,y 12x16 she shed needs safe access to loft area other than ladder.

I hired a contractor to install a pull down stair unit in my garage to access the attic storage area BUT I would say that it isn't much different than using a ladder and it is hard to move large things up and down into the attic space of my garage where the unit is installed. Maybe you will have to build an actual set of stairs or maybe a circular staircase would take up less room. Depends on what you are using this loft for. Thanks for the picture--it helps to see what the issue is.

Try a ships ladder. It's much more stable and easier to use than a regular ladder. It's steeper than stairs but takes up less floor space.

I'd build a set of stairs going to the loft against one wall. Depending upon what you want to use the loft for, the stairs could be narrow. Or maybe a wrought iron circular staircase?

Spiral stairs could be an idea, but my money would be on a permanent Block staircase with handrail next to wall...

I saw on Fixer Upper, a shot gun house, and Chip and Joanne put a pull down stairs to the loft. When down it looked like regular stairs. When not needed they just pulled it back up to the ceiling with easy to pull chain.

I would have a staircase built against the wall with storage built in under the stairs—either open or closed storage! To help get things up to the lift use a pulley system! Let it down from loft, load it, pull it up, unload it, then store it in loft until you need it again!

Sherri stated that she didn't believe the structure could support a pull down... I agree that would probably be best option, and that the structure could be beefed up a bit.

I also like the idea of a pulley 'elevator', but I don't think that's something I would want to be pulling up.

The only other option would be stairs. I wouldn't go with the spiral staircase, I'd build stairs that have lots of shelving underneath them for storage. I would even go so far as to have those stairs in a corner so they go up, turn, then up more. This would allow easier access to the shelving.

agreed. narrow stairs against the wall. STURDY wall hand rail. Shelves or cupboards below.

pully system to haul things up there. Or take up 1/2 the place w a scissor lift, lol

Stairs incaseded with a retracting mechanism are sold for attic access. Building an additional frame between the two loft ends in my building and mounting the purchased retracting staircase seems to be my best devised plan. You could likely devise a pulley system with a platform used to bring items down from the loft. Hope I've offered some encouragement.

Thank you so much for those of you taking the time to reply for my call to help. All of your offers at advice are sound and I’m considering each.