How often should ladders be tested?

• A. Annually
• B. Monthly
• C. Weekly
• D. After each use

Answer: (A)

Periodic service testing is necessary to confirm ladders retain their strength after years of use. The standard practice is to perform a formal service test annually. This test checks structural integrity, locking mechanisms, rungs, and other critical components under a defined load, and it is carried out by a qualified person. It’s more thorough than the daily or pre-use checks, which are meant to catch obvious damage but aren’t a substitute for the full load test. Of course, ladders are still visually inspected before each use, and any ladder that’s damaged, involved in an incident, or after alterations must be retested before returning to service. That combination—annual formal testing plus routine pre-use inspections—is the safe, proper approach.