The changes will help to improve the safety of ladders and also make buying the right ladder much simpler.
BS EN 131* – the single British & European product standard covering all types of portable ladders (step, extending and combination) has been substantially revised. When a European Standard, or Euro Norme (EN) has been agreed and ratified, all CEN member countries are obliged to adopt that Standard as a national standard, in our case, as a British Standard (BS) and withdraw, or amend, any conflicting national standards. So, the British Standards, BS 2037 and BS 1129 (often referred to as Class 1 and Class 3 ladders) now must be amended to remove conflicting products, which means that, after a transition period, certified ladders from these standards will no longer be available.