Osha Roof Access Ladder Requirements

Here is the osha guide on fall protection.

Osha roof access ladder requirements.

Per osha 1910 23 d 4 the side rails of through or sidestep ladders must extend 42 inches above the top of the access level or landing platform served by the ladder. Under the new regulations a ladder over 24 feet high will require a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system. For parapet ladders the access level is. 1910 23 d 4 i the roof if the parapet is cut to permit passage through the parapet.

Note that this is more than the 3 feet a portable ladder needs to extend above a landing or the 3 feet high a hand grab has to be for a portable ladder. Bottoms of wells above the point of access to the bottom of the ladder must be between 7 feet 2 1 m and 8 feet 2 4 m. Things you need to watch out for. The standard states that safety cages or wells shall be provided on ladders of more than 20 feet to a maximum unbroken length of 30 feet.

Here are the basics of the requirements. Through fixed ladders at their point of access egress shall have a step across distance of not less than 7 inches 18 cm nor more than 12 inches 30 cm as measured from the centerline of the steps or rungs to the nearest edge of the landing area. A ladder that is less than 24 feet high does not require a fall arrest system of any sort. Fall protection when a worker may need to go closer than 6 to a roof edge varying roof heights a worker may need to cross greater than 19 high window washing safely accessing roofs with ladders either fixed or not.

To protect the worker exiting a ladder osha requires a 42 inch high grab bar extension above the access level or landing platform at the top of the ladder. You can choose any pfas provided it meets the osha requirements in section 1926 502 d. The side rails of through or sidestep ladders extend at least 42 inches 1 1 m above the top of the access level or landing platform served by the ladder. This is the same height that osha requires for guardrails.

All wood parts of fixed ladders shall meet the requirements of 1910 25 b. For fixed ladders consisting of wood side rails and wood rungs or cleats used at a pitch in the range 75 degrees to 90 degrees and intended for use by no more than one person per section single ladders as described in 1910 25 c 3 ii are acceptable. Literal compliance with osha s standard therefore would require a safety cage or well but see the answer to question 4 below for the current status of this standard. Cages must extend 42 inches above the top of the landing.

Osha requires that this distance be no greater than 3 5 feet 29 cfr 1926 502 d 16 iv but it may be less for some pfas equipment.