Rank: Forum user 
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Does anyone have any definitive views on whether telescopic ladders are an acceptable means of access for surveyors accessing loft hatches in domestic properties or for other low level work at height tasks?
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Rank: Forum user
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Hi,
As i currently work for a multi-discplinary design practice hopefully I can help you out a little bit here. Our surveyors also use telescopic ladders as part of their day to day acitvities, personally I see no issue with using them as their intention is to be used for "light industrial trade work". We have properly risk assessed the process of using them, undertaken training reagrding working at height, regularly inspect the ladders whilst at the office and currenly I am sorting a program similar to a toolbox talk as additional forum for feedback and advice regarding their use.
As long as you have their use supported by a robust Risk Assessment process and you have competent staff using the ladders I personally have no issue with their use.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I don't think I would want someone at work, on a ladder that was not at least to EN131 specification. You have domestic, Light industrial / commercial and industrial. Industrial class1 will be heavey to carry about, and domestic is flimsy so the option I would go for a is a ladder for light commerical EN131 ( previous class 2). If these ladders meet that spec then all good. Ones of this type I have seen have no specification associated with them.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Originally Posted by: chris42  I don't think I would want someone at work, on a ladder that was not at least to EN131 specification. You have domestic, Light industrial / commercial and industrial. Industrial class1 will be heavey to carry about, and domestic is flimsy so the option I would go for a is a ladder for light commerical EN131 ( previous class 2). If these ladders meet that spec then all good. Ones of this type I have seen have no specification associated with them.
Most of these types of ladders are EN131 these days, even the cheaper end.
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Rank: New forum user
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Interesting comment regarding Telescopic Ladders and EN131....not to blow my own trumpet but I invented the telescopic ladder ( R.B.T. Jones) and had the Clow Group, Glasgow company make the first ones called Laddermatic, using a custom built robot for welding the rungs, and as Alcan Aluminium gave me free range at their testing dept. in Banbury, it was tested and obtained the EN131 rating there. Speaking to British Standards Institute they confirmed no other telescopic ladder has since achieved that rating, but if they do claim it, then its a Chinese rating.
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 1 user thanked RBJ for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Rank: Super forum user
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As you ask for views, mine is with fhunter.
Introduced these (probably the first brand - see other post) for surveyors many years ago. Used only for inspection not as a working platform. Can't see a problem if the EN131 spec purchased from reputable industrial supplier. As for the Derbyshire experience. We know that cheap, poor quality copies of everything are now available. Trading Standards would have purchased test ladders from domestic consumer sources.
A friend had a newish domestic standard step-ladder (source well-known national DIY store) snap and collapse in use = nasty fall. If we reacted to every DIY ladder catastrophe by banning or avoiding, we would not have any type of ladder left. So we would then make our own . .
Slightly different (hopefully) in a competent industrial setting.
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