AS 1657 is one of the most commonly cited Australian Standards in industrial and warehouse safety — and one of the most commonly misunderstood. It doesn't cover portable ladders, step stools or the folding safety steps you'd wheel around a warehouse floor. It covers permanent, built infrastructure: fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders that are designed, constructed and installed as part of a building or plant. If your site has a mezzanine, a fixed access ladder bolted to a tank or silo, or permanent stairs between levels, AS 1657 is the standard governing how they're built.
This guide is general information to help you understand what AS 1657 covers — it isn't a substitute for the standard itself. Always review the current AS 1657:2018 document directly, and consult a qualified engineer or WHS professional, before designing, specifying or certifying fixed platforms, walkways, stairways or ladders.
What AS 1657 actually covers
The current edition is AS 1657:2018, Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders — Design, construction and installation. It sets out design requirements across four connected categories:
- Fixed platforms — permanent elevated work areas, including mezzanines and plant access platforms.
- Walkways — permanent pedestrian routes at height or around plant, including their width, surface and edge protection.
- Stairways — permanent stairs, as distinct from portable steps, including pitch, going, riser and handrail requirements.
- Fixed ladders — permanently installed ladders, including rung spacing, angle, rest platforms and (above certain heights) the cage or fall-arrest provisions required.
It's a design and construction standard, not a product standard — it tells you how a platform or stairway must be built, not which brand of stair tread to buy. That's an important distinction if you're comparing it to something like AS 4586 (which rates the slip resistance of a flooring surface itself).
Is it mandatory?
AS 1657 isn't legislation in its own right, but it's the design standard referenced by WHS regulations and codes of practice covering safe access and fall prevention, and it's the standard assessors and building certifiers check new or modified fixed access against. In practice, for anything you're building or installing now — a new mezzanine, a fixed ladder to a roof or tank, permanent stairs between levels — compliance with the current edition is the expected baseline, not an optional extra.
Commonly cited requirements — platforms, stairs & handrails
- Handrail height: 900–1100mm above the floor or stair nosing.
- Guardrail height: minimum 900mm on the open sides of elevated platforms.
- Toeboard / kick plate height: minimum 100mm on open sides of platforms and stairs where tools or materials could fall.
- Handrail post/baluster spacing: no more than 450mm apart.
- Handrail grip diameter: 30–65mm, smooth profile.
- Stair pitch: 20–45°, with 30–38° preferred for general access stairs.
- Platform / walkway width: 600mm clear minimum, 750mm preferred for regularly used platforms.
- Self-closing gates: required at platform edges and ladder access openings where a fixed guardrail would otherwise block access.
Commonly cited requirements — fixed ladders
- Rung spacing: 225–300mm.
- Rest platforms: required at intervals of no more than 6m of vertical climb.
- Clearance behind rungs: minimum 200mm from the wall or structure.
- Ladder width: 375–525mm between stiles for standard fixed ladders.
- Ladder cage or fall-arrest system: required for vertical ladders over 3.5m in height, unless an equivalent fall-arrest system is provided.
Anti-slip surfaces under AS 1657
One part of AS 1657 where AIMS has a genuine, direct stake is the anti-slip surface requirement on stairs, landings and fixed ladder rungs — smooth stair nosings and bare metal ladder rungs are a real, common hazard, and it's an area the standard specifically calls out.
AIMS stocks dedicated anti-slip stair nosing (Brady SafeLine and Advance Anti-Slip Surfaces, in standard and high-visibility colours) and anti-slip ladder rung covers, purpose-made for the smooth, small-contact-area rungs on fixed ladders. We can also arrange anti-slip plates made to order for non-standard platform or landing surfaces. None of this replaces the structural design work AS 1657 covers — handrail height, stair pitch, platform width — but it's a straightforward, low-cost way to address the surface-grip side of compliance on existing infrastructure.
For a broader look at anti-slip compliance beyond fixed access — including the AS 4586 slip-resistance rating system — see our Quick Guide to Anti-Slip Safety Compliance. If you've got a specific stair nosing, rung cover or made-to-order anti-slip surface to work out, get in touch with our team or request a quote and we'll help you match the right product to the surface.
The 2018 edition, and what changed
AS 1657 has gone through several editions: an original 1992 edition, a 2013 edition (amended in 2016), and the current AS 1657:2018, which is the version referenced in this guide. If you're working from an older copy of the standard, or a site safety plan that still cites AS 1657–1992 or AS 1657–2013, it's worth checking whether a current review is overdue — particularly for anything installed or modified since 2018.
The 2018 revision mainly clarified existing requirements rather than introducing substantial new ones — Standards Australia described most of the standard as unaffected by the update. Two changes stand out: the reference point for measuring ladder landing length shifted from the front of the ladder to the face of the lowest rung, and platforms are now explicitly permitted a small slope (up to roughly 3° longitudinally, 7° across) rather than being required to sit dead level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Australian Standard AS 1657?
AS 1657 (Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders — Design, construction and installation) is the Australian Standard covering how permanent, built access infrastructure — mezzanines, fixed ladders, permanent stairs and walkways — must be designed and installed. It doesn't cover portable ladders or step stools.
Is AS 1657 mandatory?
It's not legislation in its own right, but it's the design standard referenced by WHS regulations and codes of practice on safe access, and it's what assessors and certifiers check new or modified fixed access against. For practical purposes, compliance with the current edition is the expected baseline for anything being built or installed now.
What is the latest version of AS 1657?
AS 1657:2018 is the current edition. It replaced AS 1657:2013 (amended in 2016), which in turn had replaced the original AS 1657:1992.
What are the requirements for stairs under AS 1657?
Key figures include a stair pitch of 20–45° (with 30–38° preferred for general access), handrail height of 900–1100mm, and a toeboard of at least 100mm on open sides.
At what height does a fixed ladder need a cage or fall-arrest system?
Ladder cages, or an equivalent fall-arrest system, are required for vertical ladders with a height over 3.5m.
How often do fixed ladders need rest platforms?
Rest platforms are required at intervals of no more than 6m of vertical climb.
What's the difference between AS 1657 and AS 4586?
AS 1657 is a design and construction standard for fixed access structures themselves — platforms, walkways, stairs and ladders. AS 4586 is a slip-resistance testing and classification standard for flooring and paving surface materials. A fixed stairway is designed to AS 1657; the anti-slip surface on its treads is classified under AS 4586. The two work together rather than one replacing the other.
Does AS 1657 apply to portable ladders?
No. AS 1657 covers permanently installed, fixed access infrastructure. Portable ladders and step stools are covered by separate standards for portable equipment.
Do I need to upgrade existing infrastructure built to an older edition?
There's no blanket rule requiring retrofits purely because a newer edition exists, but any new work, modification, or a WHS review of existing infrastructure will typically be assessed against the current 2018 edition. If in doubt for a specific site, that's a question for a WHS consultant or certifier rather than a general answer.
What's the difference between AS/NZS 1657 and AS 1657?
They refer to the same standard — you'll see both designations used, and “AS/NZS 1657” simply reflects that it's jointly adopted across Australia and New Zealand.
Sourcing anti-slip surfaces for your fixed access
Looking for anti-slip stair nosing, ladder rung covers, or a made-to-order anti-slip surface for a fixed platform, walkway or stairway? Get in touch with our team or request a quote and we'll help you match the right product to the job.
