In Wisconsin, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. Ladders (Construction) is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA.
29 CFR 1926.1053 · Wisconsin
Ladders (Construction) Requirements in Wisconsin
Ladders (Construction) in Wisconsin: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.1053, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
WisconsinConstruction (29 CFR 1926)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 199 times in Wisconsin construction (11.1% of its construction citations there, the 4th most-cited standard there). The paragraph cited most was 1926.1053(b)(1) with 160 citations.
199
1926.1053 citations in Wisconsin construction, FY2025
(b)(1)
paragraph cited most in Wisconsin (160 citations)
7.8
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Wisconsin, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Wisconsin: 29 CFR 1926.1053, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-26199
citations of 29 CFR 1926.1053 in 180 inspections
$764,295
penalties, current amounts ($921,903 as first proposed)
11.1%
of the 1,789 federal construction citations in Wisconsin
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) 199 times in inspections of Wisconsin construction employers. It ranked fourth of the 49 standards cited in them. By classification: 164 serious, 31 repeat, 4 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1926.1053(b)(1) (160), 1926.1053(b)(13) (10), 1926.1053(b)(4) (7).
Counted by HazComFast from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data (inspection and violation tables, retrieved September 26, 2026): citations issued October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025 on federal OSHA inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) in the state, deleted citations excluded, penalties at current amounts. OSHA's own cited-standards tool does not break federal states out; summed over every state, this count matches it within a few citations (6,778 for 1926.501, against 6,772). data.dol.gov
What federal OSHA is targeting in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has no state OSHA plan for private-sector work, so there is no state rule to read. What differs here is which hazards federal OSHA schedules inspections for, as set out in published emphasis directives.
Local Emphasis Program for Building Renovation/Rehabilitation and Demolition
CPL 04-05-2302 · Chicago Regional Office · effective October 1, 2023
“This Notice applies to the Appleton, Naperville, Chicago North, Chicago South, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Madison, Milwaukee, Peoria, Fairview Heights and Toledo Area Offices.”
Reconstruction, renovation, rehabilitation and demolition are scheduled for inspection through twelve named area offices covering Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. Renovation work is where fall protection, scaffolds and ladders tend to be improvised, and the program exists because that is where the region's inspectors expect to find them improvised.
Falls and work deaths in Wisconsin, 2024
Wisconsin recorded 109 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 112 in 2023. Falls, slips and trips caused 22 of them (20%). Construction accounted for 16, 7 of them from falls, slips and trips.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Wisconsin, 2024
How Wisconsin Enforces 29 CFR 1926.1053
Wisconsin has no State Plan, so federal OSHA has jurisdiction. 29 CFR 1926.1053 is enforced by U.S. Department of Labor compliance officers using standard federal procedures and the federal penalty maximums.
In Wisconsin, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 went most often to Roofing Contractors (157) and Framing Contractors (26). A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1926.1053, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
Help and oversight in Wisconsin
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Wisconsin, the program is OSHA Onsite Consultation (WisCon) Program (University of Wisconsin - Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene). 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.
Wisconsin consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Appleton Area Office (Appleton), the Eau Claire Area Office (Eau Claire), the Madison Area Office (Madison) and the Milwaukee Area Office (Milwaukee).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Wisconsin Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1926.1053 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $16,550 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Willful | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Repeat | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Failure to abate | $16,550/day | up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6) |
Wisconsin applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Federal OSHA reduces the proposed penalty for employer size, good faith and history (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch. 6). There was no inflation increase for 2026: the 2025 amounts remain in effect (OMB Memo M-26-11).
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 Wisconsin: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Wisconsin has no State Plan.
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 Wisconsin, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued 199 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 to Wisconsin construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- 1
1926.1053(b)(1) 160 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) 10 citations
“The top or top step of a stepladder shall not be used as a step.”
- 3
1926.1053(b)(4) 7 citations
“Ladders shall be used only for the purpose for which they were designed.”
- 4
1926.1053(b)(6) 7 citations
“Ladders shall be used only on stable and level surfaces unless secured to prevent accidental displacement.”
- 5
1926.1053(b)(16) 4 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 …”
- 6
1926.1053(b)(5)(i) 3 citations
“Non-self-supporting ladders shall be used at an angle such that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is approximately one-quarter of the …”
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
Wisconsin Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
1,789 of them in Wisconsin (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Wisconsin, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (345), Framing Contractors (89) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (53), out of 738 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1926.1053 in Wisconsin, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (157), Framing Contractors (26) and Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (3), of 199 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Wisconsin, 2024: 7.8 per 100,000 full-time workers, 30th 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 Wisconsin
Which Wisconsin construction trades are cited most under Ladders (Construction)?
In FY2025, federal OSHA issued 199 citations under 29 CFR 1926.1053 to Wisconsin construction employers, most often to Roofing Contractors (157), Framing Contractors (26) and Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (3) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Wisconsin has no state plan covering the private sector. For context, federal OSHA issued 1,789 citations across 634 inspections of Wisconsin construction employers in FY2025 (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1926.1053 on a recurring basis.
How often is Ladders (Construction) cited on Wisconsin jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break Wisconsin out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 1,789 citations across 634 inspections of Wisconsin construction employers, 199 of them under 29 CFR 1926.1053 (HazComFast count). A Ladders (Construction) citation in Wisconsin can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Wisconsin's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces ladder rules (1926.1053) on Wisconsin construction sites?
Federal OSHA. Wisconsin has no State Plan, so a compliance officer from OSHA's Chicago region inspects and cites 29 CFR 1926.1053 directly at the federal penalty maximums.
Can I get free OSHA help in Wisconsin without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Wisconsin is OSHA Onsite Consultation (WisCon) Program (University of Wisconsin - Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene). 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 federal OSHA cite 29 CFR 1926.1053 in Wisconsin construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.1053 (Ladders (Construction)) 199 times in 180 inspections of Wisconsin construction employers, with $764,295 in penalties at current amounts ($921,903 as first proposed), 11.1% of the 1,789 citations those inspections produced. It ranked fourth of the 49 standards cited. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
Ladders (Construction) Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Ladders (Construction) in Other States
9 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 maxUtah29 CFR 1926.1053 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.1own max
Other OSHA Standards in Wisconsin
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.
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