The question of whether to purchase a steel or aluminum fixed roof access ladder is common. It’s important to examine the differences between the two materials in terms of safety and compliance, lead time, installation process, costs, durability, and climbing experience. From then, you can ensure you choose the solution that best meets your needs. If you think one material is safer or more compliant than the other, that isn’t true. Both solutions, if manufactured according to the required guidelines, are safe but offer a different set of benefits.

From a compliance standpoint, you still comply with an aluminum or steel roof access ladder. If it is constructed in the manner stated by your local safety guidelines and includes corrosion-resistant protection (applicable to only steel ladders), then your roof ladder should be compliant. When it comes to aluminum roof access ladders, there is no need to worry about including a protective film, as the material itself is corrosion-resistant. You also won’t need to maintain an aluminum ladder over the years by reapplying a protective layer (paint), as you would for a steel ladder.

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Lead times vary for both steel and aluminum ladders, although because steel ladders require a protective coating, it isn’t uncommon to see longer lead times. The added protective coating process will extend the lead time of your order, making it difficult for a quick turnaround when an urgent safety solution is required.

Have you ever worked with aluminum? Your local contractor may prefer a commercial aluminum roof access ladder because of the following reasons.

• An aluminum ladder can easily be brought to the roof via the maintenance elevator as it is extremely lightweight. There is no need to rent a crane to transport your materials to the roof, or close roads and your building’s parking area. Ultimately, drastically reducing transport and installation-related costs.
  
• With aluminum being much lighter than steel, it makes the installation process that much easier and quicker, requiring less labor hours. Yielding reduced overall installation costs.
  
• Aluminum fixed ladders also subject less load to the wall and roof surface. A steel roof ladder may require the surface it is being fixed to, to be reinforced.
  
• Cutting aluminum on-site, in order to ensure an exact fit, is quick & easy.

At Skyline our aluminum roof access ladders are built in modular sections, making it extremely easy to handle, ship and install on-site. If repairs are required, you can easily replace the modular piece versus the whole ladder.

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