Tool in Focus: The Ladder

When you want to reach great heights, a decent ladder is essential. Here’s what you need to know.

A ladder, for those who need reminding, is a vertical set of steps that take you where you need to go when working at heights. 

There are many types of ladder, but they fall into two general categories: flexible ladders, eg rope ladders, which you won’t often see on a building site, and rigid ladders, made of metal, timber or fibreglass. Rigid ladders are either self-supporting (step ladder) or can be leaned against a wall. As an electrician you might well come across roof ladders, platform ladders, sectional ladders, retractable ladders, extension ladders, hook ladders and many more. But it wasn’t always this complicated.

History of the ladder

The first known depiction of a ladder is a 10,000-year-old rock painting in Spain’s Spider Caves. The picture shows two humans climbing a ladder to harvest honey from a beehive. By the 15th century, rope and rough wooden ladders begin to appear in European artworks. In the 1860s, inventor John H Basely came up with the modern-day stepladder when he put hinges on an ordinary ladder so it could be folded away. (He also made ladders with flat steps rather than round rungs.) 

Hot on his heels, American Henry Quakenbush patented the first extension or telescopic ladder in 1867. By the 1930s the ladder biz was really taking off, with aluminium ladders making their debut, and ladder feet or stabilisers becoming available – a standard safety feature in almost all ladders today.

Cool ladders

For too long, the humble ladder has lain low when it comes to tools. They’re cumbersome, they’re not that exciting to use and if you’re a superstitious type, walking underneath one is supposed to bring bad luck. But is that reputation deserved? Whether soccer, AFL or NRL is the game, arguably the world’s most important ladder of all relates to your team’s spot on this ladder come the end of the season. Check out some of the world’s other vital, impressive and unusual ladders.

The Putucusi Ladders of Machu Picchu

These wooden bad boys weren’t for the faint-hearted. Putucusi is the most challenging climb up to view the world heritage listed ruins of Peru’s Machu Picchu. In days gone by the climb consisted of several eye-wateringly steep wooden ladders — one more than 30 metres, clinging to the mountain at an angle of 70 degrees. A few years ago floods destroyed some of the ladders in parts and they were removed. You now need to use a rope and a toe hold. Bring back the ladders! 

Jacob’s Ladder

Not to be confused with the 1990 film starring Tim Robbins, the actual Jacob’s Ladder is a biblical term referring to the steps from earth up to heaven. It’s also the name of the road to the summit of Ben Lomond Mountain in the Launceston regions of Tasmania. Ben Lomond Mountain peaks at 1452 metres above sea level, and the road up features a series of sharp hairpin turns. Drive carefully.

The Immoveable Ladder

This small cedar wood ladder was placed outside the window of Jerusalem’s iconic Church of the Holy Sepulchre some time mid-way through the 18th century. There it’s remained ever since, under strict orders that none of the six Christian sects who oversee the church are allowed to alter the property about without the express permission of each other. This unassuming ladder has achieved such cultural significance, tourists from all over the world flock to view it, and fired-up monks have even punched on over who’s in charge of it. 

Record-breaking ladder

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest ladder in the world was built by the Handwerks Museum in Austria in 2005. It’s made of wood, has 120 rungs and is a vertigo-inducing 41.16m high.