Ladder inspection requirements: OSHA rules and what to check

OSHA ladder inspection rules at a glance

OSHA has two ladder rules, and they inspect on different clocks: general industry before each shift, construction periodically by a competent person.

General industry: before every shift

In general industry, the employer must ensure "ladders are inspected before initial use in each work shift, and more frequently as necessary, to identify any visible defects that could cause employee injury" (1910.23(b)(9)). The next paragraph covers what happens when one fails: "Any ladder with structural or other defects is immediately tagged 'Dangerous: Do Not Use' or with similar language in accordance with § 1910.145 and removed from service until repaired in accordance with § 1910.22(d), or replaced" (1910.23(b)(10)).

The rule covers all ladders except those used in emergency operations such as firefighting, rescue and tactical law enforcement (or training for them), and ladders "designed into or is an integral part of machines or equipment" (1910.23(a)). The rule doesn't say who inspects. In practice it's the first person to use the ladder that shift, so make sure everyone who climbs one knows what a defect looks like.

"More frequently as necessary" is part of the rule, not decoration. Look the ladder over again whenever something could have damaged it during the shift:

• after it falls, slides or is knocked over;
• after a vehicle, a load or a forklift hits it;
• after it's used on a slippery, uneven or soft surface where a foot may have bent;
• after exposure to heat, chemicals or corrosive material;
• after it's moved to a new work area or lent to another crew.

A ladder that has been dropped can look fine and still have a cracked rail or a loose rung, so check it before the next climb, not at the next shift.

Construction: periodic, by a competent person

On construction sites, "ladders shall be inspected by a competent person for visible defects on a periodic basis and after any occurrence that could affect their safe use" (1926.1053(b)(15)). A competent person can identify the hazards and has the authority to correct them; see what is a competent person.

The construction rule then spells out what counts as a defect and what to do:

• 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 defective components, shall either be immediately marked in a manner that readily identifies them as defective, or be tagged with 'Do Not Use' or similar language, and shall be withdrawn from service until repaired" ((b)(16)).
• Fixed ladders with structural defects are withdrawn from service by tagging them "Do Not Use", marking them as defective, or blocking them, "such as with a plywood attachment that spans several rungs" ((b)(17)).
• Repairs must restore the ladder to its original design criteria before it's used again ((b)(18)).
• Single-rail ladders aren't used at all ((b)(19)).

"Periodic" isn't "before each shift." A quick look by the user before climbing is still sensible, because a ladder can be dropped, run over or overloaded between periodic inspections.

What to check on a ladder

The ladder rules' design and use requirements double as an inspection list. A typical check:

• Rungs, steps and cleats: parallel, level and evenly spaced (1910.23(b)(1)); none bent, cracked, loose or missing.
• Side rails: not bent, split, cracked or badly dented.
• Feet: present, with slip-resistant pads that aren't worn through.
• Slip resistance: rungs and steps on portable metal ladders treated to reduce slipping (1910.23(c)(1)); no oil, grease or other slipping hazards (1926.1053(b)(2)).
• Stepladders: the metal spreader or locking device holds the front and back sections open (1910.23(c)(2)).
• Extension ladders: rung locks engage; the rope and pulley work.
• Wood: not "coated with any material that may obscure structural defects" (1910.23(b)(5)); no splits or rot.
• Metal: corrosion-resistant or protected against corrosion ((b)(6)); no sharp edges, burrs or splinters, since surfaces must be "free of puncture and laceration hazards" ((b)(7)).
• Labels: the duty rating and instructions legible.
• Fixed ladders: anchorages, cages or ladder safety systems, and corrosion at the base and the top.

Our free ladder inspection checklist has the full list to print or edit.

Using ladders safely

Inspection only covers the ladder; how it's used matters as much. From the general industry rule: don't load a ladder beyond its maximum intended load, which includes the worker and everything they carry ((c)(3)); use it only on stable, level surfaces unless it's secured ((c)(4)); never move, shift or extend it while someone is on it ((c)(6)); don't stand on a stepladder's cap or top step ((c)(8)); and face the ladder, keep at least one hand on it, and carry nothing that could throw you off balance ((b)(11) to (13)). In construction, a portable ladder used to reach an upper landing extends at least 3 feet above it (1926.1053(b)(1)), and ladders near exposed energized equipment need nonconductive side rails ((b)(12)).

Tagging defective ladders

A defective ladder gets a tag and comes out of service the moment the defect is found. In general industry the tag follows 1910.145: it needs a signal word, such as DANGER, and a major message, such as "Do Not Use." That tag rule "does not apply to construction or agriculture" (1910.145(f)(1)(ii)); on construction sites, mark the ladder as defective or tag it "Do Not Use" under 1926.1053(b)(16). Our out-of-service tag maker prints a DANGER – DO NOT OPERATE tag you can fill in. Then repair it properly or replace it: never patch a ladder in the field.

Records

Neither ladder rule requires a written record of the inspection. That makes ladders easy to forget: they move from job to job, nobody owns them, and a cracked rail can go unreported for weeks. Number every ladder, and keep a dated record of who checked it and when; it's the only way to show the inspections happen, and to find the ladder that keeps coming back damaged.

Ladder checks with a QR sticker

CheckBadges puts a small QR sticker on each ladder's side rail. The first person to use it on a shift scans it with their own phone, with no app or login, and answers that ladder's checklist in under a minute. A problem needs a note and can carry a photo, emails you straight away, and warns the next person who scans that ladder until it's marked fixed. Each ladder with its own sticker counts as one machine on your plan, and it's free for 3; try it with your own ladders.