Ladder and top platform — technical document
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NEWS ABOUT MASTS WITH CLIMBING LADDER
The legislation on vertical ladders is a crucial aspect of safety in various contexts, both industrial and
civil. In Italy, the main point of reference is Legislative Decree 81/2008, known as the Consolidated
Occupational Health and Safety Act, which dedicates an entire chapter (Chapter II) to work at height,
which also includes vertical ladders.
In particular, for construction aspects, the law indicates that ladders must comply with specific
technical standards
Reference Technical Standards
Since 28 November 2024, the standard UNI 11962:2024 ‘Permanent vertical ladders with or without
cage - Safety requirements, test methods and conditions of use’ has been in force.
The standard is a crucial reference for the safety of permanent vertical ladders used as a means of
access to buildings, infrastructures, works, structures and installations where there is a danger of
falling from height.
The UNI 11962:2024 standard acknowledges the European and international technical standards in
force for similar topics, referring to these for defining particular elements. In particular to ISO 14122-
4 for the shape and dimensions and strength tests of the staircase; to EN353-1 for the fall arrest
system; to ISO14122-2 for the design of the platform catwalk; and to EN13374 for the definition of
parapets.La UNI 11962:2024
It is important because:
Fills a previously existing legislative gap.
• Incorporates current international technical standards for similar topics.
• Defines safety requirements and design criteria, providing clear and detailed guidance.
• Promotes occupational safety compliance, avoiding penalties and legal liabilities for those
involved.
Novelty and limitation of traditional ladders with safety cage”
The standard provides for specific limitations, especially with regard to ladders with a protective
cage.
The protection cage must be larger than those used to date in masts, but above all, these can only be
used for structures less than 20 metres high.
The limit was introduced to ensure the safety of operators, as ladders with a cage present greater risks
in the event of a fall.
No height limitation for ladders with a ‘lifeline’, i.e. with a guided fall arrest system complying with
EN353-1 standards, which are generally considered to be safer, so much so that they must only be
used in structures over 20 metres high.
Pali Campion choice
In view of the indications of the technical regulations, Pali Campion has decided to adapt its
production, removing from our standards the ladder with the classic ‘safety cage’, regardless of the
height of the pole, and replacing it with a modern ladder conforming to UNI11962 equipped with a
‘life line’, i.e. with a guided fall arrest system conforming to EN353-1 standards. This solution also
makes the structure particularly slender, as it no longer requires a safety cage.
The novelty will be applicable for productions from May 2025 onwards.