Regarding a ladder's duty rating, which statement is true?

• A. Duty rating is the maximum safe load; your weight plus tools must be less than it
• B. Duty rating is the maximum height of the ladder
• C. Duty rating is the maximum number of users
• D. Duty rating is the color rating of the ladder

Answer: (A)

Duty rating is the maximum safe load the ladder is designed to carry, including your body weight and any tools or materials you’re using on the ladder. You should stay under this rating to prevent overloading the ladder and risking failure or collapse. It’s not about how tall the ladder is, how many people could be on it, or what color the ladder is. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds and carry 25 pounds of tools, you’d want a ladder rated above 205 pounds to stay safely within its limits.