Platform step ladders are the ideal solution for people regularly working at height whilst using tools and equipment.  Step ladders without a platform are also available but tend to be less suitable where tools or materials are being used as the large surface area of a platform provides an ideal surface on which to rest your bucket, paint can, brushes, light bulbs etc.

Platform ladders are available in many different heights, but the main thing they all have in common is the platform at the top of the ladder.  The Lyte ‘Wide Step’ ladder system is a good example of such ladders. The guard rails and clip on chain make working at height safer, and the width of both the ladder and treads ensures that climbing the ladder with tools and materials is as easy and safe as possible.  The wheels at the rear of the step ladder allow it to be tipped and moved around with minimal effort when it is packed flat, so even the larger ladders are not difficult to move around.  These ladders are made from aluminium for lightness, but are also available in fibreglass for electricians and others who work around live electrical equipment.

Platform step ladders are also a style of step ladder used in the horticultural industry.  The legs and construction vary somewhat to indoor ladders, as they need to be safe to use on uneven and soft ground.  This is achieved by providing wider feet as well as extra foot pads to spread the weight of the ladder, and height adjustable feet that allow the step ladder to be set up on slopes and other uneven ground.

Chase manufacture one of the tallest platform step ladders available.  The longest one has sixteen treads, giving a set up height of over fifteen feet.  This ladder is designed for industrial use in the building and construction trades, where such heights are necessary especially in industrial construction.  It’s also the perfect ladder for changing light bulbs in very high ceilings such as schools, churches or sports halls, and ladders of this height are often used for maintenance in stately homes; changing light bulbs and taking down curtains for repair are jobs that need a platform to accommodate tools or materials.

Titan also manufactures industrial standard step ladders that include a platform. With a maximum weight limit of over twenty seven stone, these ladders are ideal for heavier people who also need to carry heavy tools.  Although the platform on this step ladder is not as large as on the ‘Wide Step’ models, they are designed for different purposes; if a large platform is needed to provide a large working area and somewhere to keep lots of different tools then a model of platform step ladder that incorporates a large platform is ideal.  If the step ladder doesn’t need such a wide platform, perhaps just enough space to set down a can of paint, then a model with a smaller platform is better.  In addition, the models of platform step ladder that have a narrower or smaller platform are narrower overall and therefore easier to move around tight spaces, especially within a residential building.

The type of step ladder found in warehouses is also a platform step ladder.  These are available in sizes from four to fourteen treads.  These step ladders have locking wheels for easy maneuverability around a busy environment such as a warehouse.  They have hand rails towards the top of the ladder which provide a stable hand hold for people climbing the ladder with items in one hand. Warehouse steps are usually constructed to be open permanently; they are in constant use within a warehouse environment so by removing the need for a closing mechanism extra strong and stable construction is possible.

We have looked at the founder of Little Giant Ladders, Hal Wing, who sadly passed away earlier this year, but one of his step ladder legacies is the Little Giant Select Step.  A step ladder that is also extendable, can be used on stairs, can be set up flush to a wall and also incorporates a platform to stand on, the Little Giant Select Step is probably the most versatile platform step ladder in the world.  There is a fixed platform attached to the third rung from the top, and this provides a stable place to stand whilst working. If you need to be at a taller height for the whole job, the ladder can be extended from five to eight treads and anywhere in between. The optional tool tray also functions as an extra high handrail, so when you are higher up the ladder there is still something to hold on to.

Each side of the Select Step ladder is adjustable independently, so for working on stairs this step ladder is ideal. A locking system on the rear section of the ladder allows it to be dropped down to an angle almost parallel to a wall.  For clearing guttering or detailed painting work this is perfect, as you can get much closer to whatever is being worked on, and still have the benefit of the platform to stand on.  As with the entire Little Giant range, this Select Step ladder has the ‘tip n glide’ wheels that make moving the ladder about very easy.  They can be used to wheel the ladder from job to job easily when it is folded away.

Another Little Giant step ladder, that is not technically a platform step ladder, yet is as stable to work on, is the Little Giant Safety Step system. This step ladder does not have a platform, but the treads are extra wide and deep.  This means that every tread is like a small platform.  They are designed for use in office and retail environments as well as in the home, as they are available in the heights that suit domestic or office tasks such as filing or reaching high shelves, as well as the retail tasks which require a step ladder, such as restocking shelves and cleaning.  These step ladders fold away to a very slim size, as the treads fold down inside the ladder when it is packed down.  As with all Little Giant ladders, these have the ‘tip n glide’ wheels and are built to a very sturdy construction.

Builders, decorators and electricians often use a type of step ladder that does not have a platform as well as using a platform step ladder. Step ladders without the platform tend to be narrower and easier to fit in tight spaces or corners, and are fine for use where the need for equipment and tools is not an issue.  Any tasks that can be carried out with just the tools that can be hung on a tool belt, does not need a platform step ladder (in order to provide somewhere to keep the tools close at hand).  As people working in these trades are used to working up ladders the issue of stability and comfort is not as great as with people who are not used to it.  When a person spends most of the day working with ladders they develop a sense of comfort working up a ladder, and they do not feel the effects of vertigo or instability that people not used to working up a ladder can feel.  Therefore it is advisable to get a step ladder that does include a platform if it is not being used by someone trained and experienced in ladder safety and working at height.  Whichever type of step ladder is best for you, when choosing and using the ladder, remember to take it one step at a time.