Certification

All of Henchmans Tripod Ladders are Kitemark Certified to BSI by The British Standards Institution to EN131, the UK and European.

Kitemark certified by The British Standards Institution (BSI) to EN131

Henchman Professional Tripod Ladders are the only EN131 certified ladder on the market that is purposefully designed to be safe on uneven and soft ground.

Why certification is important to you

As a professional or business, Working At Height Regulations dictates that your legal responsibility is to protect the safety of your staff and the general public by supplying ladders that are suitable for the work to be performed. This includes the both the design characteristics of the ladder, and it’s strength, build quality, and reliability.

It is recommended by both The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and The Ladder Association that professionals and employers only use ladders that are independently certified to the current UK and European ladder safety standard, EN131, by a recognised and accredited certification organisation such as BSI or TUV. This is one of the best ways to protect your staff, yourself, and your legal liability.

Be careful of potentially misleading terminology.

It’s important to understand the differences in terminology used, as wording such as “tested to” or “conforms to”, does not mean “certified”. Below is a table explaining different terminologies and their meanings. If in doubt though, always ask the manufacturer for a copy of their certificate.

Terminology	Meaning
“BSI Kitemark certification”	“Kitemark certification confirms that a product or service’s claim has been independently and repeatedly tested by experts, meaning that you can have trust and confidence in products and services that are BSI Kitemark certified”. Kitemark certification requires testing of the products to all of the relevant requirements of EN131, ongoing periodic re-assessment, and ongoing auditing and monitoring of the quality control measures and processes along the entire supply chain, from the manufacture all the way through to your delivery.
“Certified”	The range of ladders have been tested by an independent, recognised and accredited certification organisation to all of the relevant clauses within EN131. Ongoing periodic review and re-assessment of the product quality is required for continued validity of the certification. Always ask the manufacturer for a copy of the certificate to ensure it is still in date and valid.
“Tested to”	A single product passed a test to part of the standard, at a single point in time. Unlike “certified”, there is no requirement for ongoing assessment of quality, nor is there the requirement for the testing to be performed by an independent and accredited organisation. Testing therefore could be performed by the manufacturer themselves. Ask the manufacturer for a copy of the test report to ensure that it is recent, independent, and that the full safety standards were tested.
“Conforms to”	The ladder design is created in-line with the requirement of the standard, but there is no stipulation here that any safety testing has been performed.

What’s involved in kitemark certification?

We have chosen to Kitemark our ladders, as Kitemark certification goes above and beyond just product testing. It looks at all aspects of the supply chain too, so you can rest assured that the ladders you receive are designed for the job your performing, safety tested to the highest standards, being produced by approved and audited manufacturers, and treated with through quality control measures through the whole of the supply chain. BSI’s EN131 Kitemark Certification tests all of the below -

EN131

Part 1, Terms, types, functional sizes – This section inspects the key dimensional requirements of the ladder, such as base width and rung spacing, to ensure that they are both in accordance with the safety requirements, and consistent on all production batches.
Part 2, Requirements, testing, marking – This section inspects and tests the strength and stability of the ladder, ensuring that it is suitable for the intended use.
Part 3, Marking and user instructions – This section assess the quality and completeness of the ladders labelling, markings, and user instructions, to ensure that the user can easily understand how to safely operate the ladder

Manufacturer audit

The manufacturer(s) of the ladders are audited according to relevant ISO standards, to assess production methods and processes, quality control processes, and safe working environment for their employees.

Henchman audit

This is the final step in the Kitemark process, and is designed not just to ensure adequate quality control procedures, but also to protect you, the customer, by ensuring we have a reliable management structure, and business continuity plans.

As you can see, the Kitemark Certification process is very thorough, and gives you full reassurance in the quality of our business and products. If you would like any more information, or to discuss how these safety standards fit within your business, please do not hesitate to contact us.

References –

United Kingdom Work At Height Regulation 2005

Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 2021, Guidance Document LA455 - Safe Use of Ladders and Stepladders

The Ladder Association, 2005, Portable Ladder Safety Guidance 2020