[peterwwillis]

So, weird/dumb question, I don't know if you have the answers to this, but why don't ladders have round tubular hand rails? Like, no residential or commercial ladder i've seen has hand rails, so I'm always gripping tightly to the sides or the steps.

But this seems stupid. Anyone with hands will realize that sliding your gripped palm around and up a round tube in a neutral position (that is, with your palms facing each other, not facing down) feels more secure then hand-over-hand on the steps, which don't give good grip anyway because the lip of the step faces down, not up.

[TheOtherDave]

Unless the ladder is anchored to something, it’d probably just fall over backwards if you put any weight on such a rail. They get unbalanced if the load isn’t kept forward.

[jaclaz]

Ladders with tubular hand rails exist alright here (Italy/Europe).

Examples:

http://www.ippis.it/negozio/scale-in-alluminio/scala-in-allu...

https://www.ediliamo.com/scala-professionale-con-parapetto-f...

[Gravityloss]

At least over here, in maintenance ladders over a few stories high there's a central C shaped track where you attach a metal car about the size of a fist. Then you attach your harness to the car. The car can't come out of the rail. It also has a mechanism that it only moves if you pull it outwards.

Makes climbing really easy and safe. Technically you don't even need to use your hands for anything .