In Utah, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) carries a maximum penalty of $16,131 per violation in 2026, rising to $161,323 for a willful or repeat violation. Ladders (Construction) is enforced for private construction employers by Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH). Utah sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline.
29 CFR 1926.1053 · Utah
Ladders (Construction) Requirements in Utah
Ladders (Construction) in Utah: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.1, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
UtahConstruction (29 CFR 1926)State Plan: Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH)State-set maximums
In FY2025, Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 13 times in Utah construction (4.8% of its construction citations there, the 6th most-cited standard there). The paragraph cited most was 1926.1053(b)(1) with 7 citations.
13
1926.1053 citations in Utah construction, FY2025
(b)(1)
paragraph cited most in Utah (7 citations)
6.1
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Utah, 2024 (BLS)
Utah 29 CFR 1926.1053 Enforcement, FY2025
Verified · 2026-08-0813
citations of 29 CFR 1926.1053 (FY2025)
$17,782
penalties for this standard
4.8%
of the state's 269 construction citations
In FY2025, Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) 13 times on Utah construction jobsites with $17,782 in penalties for it (current amounts), about 4.8% of every construction citation the state issued that year. That put it sixth on Utah's most-cited construction list for FY2025.
What Utah's own rule says
“It shall be the duty and responsibility of any employee upon entering his or her place of employment, to examine carefully such working place and ascertain if the place is safe, if the tools and equipment can be used with safety, and if the work can be performed safely.”
Ladders are incorporated federal text in Utah. What sits above them is unusual: Utah places an express duty on the employee, not only the employer, to examine the workplace and the equipment before starting, to make it safe if they can, and to report it immediately to the foreman or supervisor if they cannot. Federal law puts inspection duties on employers and competent persons. Utah writes the worker's own pre-use check into the code, which is exactly the moment a damaged ladder should come out of service.
29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.1The duty itself differs from the federal text.
Read in Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH)'s own rule text · verified 2026-08-09
Falls and work deaths in Utah, 2024
Utah recorded 63 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 69 in 2023. BLS did not publish a separate 2024 count of deaths from falls, slips and trips for Utah. Construction accounted for 10.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Utah, 2024
How Utah Enforces 29 CFR 1926.1053
Utah runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH), which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Utah'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 incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.1, which differs from the federal text (see the state rule above). Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 13 times in Utah construction in FY2025 (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards). Utah also sets its own civil-penalty maximums, below the federal baseline (see the penalty table below).
In Utah, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 went most often to Roofing Contractors (3) and New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (2). A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.1, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
HazComFast records the state of every jobsite and shows that the Utah State Plan governs it. Start free
Help and oversight in Utah
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Utah, the program is UOSH Consultation and Education Services (UOSH Consultation Program). 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.
Utah Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1926.1053 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $16,131 | Utah state maximum |
| Willful | $161,323 | Utah state maximum |
| Repeat | $161,323 | Utah state maximum |
| Failure to abate | $16,131/day | Utah state maximum per day |
Utah (Utah Code §34A-6-307, effective May 7, 2025) sets its own statutory maximums just below the federal amounts: serious up to $16,131; willful/repeat up to $161,323, with a $11,518 minimum per willful violation. Failure to abate runs up to $16,131 per day. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) 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 Utah: Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) 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.
Most-Cited Ladders (Construction) Paragraphs in Utah, FY2025
Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) issued 13 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 to Utah construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,131.
- 1
1926.1053(b)(1) 7 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)(13) 2 citations
“The top or top step of a stepladder shall not be used as a step.”
- 3
1926.1053(a)(8) 1 citation
“A metal spreader or locking device shall be provided on each stepladder to hold the front and back sections in an open position when the ladder is being …”
- 4
1926.1053(b)(16) 1 citation
“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) 1 citation
“An employee shall not carry any object or load that could cause the employee to lose balance and fall.”
- 6
1926.1053(b)(7) 1 citation
“Ladders shall not be used on slippery surfaces unless secured or provided with slip-resistant feet to prevent accidental displacement. Slip-resistant feet shall not be used as a substitute …”
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), by the paragraph cited. Paragraph text: eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026. data.dol.gov
Utah Safety & Enforcement Profile
269
FY2025 construction citations
Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH)
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Utah, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (44), Framing Contractors (28) and Roofing Contractors (27), out of 277 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1926.1053 in Utah, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (3), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (2) and Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (2), of 13 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Utah, 2024: 6.1 per 100,000 full-time workers, 38th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 3.7).
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. HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), grouped by the cited 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 Utah
What are the penalties for 29 CFR 1926.1053 violations in Utah in 2026?
In Utah, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.1053 carries a maximum penalty of $16,131 per violation, and a willful or repeat violation up to $161,323. Utah sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline. Utah (Utah Code §34A-6-307, effective May 7, 2025) sets its own statutory maximums just below the federal amounts: serious up to $16,131; willful/repeat up to $161,323, with a $11,518 minimum per willful violation. Failure to abate runs up to $16,131 per day. Each distinct violation can be cited as its own item. (Source: Utah Code §34A-6-307; verified 2026-10-05.)
Which Utah construction trades are cited most under Ladders (Construction)?
In FY2025, Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) issued 13 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 to Utah construction employers, most often to Roofing Contractors (3), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (2) and Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (2) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) inspects these employers directly and may apply requirements beyond the federal standard. For context, Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) issued 269 construction citations across 133 inspections in FY2025. Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.1, Utah's own rule on this subject.
How often is Ladders (Construction) cited on Utah jobsites?
In FY2025, Utah's state plan (Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH)) issued 269 construction citations across 133 inspections (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23). Ladders (Construction) can be cited during any of them: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Utah's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces ladder rules (1926.1053) on Utah construction sites?
UOSH, Utah Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the Utah Labor Commission, not federal OSHA. Utah runs a full OSHA-approved State Plan, so a state compliance officer inspects and cites 29 CFR 1926.1053, 13 times in FY2025 construction.
Can I get free OSHA help in Utah without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Utah is UOSH Consultation and Education Services (UOSH Consultation Program). 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 Utah cite 29 CFR 1926.1053 in construction?
In FY2025, Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH) cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) 13 times on Utah construction jobsites, with $17,782 in penalties for that standard alone (current amounts), about 4.8% of the 269 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.
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 .0201Oregon29 CFR 1926.1053 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0065own maxWashingtonWAC 296-876 (use rules at 296-876-40025 and 296-876-40040)
Other OSHA Standards in Utah
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, Utah
$16,131
per violation (max)
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