Ladder Safety

Fall protection is not required when using portable ladders but might be required on fixed ladders. The regulation on the duty to have fall protection at 1910.28 specifically says that it does not apply to portable ladders. However, that section does require a fall protection or ladder safety system on fixed ladders that reach more than 24 feet above a lower level.

Fixed ladders under 24 feet do not require fall protection. Many fixed ladders have cages, since an older regulation required a cage or well on ladders over 20 feet. Those can serve as fall protection on ladders over 24 feet until the ladder is upgraded with a fall protection or ladder safety system.

Finally, if the upper entry point to any fixed ladder is four feet or more above a lower level, OSHA requires a self-closing gate or offset. Any unprotected edge needs a guardrail or other fall protection, and a ladder entry point creates also needs fall protection.

Yes. According to an OSHA Letter of Interpretation, released in April 1992, employees can carry items while climbing a ladder as long as the items do not impede the employee’s ability to maintain full control while climbing or descending the ladder.

Although OSHA requires inspecting a ladder before the first use on each shift, the agency does not require documenting those inspections. Employers can certainly provide a checklist or reminder of items to check, and some employers require creating an inspection record similar to a pre-use forklift inspection.

Since OSHA doesn’t require documentation, employers cannot get cited for missing inspection documents. However, an OSHA inspector may ask workers what items they check, or ask the employee to walk through the ladder inspection process. If the employee doesn’t know what to check or cannot identify a defect, OSHA could issue a citation. The regulation at 1910.30 requires employers to provide training on “the proper care, inspection, storage, and use of equipment” such as ladders.