In Oregon, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) carries a maximum penalty of $17,004 per violation in 2026, rising to $170,046 for a willful or repeat violation. Ladders (Construction) is enforced for private construction employers by Oregon OSHA. Oregon sets its own maximums, above the federal baseline.
29 CFR 1926.1053 · Oregon
Ladders (Construction) Requirements in Oregon
Ladders (Construction) in Oregon: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.1053 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0065, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
OregonConstruction (29 CFR 1926)State Plan: Oregon OSHAState-set maximums
In FY2025, Oregon OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 166 times in Oregon construction, the standard it cited most (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards).
166
1926.1053 citations in Oregon construction, FY2025 (OSHA tool)
(b)(1)
paragraph federal OSHA cited most nationwide (1,910 citations)
5.8
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Oregon, 2024 (BLS)
Oregon 29 CFR 1926.1053 Enforcement, FY2025
Verified · 2026-08-08166
citations of 29 CFR 1926.1053 (FY2025)
$693,621
penalties for this standard
9.5%
of the state's 1,752 construction citations
In FY2025, Oregon OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) 166 times on Oregon construction jobsites with $693,621 in penalties for it (current amounts), about 9.5% of every construction citation the state issued that year. That makes 29 CFR 1926.1053 the single most-cited construction standard in Oregon in FY2025.
What Oregon's own rule says
“Extension ladders shall be equipped with necessary guide irons, locks, and hooks and shall be assembled so that the sliding (upper) section shall be on top of the base (lower) section.”
Oregon takes the federal ladder standard and adds a rule of its own. OAR 437-003-0065 requires extension ladders to carry guide irons, locks and hooks, and to be assembled with the sliding section on top of the base section, an assembly requirement with no counterpart in 1926.1053. Federal training requirements at 1926.1060 still apply, so the addition is exactly that: an addition, not a replacement.
29 CFR 1926.1053 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0065The duty itself differs from the federal text.
Falls and work deaths in Oregon, 2024
Oregon recorded 52 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 54 in 2023. Falls, slips and trips caused 7 of them (13%). Construction accounted for 8.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Oregon, 2024
How Oregon Enforces 29 CFR 1926.1053
Oregon runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Oregon OSHA, which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Oregon's own standards, which must be at least as effective as federal OSHA's and may go further. On this subject the rule is 29 CFR 1926.1053 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0065, which differs from the federal text (see the state rule above). OSHA's cited-standards tool shows 166 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 in Oregon construction in FY2025. Oregon also sets its own civil-penalty maximums, above the federal baseline (see the penalty table below).
A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1926.1053 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0065, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
HazComFast records the state of every jobsite and shows that the Oregon State Plan governs it. Start free
Help and oversight in Oregon
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Oregon, the program is Oregon OSHA Consultation Services (Department of Consumer & Business Services). OSHA describes it as “Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs.” It is separate from OSHA enforcement; the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Oregon Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1926.1053 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $17,004 | Oregon state maximum |
| Willful | $170,046 | Oregon state maximum |
| Repeat | $170,046 | Oregon state maximum |
| Failure to abate | State schedule | Oregon publishes its own failure-to-abate amount; see the state schedule |
Oregon OSHA sets its own maximums (ORS 654.086(4), OAR 437-001-0142; adjusted annually by Bulletin 1-2026, effective Jan 1, 2026): serious up to $17,004; willful/repeat up to $170,046. Where a violation caused or contributed to a work-related death, Oregon sets a mandatory minimum as well as a higher ceiling, and the two differ by violation class: a serious violation carries $21,765 to $54,412, and a repeat or willful violation carries $54,412 to $272,058 (Bulletin 1-2026 penalty tables). A willful or repeat violation that caused or contributed to a death has its own tier: up to $272,058 in 2026 (Bulletin 1-2026). Amounts are ceilings per violation. Oregon OSHA computes proposed penalties under its own State Plan procedures.
Key Ladders (Construction) Requirements 29 CFR 1926.1053
- Extend ladder 3 feet above landing
- Secure at top and bottom
- Maintain 3-point contact
- Use non-slip feet on ladder base
- Inspect before each use
- Do not load beyond rated capacity
- Face ladder while climbing
Who enforces it in Oregon: Oregon OSHA inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Oregon OSHA can add requirements beyond the federal standard above, so check its own rules as well.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1926.1053 are on the 29 CFR 1926.1053 page.
Ladders (Construction) Citations in Oregon, FY2025
OSHA's cited-standards tool shows 166 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 in Oregon construction in FY2025, without a breakdown by paragraph. For reference, the paragraphs federal OSHA cited most nationwide:
Federal OSHA, construction, FY2025: 2,759 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053.
- 1
1926.1053(b)(1) 1,910 citations
“When portable ladders are used for access to an upper landing surface, the ladder side rails shall extend at least 3 feet (.9 m) above the upper landing …”
- 2
1926.1053(b)(4) 215 citations
“Ladders shall be used only for the purpose for which they were designed.”
- 3
1926.1053(b)(13) 196 citations
“The top or top step of a stepladder shall not be used as a step.”
- 4
1926.1053(b)(16) 81 citations
“Portable ladders with structural defects, such as, but not limited to, broken or missing rungs, cleats, or steps, broken or split rails, corroded components, or other faulty or …”
- 5
1926.1053(b)(22) 79 citations
“An employee shall not carry any object or load that could cause the employee to lose balance and fall.”
- 6
1926.1053(b)(6) 66 citations
“Ladders shall be used only on stable and level surfaces unless secured to prevent accidental displacement.”
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: every federal OSHA citation issued in FY2025 to a construction employer (NAICS 23), by the paragraph cited. Paragraph text: eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026. data.dol.gov
Oregon Safety & Enforcement Profile
1,752
FY2025 construction citations
Oregon OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Oregon, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (264), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (246) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (81), out of 1,207 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Construction fatality rate in Oregon, 2024: 5.8 per 100,000 full-time workers, 40th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 2.6).
- Oregon OSHA's permanent heat illness prevention rule, OAR 437-002-0156, took effect June 15, 2022. It is triggered when the heat index equals or exceeds 80°F, indoors or outdoors. (OAR 437-002-0156(1) and its history note (OSHA 3-2022))
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) opened from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, federal OSHA and State Plan combined, grouped by the inspected employer's 2022 NAICS industry. Industry names are the Census Bureau's 2022 NAICS titles. data.dol.gov · BLS fatality rates by state, 2024
Free Ladders (Construction) Compliance Tools
Ladders (Construction) FAQ for Oregon
What are the penalties for 29 CFR 1926.1053 violations in Oregon in 2026?
In Oregon, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.1053 carries a maximum penalty of $17,004 per violation, and a willful or repeat violation up to $170,046. Oregon sets its own maximums, above the federal baseline. Oregon OSHA sets its own maximums (ORS 654.086(4), OAR 437-001-0142; adjusted annually by Bulletin 1-2026, effective Jan 1, 2026): serious up to $17,004; willful/repeat up to $170,046. Where a violation caused or contributed to a work-related death, Oregon sets a mandatory minimum as well as a higher ceiling, and the two differ by violation class: a serious violation carries $21,765 to $54,412, and a repeat or willful violation carries $54,412 to $272,058 (Bulletin 1-2026 penalty tables). A willful or repeat violation that caused or contributed to a death has its own tier: up to $272,058 in 2026 (Bulletin 1-2026). Each distinct violation can be cited as its own item. (Source: ORS 654.086(4) + OAR 437-001-0142; verified 2026-10-05.)
Which Oregon construction trades are inspected most?
The construction trades inspected most in Oregon in FY2025 were Roofing Contractors (264), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (246) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (81), out of 1,207 inspections opened, federal OSHA and State Plan combined (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Oregon OSHA inspects these employers directly and may apply requirements beyond the federal standard. For context, Oregon OSHA issued 1,752 construction citations across 729 inspections in FY2025. Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1926.1053 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0065, Oregon's own rule on this subject.
How often is Ladders (Construction) cited on Oregon jobsites?
In FY2025, Oregon's state plan (Oregon OSHA) issued 1,752 construction citations across 729 inspections (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23). Ladders (Construction) can be cited during any of them: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Oregon's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces ladder rules (1926.1053) on Oregon construction sites?
Oregon OSHA (OR-OSHA), a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, not federal OSHA. Oregon runs a full OSHA-approved State Plan, so a state compliance officer inspects and cites 29 CFR 1926.1053, 166 times in FY2025 construction.
How often does Oregon OSHA cite ladders?
Oregon OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 166 times in FY2025 construction (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards). Oregon adopts the federal ladder standard and adds OAR 437-003-0065, which requires extension ladders to carry guide irons, locks and hooks and to be assembled with the sliding section on top of the base section.
Can I get free OSHA help in Oregon without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Oregon is Oregon OSHA Consultation Services (Department of Consumer & Business Services). OSHA describes it this way: "Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs." Consultations are separate from OSHA enforcement, and the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
How often does Oregon cite 29 CFR 1926.1053 in construction?
In FY2025, Oregon OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) 166 times on Oregon construction jobsites, with $693,621 in penalties for that standard alone (current amounts), about 9.5% of the 1,752 construction citations the state issued that year. (Source: OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23; verified 2026-08-08.)
Ladders (Construction) Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Related standards
Ladders (Construction) in Other States
8 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1926.1053 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
California8 CCR §1675, which routes portable ladders to §3276 and fixed ladders to §3277-3278own maxHawaii29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by HAR §12-110-50(a), with §12-110-1 and §12-110-3MichiganMIOSHA Construction Safety Standard Part 11, R 408.41101 to R 408.41140own maxMinnesotaMinn. R. 5207.0200 and 5207.0210 (ships ladders)NevadaNAC 618.503, adopting ANSI A10.13-1989North Carolina29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by 13 NCAC 07F .0201Utah29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.1own maxWashingtonWAC 296-876 (use rules at 296-876-40025 and 296-876-40040)
Other OSHA Standards in Oregon
Sources & verification
Penalty amounts and plan-type data were checked on 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register. This page is informational and not legal advice; consult the enforcing agency or counsel for your specific situation.
Get the Binder in Order Before the Inspector Arrives. Are You Ready?
OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
Serious violation, Oregon
$17,004
per violation (max)
VS
HazComFast Pro
$199/mo
10 jobsites, unlimited chemicals, unlimited workers
New sign-ups are paused. The free tools below need no account, and customers can log in as usual.
Your account keeps working as usual. Cancel anytime.