You are visiting the Canada Kee Safety website from United States. Would you like to go to the United States site?
Step ladders are useful around the house for changing light bulbs and smoke detectors or helping young children reach the sink to brush their teeth. Outside, step ladders enable people to string up lights along the patio or to decorate for holidays. The best home use for a step ladder by far is to drape towels over it so your pool deck looks like a spa.
For occasional, quick tasks in the workplace, a step ladder is a common sight. However, when work at height becomes frequent, prolonged, or more complex, step ladders can become more of a liability than a convenience.
Recognizing this (literal and figurative) tipping point is crucial for maintaining safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. It is time to consider engineered work platforms vs. step ladders for safer access solutions as a central part of your strategy for workplace fall protection in Canada.
Step ladders are often unstable and require constant three-point contact, leaving workers with only one hand free. For ladder safety in Canada, the statistics are clear: falls from heights, often involving ladders, are a leading cause of workplace injuries.
From a regulatory standpoint, ladders are intended as temporary access equipment, not permanent work platforms. Standards emphasize short-duration, light-duty tasks. Once workers carry tools, twist their bodies, or spend extended time at height—common in daily checks or maintenance—the risk multiplies. Continuing with routine ladder use becomes a compliance, liability, and operational issue.
A clear decision point emerges when work shifts from “occasional” to “expected.” Key triggers include:
These conditions signal that ladders are no longer appropriate. This is where dedicated step ladder alternatives become a necessary component of your fall prevention workplace plan. It is time to move on from risk to reliable control.
Modern industrial access systems in Canada offer safer alternatives to ladders that provide stability, predictable access, and fall protection. Unlike a ladder, a work platform offers a stable, hands-free standing surface, trading a balancing act for security. They feature aluminum or glass-reinforced nylon treads that are anti-slip and self-draining to prevent the accumulation of moisture and fluids. Frames and integrated guardrails are constructed of aluminum or galvanized steel for strength, durability, and corrosion resistance.
Specific solutions include:
Create guided protected pathways with anti-slip rooftop stairs. They offer safe transitions and eliminate the need to travel on roof surfaces with a ladder.
High-grade nylon or fibreglass grating slip-resistant steps with galvanized steel guardrails and a work platform to reach machinery, large equipment, welding stations, racking, shelves, and other hard-to-reach areas.
Featuring anti-slip walking/working surfaces, sturdy frames, and integrated guardrails, they provide safe, ergonomic access to elevated work areas. Ideal for frequent tasks and hard-to-reach areas.
Work platforms equipped with total-lock casters provide stability and the flexibility to relocate from station to station. Safer and more efficient than ladders.
Modular or fabricated platforms engineered for unique site layouts and challenges. It can be fitted with racks and shelves to store tools and equipment—a huge advantage over ladders—and have shop services supplied (e.g., air, water, electricity). Openings can be protected with self-closing safety gates.
When a task outgrows the brief, single-user nature of a step ladder, upgrading from ladders is a strategic move toward safer operations and enhanced compliance. Ladders are designed for quick, temporary access for infrequent tasks. Work platforms provide permanent access that is safer and more ergonomic.
Whether a standardized system or a customized platform designed for unique site challenges, the right access system enhances safety, boosts productivity, and provides peace of mind. Investing in these fall protection systems demonstrates a proactive commitment to your workforce and operations.