Not inherently. Properly designed, maintained and used telescopic ladders can meet the relevant product standard. The concern is that UK investigations have repeatedly found sampled products that failed safety tests or carried unsupported EN 131 claims. If a lock, rung or rail seems unreliable, do not climb the ladder: isolate it and report what you observed.
Telescopic ladders collapse into compact nested sections for storage. Each extended section depends on its locking points engaging correctly, so a defect, damage or incorrect setup can have a direct effect on stability. HSE describes telescopic ladders as a variation of leaning ladder and stresses that models do not all work in the same way: users should follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Why are some telescopic ladders considered dangerous?
The issue is not the word “telescopic” alone; it is whether the individual product is sound and performs as claimed. In the Ladder Association’s 2022 surveillance sample, 14 of 17 telescopic ladders failed the limited-scope requirements. Reported failures included locking mechanisms, strength, stability dimensions and rung spacing. Three samples passed, which is an important reminder not to treat every telescopic ladder as unsafe.
More recently, the Ladder Association reported that all six products in its 2023 follow-up sample failed the required safety tests, while five carried claims of EN 131 compliance. OPSS has also published individual product safety reports for telescopic ladders presenting a serious injury risk, including products that bent excessively or suffered damage around rungs and locks during testing.
Evidence: Ladder Association 2022 surveillance report, 2023 follow-up report and an OPSS telescopic ladder safety report. Results describe the tested samples, not every product on sale.
For the wider marketplace story and the evidence across repeated investigations, read why dangerous telescopic ladders are still reaching UK shoppers at Unsafe Products.
Telescopic ladder warning signs
A visible warning sign does not by itself establish the cause or legal status of a product, but it can justify stopping use and making a report. Record any of the following:
- one side or rung section retracts while the other side remains extended;
- a lock indicator does not show the expected engaged position;
- a rung can move after it appeared to lock;
- rails are dented, bent, cracked, loose or no longer aligned;
- feet, end caps, buttons or other components detach or are missing;
- the ladder closes unexpectedly or the controlled-closing feature behaves differently from the instructions;
- labels, model details, instructions or maximum-use information are missing or inconsistent;
- the delivered ladder differs from the photographs or claims in the online listing.
A photograph of the ladder as found is safer and often more useful than a video created by repeating the failure.
Does an EN 131 label prove a telescopic ladder is safe?
No. The marking is relevant evidence, but a printed label or marketplace claim is not proof that the product was independently tested or conforms to the standard. BSI identifies BS EN 131-6:2019+A1:2025 as the current British Standard covering the design requirements and test methods for telescopic ladders, used with the other applicable parts of the EN 131 series.
Record the complete claim exactly, including the standard number, date, certification body, certificate number, manufacturer, importer, model and batch. Do not describe the label as “fake” solely because its design looks unusual. If the standard claim appears false, inconsistent or unsupported, follow our guide to reporting a suspect EN 131 ladder claim.
How to identify the affected section
Photograph the ladder from both sides and number the sections in your notes from the bottom upwards. State whether the ladder was fully or partly extended and which section moved. If visible, record the lock indication on the left and right of the same rung.
Describe what you observed in sequence: for example, “both indicators appeared engaged; the third section on the right retracted when weight was applied”. Avoid assuming the internal technical cause unless it has been assessed.
Evidence for a telescopic ladder report
- Full ladder from both sides
- Affected rung and section number
- Left and right lock indicators
- Rail damage or misalignment
- Model, batch and product labels
- Instructions and packaging
- Online listing and seller screenshots
- Receipt, order number and delivery date
Markings or claims about a standard should be recorded exactly as shown. Their appearance alone does not prove that the ladder has been independently tested or complies with a particular standard.
How to report a dangerous telescopic ladder sold online
Capture the full listing address and the seller’s displayed business details. Include claimed dimensions, load, materials, certification or standard references, and save images showing how the lock is described. Note whether the same product appears under several seller or brand names.
Report the listing to the marketplace as a product-safety concern and retain the platform reference or response. You can also submit the telescopic ladder to Report Dangerous Ladders even if you have not bought it. The service is operated by FOLO-UP; a submission is a listing signal for evidence capture and controlled human review, not a confirmed safety finding.
Consumer and workplace reporting routes
For a consumer product, use the official route for your UK nation as set out in government guidance. For a telescopic ladder supplied for work, notify the employer or responsible person and consider the HSE defective-product route. The seller or marketplace should also be told.
Report the telescopic ladder
Select “Telescopic ladder” in the form and describe the exact rung, section and locking behaviour.
Start a telescopic ladder reportOfficial UK information
Use GOV.UK’s consumer-product reporting guidance for the official route in your nation. HSE also publishes specific telescopic ladder guidance and a defective workplace product reporting route. See the BSI record for the current telescopic ladder standard.