Cantilever ladders take their name from the platform at its top, which extends outward from the top of the stairs and is supported only at that end. It allows a worker to get up and over an object or into a hard-to-reach area and work safely.
These specialty ladders are indispensable in many commercial and industrial settings. Let’s take a look at the features that make them so valuable and the things to consider if you are thinking of adding one to your workplace.
What is a cantilever ladder?
“Cantilever” means a projected beam or member supported at only one end, such as a bracket-shaped member supporting a balcony or a bridge.
This type of ladder resembles a rolling platform ladder. However, the platform on a platform ladder is supported at the stairs end of the platform and the far end.
The platform of a cantilever ladder, on the other hand, resembles a diving board, with one fixed end and one free end. That free end means there is no obstruction to stop workers from rolling the cantilevered ladder into place.
The platform can support the weight of the worker or workers because of extra base support or by the use of counterweights at the base of the ladder.
Imagine that Dunder Mifflin’s Dwight Schrute is working for you and accidentally snags his belt loop on something extending from the second story of the warehouse. A cantilever ladder would allow warehouse workers to go up and over the bulky and futilely kicking Dwight and continue to fill orders.
By the way, a cantilever ladder and cantilevered ladder are the same thing. If you say “iced tea,” you’ll buy a “cantilevered ladder.” If you say “ice tea,” you’ll go for the “cantilever ladder.”
What are the advantages of cantilever ladders?
Because of their extended unobstructed reach, these ladders don’t have to lean on anything the way an extension ladder does.
They give workers access to the top of a tanker truck or airplane fuselage. You can’t lean a ladder against one of those and risk damage. Also, it eliminates the need for workers to walk on the structure. That makes the work safer for them and prevents damage from work boots or tools that are dropped.
Cantilever ladders are invaluable when working in aviation and aerospace fields, for instance. No one wants an extension ladder dinging an airplane’s surface before they board it.
These ladders also help with reaching tops of railroad cars, clearing snow and ice off the tops of truck trailers, getting passengers to the doors of airplanes performing aviation maintenance, and accessing mezzanines, shelving units, and storage tanks and other containers.
Manufacturers also can design them to allow people to lie on the platform and work on the equipment just below them.
What are the safety concerns with cantilever ladders?
The free end of the platform on this type of rolling ladder increases the chances of it swaying from side to side and bouncing.
Companies must train employees properly and make sure that the load capacity is strictly adhered to.
According to OSHA guidelines:
- Before using a mobile ladder stand, employers must train each worker in the proper care, inspection, storage, and use of mobile ladder stands, which may include:
- Position locking mechanisms (i.e., weight activated vs manual).
- Stair step, platform, handrail, and guardrail use.
- Structural component and design requirements.
For more information on OSHA training requirements, visit: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.23
Working with an experienced manufacturer can give you a sense of security when it comes to whether your equipment meets OSHA and ANSI standards.
How do I pick the right cantilever ladder?
Cantilevered ladders come in many different configurations. It’s important to size up the work area you need to reach. Measure the necessary platform height and how deep the platform should be.
Tri-Arc, the Pittsburgh company founded in 1947, makes Supported and Unsupported Cantilever ladders as part of its Configurable Solutions line.
The specifications for both types include:
- Load rating of 300 lbs.
- 1-inch x 2-inch rectangular tubing frame
- 2-foot wide steps
- 50 degree safety angle incline, for easy climbing and descent
- 42-inch guardrail height
- 5-inch x 2-inch polyurethane casters
- Total-lock swivel casters
- Yellow powder-coated finish
Tri-Arc’s Cantilever Conversion Kit will allow you to turn a counterweighted Unsupported Cantilever into a Supported Cantilever. Simply remove the counterweight and add the base support kit to the base of the ladder.
Each model can come with a platform height of 50 inches (five steps) to 90 inches (nine steps). The platform can be 20 inches, 30 inches or 40 inches long.
Do you have an application that requires a customized solution?
Contact us and talk to our specialists to find the ideal solution.