For everyone at building maintenance companies, glass facade cleaning teams, and equipment inspection personnel, you face common challenges in your daily high-place work: ladder deterioration due to water exposure, detergents, and long-distance transport. This article provides an easy-to-understand guide on how to choose ladders that can be used safely and efficiently on cleaning sites, incorporating durability test data backed by international standards such as ANSI A14.2 and ISO 14122-4, along with actual implementation case studies.

In 2024, the demand for building cleaning services in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City increased by approximately 8% compared to the previous year. While the overall growth rate for ASEAN is 7.44% annually, Vietnam is showing even higher growth due to numerous new office and commercial facility constructions.

As buildings become taller, the shift to lightweight and strong ladders is accelerating. There is particularly high interest in aluminum + FRP composite ladders and telescopic stepladders, and procurement managers have begun to place importance on data demonstrating compliance with international standards and long-term durability.

In 2023, 7,394 labor accidents were reported in Vietnam, with losses reaching 1.6357 trillion ₫ (approx. 100 billion JPY). The main causes are the following four points:

ANSI A14.2 specifies step width and maximum working load, while ISO 14122-4 regulates the interval between rest platforms. Comparing and documenting products that meet these requirements at the selection stage helps to prevent fall accidents.

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The ideal ladder for building cleaning sites is one that is “light but won’t break.” Hasegawa employs a composite structure that integrates aircraft-grade aluminum alloy 6061-T6 with FRP (Fiber-Reinforced Plastic). Compared to models made solely of aluminum, the bending stiffness is approximately 1.7 times greater, and the incidence of white rust is suppressed to less than 1% even after 200 hours of salt spray. FRP is resistant to chlorine-based detergents and acidic chemicals and is less prone to corrosion even after cleaning glass facades, making it ideal for the “wet + chemical” environment specific to the cleaning industry.

Safety is also top-class in the industry. Even the standard model has a maximum working load of 150kg, exceeding ANSI A14.2 Type 1A (136kg), and the high-end LG Series has obtained Type 1AA certification with a 170kg capacity and 25,000V dielectric strength. The steps feature an 80mm wide checkered plate design and have cleared the 114kg point load test required by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standard 1926.1053. Furthermore, the installation angle is set to approximately 68°, ensuring stable triangular support even when placed against a wall.

Hygiene management is also essential on cleaning sites. Hasegawa’s proprietary antibacterial coating incorporates an inorganic agent containing silver ions into the FRP base material and complies with SIAA (Society of International sustaining growth for Antimicrobial Articles) standards. A 99.9% reduction in bacteria has been confirmed within 24 hours, suppressing bacterial growth even on the ladder feet where detergent residue tends to accumulate.

Consideration has also been given to transportability; a one-touch bar mechanism allows the ladder to be folded just by grasping the legs. Even a telescopic stepladder with a length of 3.03m can be shortened to 1.87m when stored, and lightweight models are kept to a weight of 3.7kg, light enough to be carried with one hand. This combination of “lightness, strength, and hygiene” is the reason why Hasegawa ladders are chosen.

Sources: Hasegawa Kogyo RAX-18C ・ Hasegawa Kogyo RGF1.0-21 ・ Hasegawa Kogyo LG-13610 ・ Hasegawa Antibacterial ・ OSHA 1926.1053

Hasegawa obtained company-wide ISO 9001 (Registration No. 0826) certification in 2006 and implements consistent quality management from design and manufacturing to logistics. Additionally, its main factories are included in the certification scope of JIS B 2803 (Hooks), and welding strength and material selection also comply with Japanese Industrial Standards. In its in-house testing center, in addition to over 100,000 repeated climbing tests, it conducts corrosion resistance tests by exposing the aluminum surface to 200 hours of salt spray, clearing the standard of less than 1% white rust incidence. These comprehensive verifications prove that the ladders can maintain their safety performance over the long term even in harsh cleaning environments.

With Hasegawa’s custom service, “Tokuchu Shokunin” (Custom Craftsman), you can freely design the ladder’s length, rung width, surface treatment, and explosion-proof specifications to match the installation site and work content. Design teams at 8 locations in Japan and overseas share 3D CAD data in real-time, enabling delivery in as little as 21 days for standard-based models. In Vietnam, two sales offices in northern Hanoi and southern Ho Chi Minh City maintain a constant stock, and with replenishment from the Da Nang factory, a 48-hour parts supply is guaranteed. Furthermore, inspection histories are managed in the cloud via a dedicated app, and a remote diagnosis combining video manuals and chat support allows for the early detection of wear and looseness. This minimizes downtime on cleaning sites and reduces long-term operational costs.

To achieve both safety and efficiency under the harsh conditions of water exposure, chemicals, and high-place work, a ladder with durability exceeding international standards and responsive support is essential. Hasegawa’s aluminum + FRP composite ladders are packed with features for the cleaning industry, including 1.7 times the bending stiffness, a high strength of 150kg maximum working load, an antibacterial coating, and a 68° installation angle. Peace of mind after introduction is also ensured by quality management backed by ISO 9001 and JIS B 2803 certifications and a support system with 2 domestic locations in Vietnam and a 48-hour supply system. Companies looking to reduce the risks of high-place cleaning and increase work efficiency should definitely experience the performance for themselves by requesting a Hasegawa catalog or an on-site test.