In order to gain access to your rooftop, you can choose from various types of access ladders. When looking for a solution that meets the needs of your industrial, commercial or institutional building, many focus their efforts on a fixed access ladder, which ensures permanent year-round access to your rooftop. If regular access is required from the outside of the building, some building owners prefer a stair or ship ladder (if working in a tight space) with handrails, to ensure a safe and easy climb to the rooftop. Should access to the rooftop via the roof hatch be required, then a hatch ladder is what you would be specifying for the application. They are usually fixed to the wall and may include attachments that help climb out of the hatch safely, such as retractable side rails.