You may own one of the many ladders that pose a serious risk to your safety while DIY-ing.
Ladders are a great tool to have on hand. They’re a necessity for and homeowner or DIYer out there because they make high-up repairs and chores much easier (as long as you’re using them safely). You already know that standing too high is dangerous, as is balancing one ladder on top of another. But even if you do everything right, there’s still a chance you could get hurt. Sometimes (rarely), it’s even the ladder itself that is dangerous.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) reports that Werner is recalling hundreds of thousands of its ladders because they’re unsafe to use. Exactly how dangerous are these ladders? Here’s what to know and what to do if you own one.
Why Are Some Werner Ladders Dangerous?
According to the USCPSC brief, Werner is recalling hundreds of thousands of its ladders because “the ladders’ locking mechanism can jam and not fully lock into place, posing a fall hazard.” To date, there have been at least 18 falls, “including 14 reports of injuries resulting in bruising, lacerations, head injuries and fractures to the wrist, leg and ribs.” If you continue to use your Werner ladder, you run the risk of incurring similar injuries.
Which Werner Ladders Are Recalled?
Werner is recalling over 120,000 faulty ladders. If you own either a 20′ or 24′ Werner Multi-Max Pro Multi-Purpose ladder, yours may be one of them. Per the USCPSC, these ladders were sold at Home Depot, both in-store and online, “from November 2021 through February 2024 with average prices between $200 and $281.”
If your ladder matches this criteria, you need to stop using it immediately. There’s not a single household chore that is so urgent you need to risk broken bones, cuts, and head trauma. Your to-do list can wait until you have a safer alternative at hand.
How Will Werner Fix the Problem?
Now that you know not to use your faulty ladder, what’s the next step? The USCPSC says that if you own one of the faulty ladders, you’re eligible for a refund. To claim yours, you first need to register on the Werner recall website to receive details on how to dispose of the recalled ladder. As is standard for these kinds of recalls, “once disposal is complete, Werner will issue a full refund in the form of a check.”
Source
Werner Recalls 20’ and 24’ Multi-Max Pro Multi-Purpose Ladders Due to Fall Hazard, United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2025.
