This lesson ties the course together. It covers fixed ladders, the heights at which fall protection is required, what your employer must train you on, and what to do if you are unsure.
Fixed ladders
A fixed ladder is permanently attached to a structure. You find them on tanks, silos, towers, roof access points, mezzanines and pits. Different rules apply to them (29 CFR 1910.23(d) and 1910.28).
- Inspect them as you do portable ladders. Check rungs, rails, the way they are attached to the structure, rust and corrosion, and the area at the top and bottom.
- Rungs must be uniformly spaced, and grease, oil and ice must not be on them.
- In general industry, a fixed ladder that extends more than 24 feet above a lower level needs fall protection (1910.28(b)(9)). Ladders installed since November 19, 2018 need a ladder safety system or a personal fall arrest system. Older ladders may still rely on a cage or well for now, but from November 18, 2036 every such ladder must have a ladder safety system or a personal fall arrest system.
- Use the fall protection that is fitted, such as a rail or cable system with a harness and sleeve. Do not climb with the system in the "off" position, or without being trained to use it.
- Never use a fixed ladder as a place to store things or to tie something to.
When is fall protection required?
A ladder is not fall protection. If the work you are doing exposes you to a fall hazard, the height rules tell your employer what to provide.
- General industry (1910.28): protection is generally required at 4 feet or more above a lower level. A guardrail, safety net or personal fall arrest system are examples.
- Construction (1926.501): protection is generally required at 6 feet or more.
- A construction site needs a stairway or ladder wherever there is a break in elevation of 19 inches or more, and no ramp, runway or embankment is provided (1926.1051).
These are general rules with many exceptions and special cases. Your employer chooses and sets up the system. Your job is to use the protection provided, ask for training, and report what is missing.
Alternatives to ladders
If the job needs long work at height, heavy loads, or a position close to an edge, ask for another method: a scaffold, a lift, a platform, or a way to do the work from the ground.
Your training
Under 29 CFR 1910.30 (general industry), the employer must train you in the proper care, inspection, storage and use of ladders and other equipment before you use it. Workers who use personal fall protection systems also need fall hazard training before they are exposed, given by a qualified person: the nature of the fall hazards in the work area, how to keep them low, and how to install, inspect, use and maintain the fall protection. Training must be given in a manner you understand. Employers must retrain a worker who they have reason to believe lacks the understanding or skill, for example when the workplace or the equipment changes.
On construction sites, 1926.1060 requires a training program for each employee who uses ladders and stairways, given by a competent person. It must cover the fall hazards of the work area, how to erect, maintain and take down fall protection systems, the proper use, placement and care of ladders and stairways, the maximum intended load-carrying capacities of the ladders used, and the rules of the standard itself. It also requires retraining as necessary, so that the worker keeps the understanding and knowledge.
What this course cannot do
This course is awareness training, based on the general rules. It does not replace:
- the site-specific training on your ladders, your fall hazards and your fixed ladders;
- hands-on instruction and observation by a qualified or competent person;
- training and equipment for personal fall arrest systems;
- the employer's job hazard analysis and fall protection plan.
OSHA does not approve training courses or issue ladder cards. A certificate of completion from us is not an OSHA card, license or approval of any kind. Your employer decides whether it meets their needs.
What to do if you are unsure
- Do not climb if you are not sure it is safe.
- Ask your supervisor, safety officer or the person who trained you.
- If the answer is not good enough, raise it again. You are protected when you report a hazard in good faith.
- If a serious hazard stays, you can contact OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA or osha.gov.
Remember
A ladder is not fall protection. Get trained for your site. Ask before you climb.