Checks before you use a loft ladder
A loft ladder is only as safe as the fitting behind it and how it's used each time someone goes up. These are drawn from TB Davies's own published guide for its ladders.
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One person on the ladder at a time
TB Davies's own guide is clear on this: the ladder carries one person.
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Face the ladder going up and coming down
Climb and descend facing the rungs.
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Stay off the hatch cover itself
Don't stand on the hatch from above; step onto the ladder once it's extended.
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Confirm the frame is fixed to the joists before you climb
A ladder shouldn't take any weight until it's fully installed and its frame is fixed to the ceiling joists, the timbers the hatch is framed into.
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Stop if the fitting raises any doubt
TB Davies's guide says that where there's doubt about how the ladder is fitted, work should stop and a qualified trades-person should be called in.
Check the instructions supplied with your own ladder too, since a detail here may differ by model.
What the load rating covers, and who else should be around
A loft ladder's load rating covers your body weight plus anything you're carrying. TB Davies, which makes loft ladders, defines the load rating as the weight of the user plus anything they are carrying. A box of decorations, a suitcase, a toolbag over your shoulder: all of that counts towards the figure stamped on the ladder.
Why this catches people out
It's easy to check a ladder's rating against yourself and stop there. The ladder doesn't know the difference between fifteen kilos of you and fifteen kilos of stored Christmas lights. If you're moving boxes up and down, the relevant number is you plus the heaviest single load you'll be carrying at once. You can work through this against a specific model on the loft ladder weight limits page.
Having someone else around
A loft ladder puts you partway up a fixed structure with your hands full and your footing on narrow treads. If a tread gives way, the ladder shifts, or you simply lose your balance, there's no one to hear you from inside a loft with the hatch half closed. Choosing a moment when someone else is in the house costs nothing and means help is close if something goes wrong.