CHICAGO –The American Ladder Institute (ALI) has completed and published a new standard for the safe design, construction and testing of accessories most commonly used in conjunction with portable wood, metal and reinforced plastic ladders. The new American National Standard Safety Requirements for Ladder Accessories (A14.8) prescribes both general design requirements and specific design verification test requirements for bottom-end, top-end and miscellaneous accessories, as well as guidance on the proper selection, use and maintenance of them. This makes the standard valuable to manufacturers and end users alike.

The requirements in A14.8 are based upon and coordinate with ALI’s other safety standards for portable ladders. “Ladder accessories are used on thousands of portable ladders every day, so this standard fills a critical need to provide specific requirements for the safe design, construction, testing and guidance on the use of them. It’s been developed by industry experts on ladder safety and is an important addition to ALI’s existing set of ladder safety standards,” said Alan D. Kline, chairman of the A14.8 subcommittee that developed the standard. “Sound requirements and good guidance for ladder accessories are critical to using ladders safely.”

ALI has developed and maintains eight published standards for ladder safet,y all of which are accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). A ninth standard for step stools is also being developed and nearing completion. The current standards are available for purchase at www.americanladderinstitute.org

In addition to the safety standards, ALI has also developed complimentary, online ladder safety training modules which are provided in both English and Spanish. The training is available on ALI's Ladder Safety Training website, www.laddersafetytraining.org. The website has also been upgraded to make the training modules more accessible on mobile devices and provide better tools for safety managers that help them share the training with their employees, track their progress on each module, and access certificates that are earned for completing the training.

“ALI’s online training modules are a very valuable tool for helping to reduce the risk of injury in the workplace. We’ve had tens of thousands of safety managers and workers who use ladders take advantage of the training so far,” said ALI Executive Director Jeff Inks. “We encourage all safety managers and employees who use ladders in their work, as well as anyone using ladders, to take advantage of the modules and the safety principles they teach.”

For more information, visit www.americanladderinstitute.org.