Dissipative ladders are portable ladders built to the ESD (electrostatic discharge) standard. Electrostatic discharge is a natural phenomenon in which electricity passes through the body or other conductors and is discharged onto some object. For example, the shock sometimes felt when touching a doorknob is ESD. This natural occurrence is a very important issue in the field of electronic component assembly due to the costly damage that ESD can cause to sensitive electronic equipment. Dissipative ladders are ladders with controlled electrical resistance: the resistance slows down the transfer of charge from one point to another, offering greater protection during ESD events: ≥10 5 and <10 12 Ω/square.

Boarding and pool stairs, also for bathing and diving. A ladder can be used on the side or stern of a boat, to climb into it from the water, and in a pool, to climb up and sometimes into it. Pool ladders are usually made of plastic, wood, or metal rungs with a textured top surface for grip and metal rails on the sides to support the steps and as handrails for the user, and are usually fixed in place. Boat boarding ladders can be fixed, but they are usually portable and often fold up when not in use to prevent them from dragging when underway. Boarding stairs can also be used for other types of vehicles, or boarding steps that are supported directly by the vehicle structure.

The most common injury suffered by people who use ladders is bruising from falling off a ladder, but bone fractures are common and head injuries are also likely, depending on the nature of the accident.

Ladders can cause injuries if they slip on the floor and fall. To prevent this, they usually have plastic feet or base pads that increase friction with the ground. However, if the plastic is badly worn, the aluminum can come into contact with the ground, increasing the possibility of an accident. Ladder stabilizers are also available to increase the grip of the ladder on the ground. One of the first ladder stabilizers or ladder feet was offered in 1936 and today they are standard equipment on most large ladders.[9]​.

A ladder stand is a device that is placed on the top of a ladder to keep it away from the wall. This allows the ladder to clear overhanging obstacles, such as the eaves of a roof, and increases the safe working height for a given length of ladder due to the greater separation distance of the two contact points at the top of the ladder.

It has become increasingly common to provide anchor points on buildings to which the top rung of an extension ladder can be attached, especially for activities such as window cleaning, especially if a co-worker is not available to "support" the ladder. The kick occurs when another worker stands on the lowest rung and therefore provides much greater stability to the ladder when in use. However, placing your foot on a ladder should be considered a last resort for safe placement.[10] The anchor point is usually a ring cemented into a slot in the brick wall to which the rungs of a ladder can be attached with a rope, for example, or a carabiner.

If a leaning ladder is placed at the wrong angle, the risk of falling increases considerably. The safest angle for a ladder is 75.5°; If it is too shallow, the bottom of the ladder risks slipping, and if it is too steep, the ladder may fall backwards. This angle is achieved by following the 4 to 1 rule for a ladder placed on a vertical wall: for every four feet of vertical height, the foot of the ladder must move one foot from the wall. Both scenarios can cause significant injuries and are especially important in industries such as construction, which require extensive use of ladders.[11]​.

The European Union and the United Kingdom established a ladder certification system (ladder classes) for any ladder manufactured or sold in Europe. Certification classes apply only to ladders that are portable, such as stepladders and extension ladders, and are divided into three types of certification. Each ladder certification is color coded to indicate the amount of weight the ladder is designed to support, the certification class, and its use. The color of the security label specifies the class and use.

A common superstition in English-speaking countries is that walking under a ladder is considered bad luck. Some sources claim this is due to the image of a ladder leaning against a wall that resembles a gallows. While others attribute it to ancient Egyptian traditions involving pyramids and triangles representing the trinity of gods, and stepping through the triangular shape made by a ladder against a wall was seen as desecration. Stairs too have been linked to the crucifixion of Christ, and author and scientist Charles Panati") noted that many believe that a ladder rested against the crucifix from which Christ hung, making it a symbol of evil, betrayal, and death.[14] In children's comedy media, the image of a character walking under a ladder as a cause or result of bad luck has become a common trope.[15][16]

Dissipative ladders are portable ladders built to the ESD (electrostatic discharge) standard. Electrostatic discharge is a natural phenomenon in which electricity passes through the body or other conductors and is discharged onto some object. For example, the shock sometimes felt when touching a doorknob is ESD. This natural occurrence is a very important issue in the field of electronic component assembly due to the costly damage that ESD can cause to sensitive electronic equipment. Dissipative ladders are ladders with controlled electrical resistance: the resistance slows down the transfer of charge from one point to another, offering greater protection during ESD events: ≥10 5 and <10 12 Ω/square.

Boarding and pool stairs, also for bathing and diving. A ladder can be used on the side or stern of a boat, to climb into it from the water, and in a pool, to climb up and sometimes into it. Pool ladders are usually made of plastic, wood, or metal rungs with a textured top surface for grip and metal rails on the sides to support the steps and as handrails for the user, and are usually fixed in place. Boat boarding ladders can be fixed, but they are usually portable and often fold up when not in use to prevent them from dragging when underway. Boarding stairs can also be used for other types of vehicles, or boarding steps that are supported directly by the vehicle structure.

The most common injury suffered by people who use ladders is bruising from falling off a ladder, but bone fractures are common and head injuries are also likely, depending on the nature of the accident.

Ladders can cause injuries if they slip on the floor and fall. To prevent this, they usually have plastic feet or base pads that increase friction with the ground. However, if the plastic is badly worn, the aluminum can come into contact with the ground, increasing the possibility of an accident. Ladder stabilizers are also available to increase the grip of the ladder on the ground. One of the first ladder stabilizers or ladder feet was offered in 1936 and today they are standard equipment on most large ladders.[9]​.

A ladder stand is a device that is placed on the top of a ladder to keep it away from the wall. This allows the ladder to clear overhanging obstacles, such as the eaves of a roof, and increases the safe working height for a given length of ladder due to the greater separation distance of the two contact points at the top of the ladder.

It has become increasingly common to provide anchor points on buildings to which the top rung of an extension ladder can be attached, especially for activities such as window cleaning, especially if a co-worker is not available to "support" the ladder. The kick occurs when another worker stands on the lowest rung and therefore provides much greater stability to the ladder when in use. However, placing your foot on a ladder should be considered a last resort for safe placement.[10] The anchor point is usually a ring cemented into a slot in the brick wall to which the rungs of a ladder can be attached with a rope, for example, or a carabiner.

If a leaning ladder is placed at the wrong angle, the risk of falling increases considerably. The safest angle for a ladder is 75.5°; If it is too shallow, the bottom of the ladder risks slipping, and if it is too steep, the ladder may fall backwards. This angle is achieved by following the 4 to 1 rule for a ladder placed on a vertical wall: for every four feet of vertical height, the foot of the ladder must move one foot from the wall. Both scenarios can cause significant injuries and are especially important in industries such as construction, which require extensive use of ladders.[11]​.

The European Union and the United Kingdom established a ladder certification system (ladder classes) for any ladder manufactured or sold in Europe. Certification classes apply only to ladders that are portable, such as stepladders and extension ladders, and are divided into three types of certification. Each ladder certification is color coded to indicate the amount of weight the ladder is designed to support, the certification class, and its use. The color of the security label specifies the class and use.

A common superstition in English-speaking countries is that walking under a ladder is considered bad luck. Some sources claim this is due to the image of a ladder leaning against a wall that resembles a gallows. While others attribute it to ancient Egyptian traditions involving pyramids and triangles representing the trinity of gods, and stepping through the triangular shape made by a ladder against a wall was seen as desecration. Stairs too have been linked to the crucifixion of Christ, and author and scientist Charles Panati") noted that many believe that a ladder rested against the crucifix from which Christ hung, making it a symbol of evil, betrayal, and death.[14] In children's comedy media, the image of a character walking under a ladder as a cause or result of bad luck has become a common trope.[15][16]