A ladder is provided. The ladder includes a ladder frame, wherein on the ladder frame foot boards are disposed, wherein the ladder frame includes a front bracket and a back bracket; the front bracket is provided with fixing joints; a handrail collapsible by sliding or overturning is disposed on the fixing joints; collapsing/unfolding structures for collapsing or unfolding the handrail are disposed between the fixing joints and the handrail; and after the ladder frame and the handrail are collapsed, a footprint of the handrail in a thickness direction is not more than a footprint of the fixing joints. By disposing the fixing joints to mount the handrail for providing a clearance space to collapse the handrail, the handrail is collapsed, by sliding or overturning, to an inner side of the ladder frame without increasing a footprint of a wholly collapsed ladder.

A movable storage assembly includes a pair of upright frame pieces joined together by a lateral rail. The rail's opposite ends each include a T-shaped upper tab having upward and downward extending portions, and a lower tab with downwardly extending portion. The upper and lower tabs are simultaneously insertable into upper and lower openings along the uprights, and then lowerable so that the downward portions of the upper and lower tabs secure the rail to the uprights. Upward movement of the rail causes the upward portions of the upper tabs of engage the uprights above the upper openings, preventing removal of the upper tabs from the uprights. Optionally, part of a platform is supportable at the rail and cooperates with the upper tabs to prevent removal of the lateral rail from the uprights, even if the downwardly extending portions of the tabs are disengaged from the uprights.

A ladder and ladder accessory are provided including an accessory that may be coupled to the ladder in multiple configurations and serve multiple purposes. In one embodiment, a pair of components are each selectively coupled with associated rails of a ladder in a first, stored state, and a second, walkthrough state. When in the walkthrough state, the components extend upwards from and above the rails so that a user may gasp the components and step between the components when transitioning from the ladder to an elevated surface (e.g., a roof) or vice versa. In another embodiment, the components may be coupled to the ladder such that they extend in a direction that is substantially transverse to a plane through which the rails extend. When in this transverse orientation, the components may be used as a stand-off device.

Various embodiments and features of railing systems are provided. For example, the railing system may be disposed around industrial/commercial equipment (e.g., rooftop condensing unit) that includes a baserail near the bottom of the industrial/commercial equipment and may be disposed on a structural support. The railing system may include a plurality of vertical supports extending from the baserail or structural support to above a top portion of the industrial/commercial equipment; railing extending between the vertical supports; and an attachment system to attach the vertical supports to the baserail or structural support so that the vertical supports are configured to distribute any weight received directly to the baserail or structural support via the attachment system.

An access platform system for enabling access to and from ground-based structures, vehicles, and mobile equipment. The system has a main frame with walls that is attached to or juxtaposed with the ground-based structures, vehicles, and mobile equipment; a vertical platform displacement assembly attached to the main frame; and a folding steps assembly. The vertical displacement mechanism has left and right intermediate carriage assemblies, and left and right lift cylinders with a multi-stage apparatus for influencing the stroke of the lift cylinders. In one embodiment, the folding steps assembly has an electromechanical means for folding and unfolding the steps.

A vertically orientated ladder apparatus allowing a climber to adopt an improved climbing stance wherein the climber's arms are poised economically in front of the climber within the climbing passage; the climber's legs are spread for the lateral stability of the climber so as to reduce the tendency of the climber falling sideways; and the climber is substantially upright such that the climber's centre of gravity lies substantially between the opposing steps (11) so as to allow the climber to release the climber's grip on the hand rails (14) while remaining balanced and supported by the legs of the climber. Opposing steps (11) are level or staggered. Embodiments include three or four stiles (12, 15).

A gate assembly may include a gate which includes a first end and a second end, one or more hinges coupled to the first end of the gate, wherein at least one of the one or more hinges includes an offset spring assisted hinge including a hinge rivet, a spring, a plunger, a hinge bolt, and a support tube, a stop coupled to the second end of the gate and configured to contact a stop mounting bracket, and a mounting bracket attached to the one or more hinges, wherein the gate is rotatably coupled to the mounting bracket via the one or more hinges.

A cart for transporting items comprises a base portion, comprising: a frame; at least one shelf coupled to the frame; and a set of wheels at the bottom of the frame permitting a movement of the cart; and a collapsible ladder directly attached to the frame.

In one embodiment, an electronically controlled hatch system for safe ingress, egress, hazard detection, and methods thereof are provided to reduce or eliminate hazards to personnel, including protection of people above and below a scuttle hatch, access port, skylight or elevated deck. Said hatch system reduces the risk of falls while ascending or descending a ladder through an access port. In certain embodiments, severe weather, hazard, security, and other safety information are detected and transmitted to a central control unit for processing and regulating the opening and closing of a hatch covering the access port and/or raising and lowering a safety railing system based on said information and/or user input. Said hatch system may include an actuator and guides for automatically locking/unlocking and opening/closing a hatch, an actuator and guides for automatically raising/lowering a railing system, safety monitoring detectors/apparatuses, and a centralized controller.

The described apparatus relates to a storage tray for a ladder, in particular a runged stepladder, wherein the storage tray has at least one compartment into which objects can be placed, and has a first receiver for a first element of a buckle closure, which can be attached on the storage tray.