On another thread we are talking about the weight verses the stability of green, yellow, and blue tip extension ladders. For 24 feet, what would be your choice?
PS
Would you choose a different color for shorter and longer ladders?
We have the blue tipped ones…
I think they go like this:
green homeowner grade
yellow regular
blue contractor grade
I think this is correct and there is also a weight rating built into this. I could be wrong, but we always get the blue tipped ones because of there duty rating.
I guess your right. Blue tip.
I’m a big guy so the blue tip makes me feel better when I’m up 24+ft.
I just unloaded the ladders from my truck to get ready to plow. The green and yellow werner ladders are both rated at 225 lbs.
Chris,
your post got some gears vturning in my head. I currently own all green tip ladders except for 2 32’ blue tip ones. I even own a 40’ green tip. I decided to do some investigating on the ratings and uses for Green, Blue, and Red tip ladders. I found this info at INDUSTRIAL LADDER - Werner Ladders and Scaffolding SuperStore..
WERNER D1100-2 SERIES[COLOR=“Red”] RED TIP [/COLOR]Aluminum Extension ladder offers a 200lbs load capacity. Type III Duty Rating. This ladder is an excellent household extension ladder. Some of the many features include 1-1/2" Traction-Tred deeply serrated aluminum flat steps, pivoting extruded shoes with slip resistant pads, and modified I-Beam interlocking side rails. Spring loaded rung locks operate smoothly. Ladder comes complete with red non-marring end caps. D1116-2 is not equipped with rope and pulley.
WERNER D1200-2 Series [COLOR=“Green”]Green tip [/COLOR]Aluminum Extension Ladder offers a 225lb load capacity. Type II Duty Rating. This ladder has been designed to be used in commercial work, not extra heavy duty applications. We do not recommend you use this ladder in conjunction with stages or ladder jacks. Features include: 1-3/4" traction-tred deeply serrated flat steps, 19-1/2" wide, gravity spring locks with spring activated nylon flipper, rugged 3" modified I beam interlocking side rails, pivoting extruded shoes with slip resistant pads, 2-piece swivel pulley with continuous polypropylene rope on ladders 20 feet and above. D1216-2 is not equipped with rope and pulley.
WERNER D1300-2 Series[COLOR=“Blue”] blue tip [/COLOR]Aluminum Extension Ladder offers a 250lb load capacity. Type I Duty Rating. When a strong, yet lightweight ladder is needed, the Werner D1300 Series Aluminum Extension Ladder is the one to choose. Manufactured from 3" interlocking C-Channel aluminum rails, this ladder provides contractors with a strong, smooth operation. This ladder comes complete with the following features: pivoting extruded aluminum shoes with slip resistant treads, gravity spring rung locks with spring activated nylon flipper to insure positive extension, free wheeling 1-1/2" 2-piece swivel pulley aligns rope in direction of pull, mar-resistant end caps and rail closures, and 1-3/4" deeply serrated traction-tred flat steps. D1316-2 is not equipped with rope and pulley.
The blue ones are 225 or 250. But the orange/red ones is the full commercial grade, rated at 300 lbs.
I use the werner blue ladders
Green tip for me. 225 lbs. is plenty when you’re under 175. Also, at my size, I’d die manipulating a heavier ladder around. Once I bought a blue tip 32’er. The first day I used it in the wind and I pulled something in my shoulder. Took it back at the end of the day.
I feel in my own situation, that I made the right choice by phasing out my blue tips a few years ago. Like I mentioned on another thread, i used to own the yellow tip extentions and love those things to death. I thought I would go with the blue tips and started replacing the yellow tips and it became a real chore to lug them around to clean gutters with. When it came time to add another service vehicle, I asked the Sherwinn Williams Manager if they made something lighter that was still commercial grade and he recommended the green tip ones. I basically went by his recommendations that they were commercial grade.
I dont use my ladders for anything but climbing. I dont set up ladderjacks with walk boards or anything like that (I think siding installers and painters use that set up mostly). Green tip all the way in my situation.
Steve
Anything over 10 ft and I use the strongest ladder I can. Under that I use the home cheapos. I’m 140 lbs wet so for me it’s never a problem as far as how much the ladder can hold. I had a guy help me a few days last year who was HUGE. Really HUGE. I would not let him go on any of the ladders. He was only allowed to carry it.
I have seen green tip ladders on the roof racks of some well known and prominent window cleaning companies. Sometimes in person here in the Boston area and sometimes on the internet. Two have served on the IWCA BOD. So that got me thinking. Why are so many window cleaners hauling heavy blue tip ladders around?
At the ripe old age of 58 I always think lighter is better. Of course I grew up building tree forts in the woods that were 20 feet up, so it takes more than a little movement in a ladder to scare me. The green tip ladder is rated at 225lbs and I weigh 210lbs so I would be SAFE on that ladder even if the ladder moved a little, right?
Safety needs to consider much more than weight, correct?
Thought I read somewhere that Type IA (300# duty rating) and Type I (250#) ladders are the only acceptable ladders on a construction job site.
Duty ratings include user and tools.
Per OSHA, "[I]Ladders shall be capable of supporting the following loads without failure:
Each self-supporting portable ladder: At least four times the maximum intended load, except that each extra-heavy-duty type 1A metal or plastic ladder shall sustain at least 3.3 time the maximum intended load.[/I]"
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]So a green ladder with a 225# rating would be totally safe for me to climb but OSHA says I need a heavier yellow ladder with a 250# rating to be compliant. I find that annoying.<O:p</O:p[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]<O:p</O:p[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]PS<O:p</O:p[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I researched the weight difference between a green tip and blue tip extension ladder. There’s only about a 6.5 pound difference in the 24ft. size aluminum ladders. I think I confused the blue tip aluminum with the blue fiberglass ladder. It really isn’t a very big deal. :o<O:p</O:p[/FONT][/COLOR]
Like it said in the specs from the industrial website, green tip is considered commercial but it is not recommended for using with stage work or plank type applications. If i were doing that kind of work and rigging, I would definately seek out the strongest ladder known to man for that type of application. If im just climbing a ladder with a tool belt around my waist then I dont see a concern whatsoever. I wonder if these ratings are spot on when it comes to buckleing and snapping right at 225 lbs?
One of my major concerns about the blue tip ones is that they are so heavy. Some of my guys struggle with the blue tip ones. Whether it is loading them onto the service van, raising them up, moving them, Bringing them into someones 28’ great room, its a real chore and a liability to me. Not only to my GL but to my Workers’ Comp.
Steve
Remember, the ladders must be capable of supporting 4 times the duty rating.
So the largest player in tne NFL could climb a green tip ladder with no worries or even a sumo wrestler would be safe, right? 
Have you ever seen the Little Giant infomercials or home show demos? 4 people on a Type 1A (300#) – 2 on each side.
Larry,
Are we beating the safety issues to death here?
Even the guys who are over 200 lbs wouldn’t be over by much, right?
Green or yellow for me, I spent a long time with just bluetip and throwing a 40ft blue tip around all day is exhausting, even a blue 32 is a bit of a chore
But for longevity, Id guess the blue tip are better
I had a blue tip 32 for close to 20 years, straight as a die, although it got little use, I eventually swapped with a painter for a green tip, the 32 comes off the van a lot more now
My 40-footer throws me around!
