How often should ladders be inspected?
| General industry | Construction | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before initial use in each work shift, and more often as necessary (1910.23(b)(9)) | On a periodic basis and after any occurrence that could affect safe use (1926.1053(b)(15)) |
| By whom | Not named in the rule | A competent person (1926.1053(b)(15)) |
| Defect found | Tagged Dangerous: Do Not Use and removed until repaired or replaced (1910.23(b)(10)) | Marked or tagged Do Not Use and withdrawn until repaired (1926.1053(b)(16)) |
The full rules are on the 29 CFR 1910.23 page and the 29 CFR 1926.1053 page.
What the checklist covers
- Every portable ladder. Rails and rungs not broken, split, bent or corroded; rungs level and evenly spaced; no oil or grease; no sharp edges; feet and labels in place; nonconductive rails near exposed energized equipment.
- Stepladders. A metal spreader or locking device holds the sections open (1910.23(c)(2); 1926.1053(a)(8)).
- Extension and straight ladders. Rung locks, pulley and rope.
- Setup. Stable and level footing, about one to four, rails 3 feet above the landing, both rails supported, doorways barricaded, top and bottom clear, load within the rating.
Each item on the sheet says whether it comes from the OSHA text or from the manufacturer's instructions, so the inspector knows which checks the rule itself names.
Who can inspect a ladder?
In construction the periodic inspection belongs to a competent person (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(15)): someone you designate who can identify the hazard and has the authority to take the ladder out of service. The free competent person designation letter puts that designation in writing. The general industry rule asks for the inspection before initial use in each work shift without naming who does it, and the worker who climbs is usually the one who checks.
The setup rules that get cited
The setup draws more citations than the ladder itself. In FY2025, 1926.1053(b)(1), the rule that side rails extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing, was cited more than any other ladder paragraph. Non-self-supporting ladders sit at about one to four, the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot about one-quarter of the working length (1926.1053(b)(5)(i)), and the top or top step of a stepladder is not used as a step (1926.1053(b)(13)). The free ladder safety selector works out the length and the angle. The ladder rules for construction explain the access rules of subpart X, the article on falls puts ladders among the other fall hazards, and the FY2025 construction enforcement analysis shows where ladders rank.
What OSHA cited most on ladders in FY2025
| Paragraph | What it covers | FY2025 citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1926.1053(b)(1) | Construction: side rails 3 feet above the landing, or the top secured with a grab rail | 2,627 |
| 1926.1053(b)(13) | Construction: top or top step of a stepladder not used as a step | 374 |
| 1926.1053(b)(4) | Construction: ladders used only for their designed purpose | 339 |
| 1926.1053(b)(16) | Construction: defective portable ladders tagged and withdrawn from service | 138 |
| 1926.1053(b)(6) | Construction: stable and level surfaces, or the ladder secured | 103 |
| 1926.1053(b)(22) | Construction: no load carried that could cause a loss of balance | 89 |
| 1910.23(b)(10) | Defective ladders tagged Dangerous: Do Not Use and removed from service | 110 |
| 1910.23(c)(11) | Side rails 3 feet above the upper landing | 84 |
| 1910.23(b)(9) | Inspection before initial use in each work shift | 63 |
| 1910.23(b)(8) | Ladders used only for their designed purpose | 49 |
| 1910.23(c)(8) | Stepladder cap and top step not used as steps | 24 |
| 1910.23(c)(4) | Stable and level surfaces, or the ladder secured | 14 |
1926.1053: 4,009 citations in FY2025 at 3,326 inspections, 3,935 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). 1910.23: 500 citations in FY2025 at 381 inspections, 61 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). Citation items issued Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025, counted by HazComFast on U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data (extracted Oct 13, 2026). Inspected establishments, not the whole industry.
Questions about ladder inspections
How often does OSHA require ladders to be inspected?
In general industry, before initial use in each work shift, and more often as necessary (29 CFR 1910.23(b)(9)). In construction, by a competent person on a periodic basis and after any occurrence that could affect their safe use (1926.1053(b)(15)). The construction standard sets no fixed interval; many contractors inspect before use each day and keep a periodic record.
Who can inspect a ladder?
In construction, the periodic inspection is done by a competent person (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(15)), someone the employer designates who can identify hazards and has the authority to correct them. The general industry rule says ladders are inspected before initial use in each work shift without naming who; in practice the user checks the ladder before climbing.
What do I do with a damaged ladder?
In construction, a portable ladder with structural defects is immediately marked as defective or tagged Do Not Use, and withdrawn from service until repaired (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(16)). In general industry, it is tagged Dangerous: Do Not Use or with similar language and removed from service until repaired or replaced (1910.23(b)(10)).
What is the most cited ladder rule?
In FY2025, 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1): side rails of a portable ladder used to reach an upper landing extend at least 3 feet above it, or the ladder is secured at its top with a grasping device. It drew more citations than any other ladder paragraph, far ahead of the rule against standing on the top step of a stepladder (1926.1053(b)(13)).
Can a ladder be painted?
Not a wood ladder with anything that hides defects: wooden ladders are not coated with material that may obscure structural defects (29 CFR 1910.23(b)(5)), and in construction they carry no opaque covering except identification or warning labels on one face of a side rail (1926.1053(a)(12)).
Does OSHA require ladder training?
In construction, yes: the employer provides a training program for each employee using ladders and stairways, as necessary, given by a competent person (29 CFR 1926.1060(a)). In general industry, ladder use falls under the walking-working surfaces training of 1910.30.
Sources and verification
- 29 CFR 1910.23, Ladders
- 29 CFR 1926.1053, Ladders (construction)
- 29 CFR 1926.1060, Training requirements (ladders and stairways)
Verified against the eCFR on Oct 20, 2026 (title 29 current to Oct 16, 2026). State Plan states enforce their own standards, which may go further than the federal ones. Not legal advice.
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