More than half of reviewers (52%) also showed considerable dissatisfaction by leaving only a one-star rating for the product. It’s advertised as a steel ladder, but the hinges are pot metal.” Used it last weekend and when I folded it back up I found the locking hinged had broke.

“I bought this ladder 3 or 4 years ago and use it at Christmas Time and in the spring so it has less than 15 uses.

First, the bottom step broke, then the hinge broke causing me to fall. I could tell that this ladder wouldn’t take 300 pounds, much less 200.” I screwed mine on tightly, but the first trip up the ladder and I could already see them bending.

'In addition to the hinges, the] leg extensions that go on the bottom of the ladder are also made of very thin, cheap metal.

Various customer reviews posted on the reviews section for the Werner S2208 model of “Easy Access” ladder say that the ladders showed signs of flimsiness even when brand new or barely used: The complaints also commonly include several other unsettling details: Poor Performance From The Start This suggests that many consumers still own and use these ladders without knowing of the potential dangers, especially since a recall was never issued. Surprisingly, a large number of the “Easy Access” ladder complaints featured on these websites were posted after 2008-the year the product line was retired-with some very recent entries dated in 2015. Many consumers who have suffered accidents due to a Werner attic ladder breaking, after experiencing little success with getting help through Werner’s customer service channels, have taken to posting complaints and accident descriptions on various consumer review and reporting websites. This defect made it easy for the stored ladder to come unfastened and fall down on bystanders below.Īlthough consumers who’d purchased the affected “Space Master” ladders (sold in leading home improvement retailers nationwide from January to May 1997) only received instructions for inspection and repair of the defective ladders, at least they had been officially warned of the product’s hazards and given means to avoid injury.īuyers of the “Easy Access Attic Ladder” have not been so lucky. The “Space Master” was designed to be held in the folded position by a simple metal hook, but in some units, this hook was attached backward by mistake. Generally, attic ladders are permanently installed at the attic entry in such a way that they can fold up with the attic door when not in use. Werner’s reluctance to recall their “Easy Access” ladder is especially peculiar considering the company had issued a “voluntary recall” for a different attic ladder in the past.īack in 1997, models of Werner’s “Space Master” sliding attic ladders labeled with model number WS2308 were recalled because of a potentially-hazardous manufacturing flaw. Not The First Faulty Attic Ladder For Werner See more on other ladder recall stories:

Though the ladder’s frame is made of sturdy steel, the weak hinges, prone to shearing and shattering, can easily cause the ladder to collapse under normal use.ĭespite how these fragile hinges reportedly put users at risk for falling and seriously injuring themselves, Werner never recalled the ladder and continued to freely sell it in Lowe’s hardware stores from the time it debuted in 2003 up until the company decided to stop manufacturing it in 2008. The affected units have model numbers S2208 or S2210 and are labeled with Mk 1, Mk 2, Mk 3, or Mk 4.Īccording to consumer complaints-Werner reportedly received as many as 80 in a single week-the ladder’s hinges are merely constructed out of cheap “pot metal,” a category of low-quality metals that are vulnerable to cracks, bending, and corrosion, especially with age. Inc, one of the nation’s top ladder manufacturers, the “Steel Easy Access Attic Ladder” caused an uproar among consumers who claimed that the ladder is prone to breaking even under loads much lighter than its 300lb.

Werner Attic Ladder Not Recalled Despite Complaints One of the most infamous examples is a product line of Werner attic ladders that incited numerous complaints and even a class-action lawsuit. When looking for household ladders, most consumers will shop at major home improvement stores like Lowe’s to buy models manufactured by well-established companies, confident that such products are carefully designed and tested for safety, ease of use, and durability.īut many homeowners are discovering that even trusted ladder brands sometimes have serious design flaws, manufacturing defects, or unclear safety instructions that may lead to dangerous accidents.

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