General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Ladders (General Industry)

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.23

29 CFR 1910.23 sets the requirements for portable and fixed ladders in general industry: ladders must be inspected before use, used only for their designed purpose, kept on stable footing, and removed from service when defective. It pairs with the construction ladder standard (1926.1053) as the general-industry rulebook for safe ladder use.

29 CFR 1910.23 at a glance

What it requires: Safe design, use, inspection, and maintenance of ladders in general industry
Capacity: Ladders must support the maximum intended load (safety factors by type)
Fixed ladders: Over 24 ft need a personal fall arrest or ladder safety system (1910.28/1910.29)
Cage phase-out: Cages/wells no longer acceptable alone; all fixed ladders >24 ft compliant by Nov 18, 2036 (a 2026 proposal to drop this deadline, 91 FR 17165, is not in force)
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: A cage is no longer sufficient fall protection for tall fixed ladders: a system is required

What 29 CFR 1910.23 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.23 sets the requirements for ladders in general industry: portable, fixed, and mobile ladder stands and platforms. Ladder falls are a persistent cause of serious injury, and the standard covers how ladders must be built (load capacity, uniform rungs, slip-resistant surfaces), how they must be used (one person at a time as designed, not overreaching, kept in good condition), and how tall fixed ladders must be equipped for fall protection.

The general requirements apply to all ladders: they must support the maximum intended load (portable and mobile ladders generally to at least four times that load), have rungs, steps, and cleats that are parallel, level, and uniformly spaced, use slip-resistant surfaces, and be kept free of defects; a ladder with a structural defect must be removed from service until repaired. Ladders may be used only for the purpose for which they were designed. These design-and-use rules are the everyday core of the standard.

The most significant modern change concerns FIXED ladders. Under the companion sections 1910.28 (duty) and 1910.29 (criteria), fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet above a lower level must be equipped with a personal fall arrest system or a ladder safety system. The old reliance on cages and wells is being phased out: fixed ladders installed on or after November 19, 2018 must use a personal fall arrest or ladder safety system, and ALL fixed ladders over 24 feet must be so equipped by November 18, 2036. A cage alone, once the standard solution, is no longer considered adequate fall protection for a tall fixed ladder.

The regulatory text

“The employer must ensure: (1) Ladder rungs, steps, and cleats are parallel, level, and uniformly spaced when the ladder is in position for use;”

29 CFR 1910.23(b)(1)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.23

Applies to portable, fixed, and mobile ladder stands/platforms in general industry.
Ladders must support the maximum intended load (portable/mobile generally to at least 4× that load).
Rungs, steps, and cleats must be parallel, level, and uniformly spaced, with slip-resistant surfaces.
Defective ladders must be removed from service until repaired; ladders used only as designed.
Fixed ladders over 24 feet require a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system (1910.28/1910.29).
Fixed ladders installed on/after November 19, 2018 must use a PFAS or ladder safety system (not a cage alone).
ALL fixed ladders over 24 feet must be equipped with a PFAS or ladder safety system by November 18, 2036 (1910.28(b)(9)(i)(D)).
Proposed, not in force: on April 6, 2026, OSHA proposed removing the November 18, 2036 deadline and asked whether to allow ladder cages or wells again (91 FR 17165). Until a final rule is published, the deadline stands.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.23 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.23
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.23

#	Employer obligation
1	Use ladders only for intended purpose
2	Inspect ladders before each use
3	Maintain 3-point contact
4	Secure portable ladders at top and bottom
5	Remove defective ladders from service

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.23. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Ladders (GI) violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.23 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

Defective ladders (cracked rails, broken rungs) kept in service (1910.23(b)).
Ladders used for a purpose other than the one for which they were designed (1910.23(b)).
Portable ladders not extending or secured properly, or used on unstable/slippery bases (1910.23(c)).
Fixed ladder over 24 feet without a personal fall arrest or ladder safety system (per phase-in): 1910.28/1910.29.
Rungs/steps not uniformly spaced, level, or slip-resistant (1910.23(b)).

A cage is no longer enough for a tall fixed ladder

For decades, the cage (the curved metal enclosure around a tall fixed ladder) was the standard fall-protection solution, and many facilities still assume it is compliant. Under OSHA's 2016 walking-working-surfaces rule, it is not, by itself, for tall ladders. Cages and wells have been shown not to reliably prevent or arrest falls. So: fixed ladders installed on or after November 19, 2018 that extend more than 24 feet must have a personal fall arrest system or a ladder safety system (not a cage); and every existing fixed ladder over 24 feet must be equipped with such a system by November 18, 2036. During the phase-in, an existing ladder may keep its cage, but it must be brought up to a PFAS/ladder-safety-system by the 2036 deadline. Note this fixed-ladder fall-protection DUTY sits in 1910.28 and its CRITERIA in 1910.29: 1910.23 covers the ladder itself.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks that ladders are the right type and duty rating, inspected and free of defects, secured or held, and used with three points of contact rather than overreaching. Damaged ladders left in service and using a ladder as a makeshift work platform are common findings.

Example: how a violation is cited

A worker uses a cracked stepladder to reach an overhead valve, a side rail gives way, and they fall. OSHA cites 1910.23 for using a defective ladder that should have been removed from service: a preventable general-industry fall, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Ladders (GI) compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.23. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Verify each ladder supports its maximum intended load and has uniform, slip-resistant rungs.
Use ladders only for their designed purpose; keep them free of oil, grease, and defects.
Remove defective ladders from service until repaired.
Inventory fixed ladders over 24 feet and plan personal fall arrest or ladder safety systems.
Equip fixed ladders installed on/after Nov 19, 2018 with a PFAS or ladder safety system (not a cage alone).
Bring all fixed ladders over 24 feet up to a PFAS/ladder safety system by November 18, 2036.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.23

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Ladder violations appear on routine general-industry inspections. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; defective ladders and misuse are the items most often cited.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Ladders (GI) compliance

Ladder falls are among the most common general-industry injuries, and most trace to a defect, the wrong ladder, or unsafe use rather than bad luck. Inspecting ladders and pulling damaged ones from service prevents the majority of these falls.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.23

Fall Protection Plan Builder Weekly Site Safety Inspection

Ladders (GI) penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.23.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.23

Do fixed ladders still need cages?

Not as stand-alone fall protection for tall ladders. Under OSHA's 2016 rule, fixed ladders extending more than 24 feet must be equipped with a personal fall arrest system or a ladder safety system. Fixed ladders installed on or after November 19, 2018 must use one of those systems (a cage alone is not sufficient), and ALL fixed ladders over 24 feet must be equipped with a PFAS or ladder safety system by November 18, 2036. An existing ladder may keep its cage in the interim but must be upgraded by that deadline.

What is the maximum-load requirement for ladders?

Under 1910.23, ladders must be capable of supporting the maximum intended load. In general, portable and mobile ladders are designed to support at least four times the maximum intended load (with specific safety factors by ladder type). Fixed ladders must support at least two loads of 250 pounds each, concentrated between consecutive attachments, plus anticipated loads from ice, wind, and rigging.

Can a general-industry ladder be used for anything other than climbing?

No. Under 1910.23, each ladder must be used only for the purpose for which it was designed. Using a ladder as a work platform, a bridge, a brace, or scaffolding, or using a stepladder's top cap or top step as a step, are all misuses that can lead to failure or a fall. Ladders must also be inspected and kept free of defects, oil, and other slipping hazards.

What is the difference between 1910.23, 1910.28, and 1910.29?

1910.23 covers ladders themselves: their design, condition, and safe use. 1910.28 establishes the employer's DUTY to provide fall protection on walking-working surfaces, including on fixed ladders over 24 feet. 1910.29 specifies the CRITERIA for fall protection systems, including personal fall arrest systems and ladder safety systems for those fixed ladders. Together they replaced the old cage-and-well approach with system-based fall protection.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.23

1910.23 was substantially rewritten in OSHA's 2016 Walking-Working Surfaces final rule (81 FR 82494, effective January 17, 2017), which modernized general-industry ladder requirements and began the phase-out of cages and wells as stand-alone fall protection for fixed ladders in favor of personal fall arrest and ladder safety systems. The fixed-ladder fall-protection duty and criteria live in the companion sections 1910.28 and 1910.29.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.23, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Fall Protection PFAS (Personal Fall Arrest System)Competent Person

Related guides & articles

Fall Protection Construction Guide 2026

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.28

Fall Protection Duty (GI)

29 CFR 1910.29

Fall Protection Systems (GI)

29 CFR 1926.500

Fall Protection Scope

29 CFR 1926.501

Fall Protection

#1 most cited

Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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