Caged Ladder on Viterra Grain Elevator, Minneapolis

This caged ladder climbs the exterior of a grain elevator operated by Viterra in Minneapolis. Cage ladders like this one became standard on tall industrial structures in the 20th century, meant to keep workers from falling backward during long vertical climbs to rooftop equipment. Grain elevators of this type store bulk grain in concrete or steel silos before it's loaded onto rail cars or barges for shipment. Viterra, a global grain-handling company headquartered in Canada, operates elevator and terminal facilities across North America as part of the agricultural supply chain that moves grain from Midwest farms to export markets.

Photo taken in September 2017.