also not applicable to step stools; the relevant standard is EN 14183 in this case.

Are ladders that fulfil the old EN 131-1 standard still allowed to be use for commercial purposes? 
Old ladders are generally not exempted from new standards, in both production and sales.

Employers are on the safe side legally only when
they upgrade their ladders to keep pace with the state of the
art following a risk assessment.

It is safe to assume that very similar statutory provisions apply in EU countries. We can therefore say that this statement is applicable throughout Europe.

Since April 2017, all ladders supplied by ZARGES fulfil the new standard applicable to the “Professional” class. You can recognise ZARGES ladders that comply with EN 131-1+2 by looking for this blue sticker affixed to the products themselves.

If you see this sticker on a ladder, you can be sure that the ladder fulfils the requirements according to EN 131-1:2015 and EN 131-2:2010+A2:2017. Our ladders have already been inspected and certified by TÜV according to the new standards.

The new standard does not expressly prohibit the continued use of existing ladders. However, commercial users (companies, public authorities, etc.) in Europe have to comply with the respective occupational regulations. These regulations set out “the minimum safety and health requirements for the use of work equipment by workers at work”. In Germany, these regulations are implemented in the German Industrial Safety Regulations [BetrSichV].

An important element is the obligation to ensure work equipment keeps pace with the state of the art. In addition, it is necessary to carry out a risk assessment (for ladders, e.g. according to TRBS 2121 Part 2) as well as regular inspections on work equipment.

We advise companies to assess their access system with regard to safety – apart from the yearly ladder inspections. In order to react in a timely manner, you should also start as early as possible: conduct a risk assessment now and implement the necessary measures before the end of the transition period (end of 2017).

A good guide for such a risk assessment can be found in TRBS 2121 Part 2. Alternatively you can obtain such information from specialist companies or manufacturers. But take note: Only the user can evaluate and decide whether the ladder can continue to be used. Do not forget to document this assessment.

No, they are not going to change. Companies still need to perform ladder inspection once a year in order to ensure that the access systems in use correspond to the state of the art and therefore comply with statutory provisions, and that these systems do not show signs of damage.

Yes! Access systems can be upgraded to conform to regulations. For example, a horizontal stabiliser bar can be mounted on leaning ladders to make them compliant with EN 131-1.

It is not always the case that an upgrade will fulfil both parts of the standard (131-1 and 131-2). Therefore, this should be additionally assessed.

Yes. According to Section 6 (5) of the German Product Safety Act [ProdSG], “the distributor shall contribute to making only safe consumer products available on the market”. This can only be ensured when the products correspond to the state of the art.

• Stay on the safe side legally: ZARGES ladders fulfil the requirements of the German occupational safety and health law and are on the cutting edge of technology. They meet the standard for “Professional” class.
• Improved work safety: The new, more stringent tests have shown that the standard-compliant ZARGES ladders are highly stable and slip-resistant. This helps to better prevent accidents and reduce loss of working hours.
• Europe-wide work safety: The newly revised EN 131-1+2 is applicable throughout Europe. Regardless of where you are active in Europe, ZARGES ladders fulfil the requirements of this standard.
• Benefit for a long time from a one-time investment: ZARGES ladders are even more robust and durable thanks to the new standard.