Not only do ladders come in a range of different styles and materials they also have different strengths and classifications. In order to ensure you have the right ladder for your needs, we have put together this blog post that outlines some of the different ladder classifications out there. In general the majority of ladders available in the UK and Europe meet the requirements of British and European standards. One of the longest certifications in place in Britain is the BS2037 and all step ladders and extension ladders must be subjected to this. The BS2037, which was introduced in 1994 contains three different class ratings. These are: Industrial also known as Class 1, Trade also known as Class EN131 and Domestic also known as Class 3. Each of these class ratings have been colour coded to help you recognise which ladders are most suitable for your needs. Each colour/class can hold a different maximum load so it is vital you pick the appropriate ladder. If you are struggling to find the colour code on your ladder you will find it on the certification symbol or on the rubber feet. As mentioned Class 1 is often for industrial uses. This is because it can hold a maximum load of 175 kg. The ladder is colour coded blue, so check you have a class 1 ladder before you start working with incredibly heavy equipment. The second class, Class EN131 used to be known as class 2 and is designed to be used in trade. As you would expect this has a slightly lighter maximum load than Class 1, but can still hold a maximum load of 150 kg. Unlike Class 1, this ladder has two colours to choose from and can be colour coded either green or yellow. The third and final class is Class 3 which is for domestic use ladders which has a maximum load of 125 kg and is colour coded red. In general, if you’re planning to use your ladder quite infrequently for odd DIY jobs in the home you will be OK with a domestic use ladder, but if you require something that will be used daily, then you should consider a Class 1 or Class EN131 instead.