EN 131-1:2015/FprA1:2019

Ladders - Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes

This European Standard defines terms and specifies the general design characteristics of ladders.
It applies to portable ladders.
It does not apply to ladders designed for specific professional use such as fire brigade ladders, roof ladders and mobile ladders.
NOTE 1   For multiple hinge joint ladders EN 131-4 applies.
NOTE 2   For telescopic ladders EN 131-6 applies.
NOTE 3   For mobile ladders with platforms EN 131-7 applies.
NOTE 4   This standard does not apply to step stools for which EN 14183 applies.

Leitern - Teil 1: Benennungen, Bauarten, Funktionsmaße

Sie gilt für tragbare Leitern.
Sie gilt nicht für Leitern für den besonderen beruflichen Gebrauch, wie Feuerwehrleitern, Dachleitern, Regalleitern, Einhängeleitern und fahrbare Leitern.

Échelles - Partie 1: Terminologie, types, dimensions fonctionnelles

"Elle s’applique aux échelles portables.
Elle ne s’applique pas aux échelles à usage professionnel spécifique telles que les échelles de pompiers, les échelles de couvreurs-ardoisiers, les échelles de rayonnages, les échelles munies de crochets et les échelles remorquables."

Lestve - 1. del: Terminologija, tipi, funkcionalne velikosti - Dopolnilo A1

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• ICS: 01.040.97 - Domestic and commercial equipment. Entertainment. Sports (Vocabularies)
• ICS: 97.145 - Ladders
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 93 - Ladders
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 93/WG 10 - Revision of EN 131-2
• Current Stage: 5060 - Closure of Vote - Formal Approval
• Start Date: 20-Jun-2019
• Due Date: 04-Sep-2019
• Completion Date: 20-Jun-2019
• Directive: 2001/95/EC - Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 December 2001 on general product safety
• Mandate: M/285 - Standardization mandate to CEN relative to the safety of consumers and children: ladders
• Ref Project: SIST EN 131-1:2016/kFprA1:2019 - Ladders - Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes

Relations

• Merged Into: EN 131-1:2015+A1:2019 - Ladders - Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes
• Effective Date: 18-Jan-2023
• Amends: EN 131-1:2015 - Ladders - Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes
• Effective Date: 21-Jun-2017

Overview

EN 131-1:2015/FprA1:2019 is a key European Standard developed by CEN that defines the fundamental terms, types, and functional sizes for portable ladders. This standard establishes clear terminology and specifies general design characteristics essential for safety, compatibility, and usability in ladders intended for broad commercial and domestic use. It excludes ladders designed for specific professional applications such as fire brigade ladders, roof ladders, shelf ladders, hook-in ladders, and mobile ladders.

This standard is part of the comprehensive EN 131 series covering different ladder types and safety requirements. Amendments such as FprA1:2019 update core definitions and design criteria to reflect current industry best practices.

Key Topics

• Terminology
  EN 131-1 provides precise definitions of ladder terms including “inner width,” “total length,” and rung measurements to ensure consistent communication across manufacturers and regulatory bodies.

• Types of Ladders Covered
  Focuses on portable ladders widely used in household, commercial, and light industrial settings. It applies broadly to step ladders, extension ladders, and combination ladders that are not specialized professional equipment.

• Functional Sizes
  Specifies essential dimensional requirements such as usable distances between ladder stiles, rung widths, overall extended length, and other key measurements. These dimensions balance practical usability with safety standards.

• Scope Limitations
  EN 131-1 explicitly excludes:

  • Fire brigade ladders
  • Roof ladders
  • Shelf ladders
  • Hook-in ladders
  • Mobile ladders with platforms (covered in EN 131-7)
    Telescopic and multiple hinge joint ladders fall under related EN 131 parts.

• Design Modifications in Amendment
  The A1 amendment refines definitions like “inner width” and “total length” for clarity and updates tables detailing dimensional requirements to harmonize measurement methods.

Applications

• Manufacturing
  Manufacturers use EN 131-1 as a baseline for designing and producing portable ladders that meet European safety and sizing standards, ensuring products are compliant and marketable across Europe.

• Quality Control and Testing
  Quality assurance teams apply these standardized definitions and dimensional requirements to verify that ladders meet functional and safety criteria before distribution.

• Procurement and Specification
  Buyers and engineers reference EN 131-1 when specifying ladder requirements to ensure compatibility with workplace safety regulations and ergonomic standards.

• Training and Safety Programs
  Safety officers and trainers utilize standardized ladder terminology and classifications from EN 131-1 to educate users on the correct ladder types and dimensions for specific tasks.

Related Standards

• EN 131-4: Ladders with multiple hinge joints
• EN 131-6: Telescopic ladders
• EN 131-7: Mobile ladders with platforms
• EN 14183: Step stools

Together, these standards form a comprehensive regulatory framework covering a wide range of ladder types and professional applications.

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By adhering to EN 131-1:2015/FprA1:2019, stakeholders in ladder production, sales, and use can ensure safer, standardized, and more efficient ladder solutions that meet European safety mandates and improve user confidence. This standard supports industry-wide consistency in ladder terminology and sizing, which is essential for interoperability and regulatory compliance.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN 131-1:2016/oprA1:2018
01-julij-2018
Lestve - 1. del: Terminologija, tipi, funkcionalne velikosti - Dopolnilo A1
Ladders - Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes
Leitern - Teil 1: Benennungen, Bauarten, Funktionsmaße
Échelles - Partie 1: Terminologie, types, dimensions fonctionnelles
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 131-1:2015/prA1
ICS:
01.040.97 Oprema za dom in trgovino. Domestic and commercial
Razvedrilo. Šport (Slovarji) equipment. Entertainment.
Sports (Vocabularies)
97.145 Lestve Ladders
SIST EN 131-1:2016/oprA1:2018 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

SIST EN 131-1:2016/oprA1:2018
SIST EN 131-1:2016/oprA1:2018
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 131-1:2015
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
prA1
May 2018
ICS 01.040.97; 97.145
English Version
Ladders - Part 1: Terms, types, functional sizes
Échelles - Partie 1: Terminologie, types, dimensions Leitern - Teil 1: Benennungen, Bauarten,
fonctionnelles Funktionsmaße
This draft amendment is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 93.

This draft amendment A1, if approved, will modify the European Standard EN 131-1:2015. If this draft becomes an amendment,
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for inclusion of
this amendment into the relevant national standard without any alteration.

This draft amendment was established by CEN 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, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2018 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 131-1:2015/prA1:2018 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

SIST EN 131-1:2016/oprA1:2018
EN 131-1:2015/prA1:2018 (E)
Contents
Page
European foreword . 3
1 Modification to Clause 1 “Scope” . 4
2 Modification to definition 3.31 “inner width b ” . 4
3 Modification to Figure 18 . 5
4 Modification to definition 3.33 “total length l ” . 5
5 Modification to 4.2.1, Table 2 . 5
6 Modification to 4.3, Table 3 . 6
7 Modifica
...