EN 131-3:2018+A1:2025
(Main + Amendment)Ladders - Part 3: Marking and user instructions
Ladders - Part 3: Marking and user instructions
This European Standard advises on the safe use of ladders covered by the scope of EN 131-1 and fulfilling the requirements of EN 131-1, EN 131-2 and, for single or multiple hinged-joint ladders, EN 131-4, for telescopic ladders EN 131-6 and for mobile platform ladders EN 131-7.
Leitern - Teil 3: Kennzeichnung und Gebrauchsanleitungen
Diese Europäische Norm enthält Anleitungen für den sicheren Gebrauch von Leitern, die in den Anwendungsbereich von EN 131 1 fallen und die Anforderungen von EN 131 1, EN 131 2, EN 131 4 für Ein- oder Mehrgelenkleitern, EN 131 6 für Teleskopleitern und EN 131 7 für mobile Podestleitern erfüllen.
Échelles - Partie 3 : Marquage et instructions destinées à l'utilisateur
La présente Norme européenne donne des recommandations portant sur l’utilisation en toute sécurité des échelles relevant du domaine d’application de l’EN 131-1 et conformes aux exigences de l’EN 131-1, de l’EN 131-2 ainsi que de l’EN 131-4 en ce qui concerne les échelles articulées à articulation simple ou multiple, de l’EN 131-6 en ce qui concerne les échelles télescopiques et de l’EN 131-7 en ce qui concerne les échelles mobiles avec plate-forme.
Lestve - 3. del: Označevanje in navodila za uporabnike (vključno z dopolnilom A1)
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2025
Lestve - 3. del: Označevanje in navodila za uporabnike (vključno z dopolnilom A1)
Ladders - Part 3: Marking and user instructions
Leitern - Teil 3: Kennzeichnung und Gebrauchsanleitungen
Échelles - Partie 3 : Marquage et instructions destinées à l'utilisateur
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 131-3:2018+A1:2025
ICS:
97.145 Lestve Ladders
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
EN 131-3:2018+A1
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
August 2025
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 97.145 Supersedes EN 131-3:2018
English Version
Ladders - Part 3: Marking and user instructions
Échelles - Partie 3 : Marquage et instructions destinées Leitern - Teil 3: Kennzeichnung und
à l'utilisateur Gebrauchsanleitungen
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 22 October 2017 and includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 11 June
2025.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 131-3:2018+A1:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 Provision of safety marking and user instructions . 5
5 Reasons for accidents . 6
6 Marking and user instruction . 7
6.1 General . 7
6.2 Basic marking on the ladder . 7
6.3 Safety marking and user instructions . 8
6.3.1 General . 8
6.3.2 Safety signs . 8
6.3.3 Basic safety marking and user instructions for all ladders . 9
6.3.4 Leaning ladders . 14
6.3.5 Standing ladders . 16
6.3.6 Combination ladders. 18
6.3.7 Extending ladders . 20
6.3.8 Single or multi-hinge joint ladders . 21
6.3.9 Telescopic ladders . 23
6.3.10 Mobile ladders with platform . 24
7 Repair, maintenance and storage . 27
Annex A (normative) List of items to be inspected . 28
Annex B (informative) Storage . 29
Annex C (informative) A-deviations . 30
Bibliography . 31
European foreword
This document (EN 131-3:2018+A1:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 93
“Ladders”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by February 2026 and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by February 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 2025-06-11.
The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags !".
This document supersedes !EN 131-3:2018".
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the
European Free Trade Association.
!Deleted text"
This standard is part of a series of standards on “Ladders” that consists of the following parts:
— Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes;
— Part 2: Requirements, testing, marking;
— Part 3: Marking and user instructions;
— Part 4: Single or multiple hinge-joint ladders;
— Part 6: Telescopic ladders;
— Part 7: Mobile ladders with platform.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
1 Scope
This European Standard advises on the safe use of ladders covered by the scope of EN 131-1 and
fulfilling the requirements of EN 131-1, EN 131-2 and, for single or multiple hinged-joint ladders,
EN 131-4, for telescopic ladders EN 131-6 and for mobile platform ladders EN 131-7.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 131-1, Ladders — Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes
EN 131-2, Ladders — Part 2: Requirements, testing, marking
EN 82079-1, Preparation of instructions for use — Structuring, content and presentation — Part 1:
General principles and detailed requirements
EN ISO 7010, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Registered safety signs (ISO 7010)
ISO 3864-1, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Part 1: Design principles for safety
signs and safety markings
ISO 3864-3, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Part 3: Design principles for graphical
symbols for use in safety signs
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of the document, the terms and definitions given in EN 131-1 and EN 131-2 and the
following apply.
3.1
producer
manufacturer of a product and any other person presenting himself as the manufacturer by affixing to
the product his name, trade mark or other distinctive mark, or the person who reconditions the
product; or
manufacturer's representative, when the manufacturer is not established in the Community or, if there
is no representative established in the Community, the importer of the product; or
other professionals in the supply chain, insofar as their activities may affect the safety properties of a
product
[SOURCE: Directive 2001/95/EC, Chapter 1, Article 2, e)]
3.2
distributor
professional in the supply chain whose activity does not affect the safety properties of a product
Note 1 to entry: The producer and the distributor can be the same legal person.
[SOURCE: Directive 2001/95/EC, Chapter 1, Article 2, f), modified – The Note 1 to entry has been
added.]
3.3
user
person using the ladder
3.4
harm
injury or damage to health of people or damage to property or the environment
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 51:2014, 3.1]
3.5
hazard
potential source of harm
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 51:2014, 3.2]
3.6
risk
probable rate of occurrence of a hazard causing harm and the degree of severity of that harm
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 51:2014, 3.9, modified – The Note 1 to entry was deleted.]
4 Provision of safety marking and user instructions
The producer shall be responsible for the content of the safety marking and user instructions and the
provision of the instructions for each ladder. The safety marking and user instructions shall be in the
language of the country where the ladder is originally placed on the market.
The user instruction shall indicate that it shall be read before using the ladder.
The distributor shall ensure that the safety marking and user instructions are provided for each ladder
and that the user instructions are provided in the official languages of the country where the ladder is
placed on the market.
The following list of text within supplementary safety information symbols need not be translated:
a) max.;
b) min.;
c) H 0;
d) Oil,
e) Up;
f) Stop.
5 Reasons for accidents
The following list of hazards and examples of their causes, which is not exhaustive, are common reasons
for accidents encountered when using ladders and are the basis on which the information in this
standard has been developed:
a) loss of stability:
1) incorrect choice of ladder (such as too short, unsuitable task);
2) incorrect positioning of the ladder (such as incorrect angle for leaning ladder or not fully
opening a standing ladder);
3) slide outwards at the bottom (such as bottom of leaning ladders sliding away from the wall);
4) side slip, and top flip for leaning ladders (such as overreaching or fragile top contact surface);
5) falling sideways;
6) condition of the ladder (such as missing anti-slip feet for leaning ladders);
7) stepping off an unsecured ladder at height;
8) ground conditions (such as unstable soft ground, sloping ground, slippery surfaces or
contaminated solid surfaces);
9) adverse weather conditions (such as windy conditions);
10) collision with the ladder (such as vehicle or door);
b) from handling:
1) transferring the ladder to the work position;
2) erecting and dismantling the ladder;
3) carrying items up the ladder;
c) slip, trip and fall of user:
1) inappropriate footwear;
2) contaminated rungs or steps;
3) unsafe user practices (such as climbing two rungs at time, sliding down stiles);
4) ground conditions (such as unstable soft ground, sloping ground, slippery surfaces or
contaminated solid surfaces);
d) structural failure of ladder:
1) condition of the ladder (such as damaged stiles, wear, UV degradation of plastic parts);
2) overloading the ladder;
3) unintended use;
e) electrical hazards:
1) incorrect selection of type of ladder for electrical work;
2) unavoidable live working (e.g. fault finding);
3) positioning ladders too close to live electrical equipment (such as overhead power lines);
4) ladders damaging electrical equipment (such as covers or protective insulation).
6 Marking and user instruction
6.1 General
All marking detailed under Clause 6 shall be fixed permanently, according to EN 131-2, to the ladder
surface
...
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