Little Giant Ladder Recall: 3.66 Million Ladders Recalled After 19 Injuries
Little Giant has recalled about 3.66 million ladders in the United States after reports that they can suddenly retract while in use, leaving owners with a serious fall hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission published the recall on Thursday 5 November 2026, and the scale makes it one of the largest ladder recalls in recent years.
The ladders at the centre of the recall use Rapid Locks, the mechanism that holds each leg at the chosen height. When those locks are not fully engaged, the ladder can retract without warning. Little Giant has received 25 reports of ladders retracting, including 19 reports of injuries, three of them head injuries.
Little Giant Ladder Recall — Quick Reference Summary
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Recall announced | Thursday 5 November 2026 |
| Recall number | CPSC 27-067 |
| Product | Little Giant ladders with Rapid Locks |
| Units affected | About 3,662,000 |
| Hazard | Ladders can suddenly retract if the Rapid Locks are not fully engaged, posing a fall hazard |
| Retraction reports | 25 |
| Injury reports | 19, including 3 head injuries |
| Models covered | 11 models (see below) |
| Sold | December 2015 to October 2026 |
| Price | About $100 to $1,000 |
| Sold at | Lowe’s, Costco and other stores nationwide; online at Lowes.com, Amazon.com, Costco.com and LittleGiantLadders.com |
| Not included | Ladders with an orange rectangular “QC” sticker on the rail above a Rapid Lock |
| Remedy | Stop using the ladder; free warning-label and instruction kit from Little Giant |
| Contact | 866-201-9069, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday to Friday |
What Went Wrong With the Rapid Locks
The Rapid Lock is the part of the ladder that lets owners adjust the height of each leg. It is designed to click into the rungs and hold the ladder steady at the chosen setting. The CPSC notice warns that the ladders can suddenly retract if the Rapid Locks are not fully engaged, which creates a fall hazard for the person standing on them.
Little Giant told USA Today that it had identified a very small number of instances out of the more than 3.6 million Rapid Lock ladders sold since 2015 in which the locks had not been properly engaged before use. The company said it had initiated the voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution, in coordination with the CPSC. The CPSC also logged 39 reports of the Rapid Locks not working properly.
The injuries reported so far underline why the regulator acted. Three of the 19 injury reports involved head injuries, including traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, concussion, vision loss, hearing loss and cognitive impairment. The remaining reports cover other fall-related injuries.
Which Little Giant Models Are Covered by the Recall
The recall covers 11 Little Giant models fitted with Rapid Locks: Adjustable Fortress 2.0, Conquest 2.0, Dark Horse 2.0, Epic, King Kombo XT, Leveler, MegaLite, MegaLite+, Multi, Quantum and Vector. The ladders were sold between December 2015 and October 2026 for about $100 to $1,000.
There is one clear exemption, and it is the first thing owners should check. Only ladders without an orange rectangular “QC” sticker on the rail above one of the Rapid Locks are included in the recall. A ladder carrying that sticker has already been checked and is not part of the recall. The recall follows the same pattern as other recent safety actions, including the Baxters Cullen Skink soup recall, where a single check separates affected products from safe ones.
How to Check Your Ladder for the Orange QC Sticker
Owners should look at the rail directly above one of the Rapid Locks on each leg. If an orange rectangular sticker marked “QC” is there, the ladder is not included in the recall and no further action is needed. If there is no sticker, the ladder should be treated as affected until Little Giant confirms otherwise.
The model name is printed on the ladder itself, and Little Giant’s own recall page lists the specific part numbers for every affected model. Owners who are unsure should compare the model name and part number against that list before using the ladder again. The CPSC says owners should stop using affected ladders immediately.
What Owners Should Do Next
Anyone with an affected ladder should stop using it straight away and contact Little Giant for the free remedy kit. The kit contains warning labels and instructions, and it is the first step in the recall process. The notice does not offer a refund or a replacement ladder.
Little Giant can be reached on 866-201-9069 between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday to Friday, or through its recall page online. Injuries involving a ladder can also be reported at SaferProducts.gov, which helps the CPSC track whether problems continue after a recall is announced.
Why the Recall Lands Just Before the Holiday Season
The timing adds urgency to the warning. Many of the recalled ladders have been sitting in garages for years, and they are exactly the ladders that come out for seasonal jobs such as hanging holiday lights. A ladder that has not been used for months is also the one most likely to be grabbed without a careful lock check.
The recall is a US action, and the CPSC notice does not state UK availability. UK owners who bought a Little Giant ladder while in the United States, or imported one, should apply the same sticker check before using it. The same caution applies to any second-hand ladder bought online, where the seller may not know whether the recall applies.
The Scale of the Problem in Context
At about 3.66 million units sold over nearly 11 years, the recall covers a large share of the adjustable ladders in American homes and workplaces. Little Giant Ladder Systems, based in Springville, Utah, imported the ladders, which were manufactured in the United States, China, Mexico and Malaysia.
The CPSC published several other recalls on the same day, including Bose battery packs for S1 Pro speakers over fire and overheating risks, Gourmia air fryer ovens over burns, and Baby Brezza steriliser dryers over overheating. The ladder recall is the largest of that batch by units, and the only one tied to reported head injuries. It follows other recent food safety action covered on this site, including the salmonella found in Ukrainian eggs that led to a UK recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Little Giant ladder recalled?
Check two things: the model name and the orange “QC” sticker. If the model is one of the 11 listed above and there is no orange rectangular “QC” sticker on the rail above a Rapid Lock, the ladder is included. If the sticker is present, it is not.
What should I do if my ladder is affected?
Stop using it immediately and contact Little Giant on 866-201-9069 or through its recall page to request the free warning-label and instruction kit. Do not keep using the ladder while waiting for the kit.
What injuries have been reported?
Little Giant received 25 reports of ladders retracting, including 19 injury reports. Three involved head injuries such as traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, concussion, vision loss, hearing loss and cognitive impairment.
Does the recall apply in the UK?
The recall was issued by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and covers ladders sold in the United States. UK owners who bought one in the US or imported one should apply the same check. No UK recall has been announced.
Is there a refund or a replacement ladder?
No. The remedy in the CPSC notice is a free kit of warning labels and instructions. The notice does not offer a refund or a replacement ladder.
Myth-busting
Myth: every Little Giant ladder is recalled.
No. Only 11 models with Rapid Locks are covered, and only those without the orange “QC” sticker. Ladders with the sticker, and models outside the list, are not included.
Myth: the ladders collapse on their own.
No. The hazard is retraction when the Rapid Locks are not fully engaged. A ladder with its locks properly engaged is not the failure described in the recall, which is why the sticker check and the warning-label kit matter.
