Amendment of the Ministerial Ordinance on the Technical Specifications for Metal Escape Ladders
November 2005
Fire Prevention Division
Fire and Disaster Management Agency

1. Reasons for the Amendment

(1) The Ministerial Ordinance on the Technical Specifications for Metal Escape Ladders (Home
Affairs Ministry Ordinance No. 3 in 1965; hereinafter referred to as the “Ministerial
Ordinance”) sets down the specifications applicable to fixed ladders, prop ladders, and
suspended ladders. The Ministerial Ordinance assumes that suspended ladders are used in
abutting on a building wall. However, as a recent trend, many suspended ladders are normally
retracted into a fire escape apparatus hatch, and they are used in cases of emergency without
abutting against a building wall.

Taking such trend into consideration, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications intends
to amend a part of the Ministerial Ordinance in order to set down new requirements on tests that
check the shaking movement, strength and corrosion resistance of suspended ladders retractable
into a hatch (hereinafter referred to as “hatch-retractable suspended ladders”).

(2) In addition, as the Japanese Standards Association has revised JIS (Japanese Industrial
Standards), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications intends to make the necessary
amendments to the Ministerial Ordinance, such as citing the new standard numbers.

2. Contents of the Amendment

(1) Definitions (Article 2)
Article 2 defines the hatch-retractable suspended ladders.

(2) Test method for hatch-retractable suspended ladders to check the following performance
(Articles 8 to 10)
i) Strength (Article 8)
Article 8 stipulates the test method to confirm that hatch-retractable suspended ladders have
sufficient strength when used in cases of emergency.
ii) Shaking movement (Article 9)
Article 9 stipulates the test method to check the shaking movement of hatch-retractable
suspended ladders.
iii) Corrosion resistance (Article 10)
Article 10 sets down the test method to check the corrosion resistance of metal escape ladders
including hatch-retractable suspended ladders.

(3) Other necessary amendments
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications intends to make other necessary amendments
with the revision of JIS on escape ladder materials by Japanese Standards Association.

3. Proposed Date of Enforcement

March 1, 2006