How to choose the right SWL for your warehouse steps

If you’re investing in a mobile safety step for your workforce, one factor that's important and highly worth considering is the Safe Working Load (SWL).

Get it wrong and you've either bought equipment that can't safely do the job, or paid over the odds for capacity you'll never use. Whilst there are a variety of SWL capacities on the market here's how to choose the right one for you and how our products trump the rest!

What SWL actually means?

Safe Working Load is something that's allocated to a product to show what the maximum combined weight the platform is rated to safely hold/carry. When choosing a product you must consider the products intended use along with the following as that may change your required load rating.

Think about:

• The operator's own body weight

• Any tools they're carrying

• Materials, stock, or equipment being lifted or moved on the platform

In the UK, mobile safety steps with a platform are commonly benchmarked against BS EN 131-7:2013, the British Standard for mobile ladders with a platform.

This standard sets a maximum rated load of 150kg, and critically, that figure includes the combined weight of the user plus any tools, equipment, and materials, not just bodyweight.

So when a supplier lists an SWL figure, that's usually a ceiling on everything going up there, not a per-person allowance on top of stock and kit. It's worth checking exactly what's included before assuming a number covers your real-world use.

Our Klime-Ezee steps are built well beyond that baseline, our mobile steps can carry a SWL of up to 300kg. We also offer a heavy duty platform range which can hold up to 500kg. All of our product ranges have been independently certified so you can rest assure that your product will support all of your needs.

Why guessing gets people hurt & can cost you money!

Underestimating real-world load. A warehouse operative picking stock rarely goes up empty-handed. Add a heavy tool bag, a couple of boxes, or a case of parts, and you can eat into your safety margin fast, even before considering the individual's own bodyweight. If your team regularly carries loads while on the platform, you need to size for the heaviest realistic combination, not just an average person's weight.

A simple way to work it out

1. Establish your heaviest realistic user weight. Don't use an average — use the heaviest team member who'll realistically use the steps, plus workwear and PPE.

2. Add the heaviest tools/materials combination. Think about the worst case: a full parts tray, a toolbox, a stack of boxes being moved in one trip.

3. Add a sensible margin. Don't spec to the exact limit — leave headroom rather than working right up against the rated maximum.

4. Check the figure against the product spec and never try to save money by buying a lower rated product.

Other specs that affect your decision alongside SWL

SWL doesn't exist in isolation, other related requirements are worth checking at the same time:

• Platform height and working height

• Are there height restrictions into the building

• What space or aisle width do you need to use the unit in

The takeaway

Do the math before making a purchase and don't buy on price alone!

Work out your actual heaviest combined load, check exactly what any quoted SWL figure includes, and make sure the rest of the spec (platform height, stability, handrails) matches how your team will actually use the equipment day to day.

Where possible, look for a genuine safety margin above the baseline, not just the bare minimum. If you're not sure what SWL your operation needs, get in touch and we can help you match the right step to your actual working conditions.

For further information check out our page on choosing a step before you make a decision on what product to buy.