How to choose a ladder

Extension ladders should be 7 to 10 feet longer than the highest support or contact point, which may be the wall or roof line.

Having the right ladder on a job can make the difference between completing the job safely and sustaining injury or even death. For tips on how to choose a ladder that’s right for the job, Werner’s website has a Ladder Finder.

It leads you through the key decisions to help you choose the right ladder for the job:

• Style – Which kind of ladder is right for the job?

• Height – To ensure you choose the ladder best suited to the job, you can use the Werner height safety chart.

• Weight – Ladders are designed and constructed to safely hold up to a specific amount of weight.

• Material – Werner ladders are made from fiberglass and aluminum. Each material has characteristics that make it best for certain applications.

Ladder safety tips

The highest permitted standing level on a stepladder is two steps from the top. The maximum safe reaching height is approximately 4 feet higher than the height of the ladder. For example, a typical person can safely reach an 8-foot ceiling on a 4-foot ladder.

Extension ladders should be 7 to 10 feet longer than the highest support or contact point, which may be the wall or roof line. This will allow enough length for proper setup, overlap of sections, height restrictions of the highest standing level, and where appropriate, the extension above the roof line. The highest standing level is four rungs down from the top.