SL-001 — Learner reference

1. Choose a safe route between levels

By the end: Identify the access rule and keep the route usable.

Stairs and ladders give access between levels, but a usable route must fit the work. Identify whether the task falls under construction or general industry before choosing the rule. The employer must resolve that question; the building name or the worker’s job title alone does not decide it. This course labels the two sets of requirements. Other standards and applicable state rules may add duties.

Construction: a stairway or ladder is required at a personnel access point with a break in elevation of 19 inches or more unless a ramp, runway, sloped embankment or personnel hoist is provided. Install required stairway and ladder fall protection before employees begin work that needs that access. A convenient object to climb is not a planned access system.

Construction: when ladders are the only way into or out of a work area, provide a double-cleated ladder or two or more separate ladders if 25 or more employees use the route, or if simultaneous two-way traffic is expected. A single ladder is not made adequate by asking everyone to hurry. Plan for the actual traffic and material movement.

Construction: keep the sole access point clear. If work or equipment restricts it, provide and use a second access point. Where there is more than one access point, keep at least one clear. General industry also requires safe access and exit from walking-working surfaces. Keep routes clean and orderly, control wet or slippery conditions, and correct hazards before use or guard the area until correction.

General industry: use standard stairs for regular and routine travel between levels, including access to operating platforms. Spiral, ship and alternating-tread stairs require the employer to demonstrate that standard stairs are not feasible and to follow manufacturer instructions. In construction, a spiral stairway is not allowed unless it will be a permanent part of the structure. Scaffold access and equipment-integral stairs have separate rules; this course is not permission to substitute one system for another.

Basis: 1926.1051; 1910.22; 1910.25(b)

2. Select the right ladder and load limit

By the end: Match the ladder to the task and its intended load.

Choose equipment that lets you reach the task without standing on a forbidden step or leaning far outside the rails. Consider height, space, work duration, forces and the need to handle materials. A platform or another work method may be safer for a task needing prolonged force or awkward reach. That is a planning decision; a ladder is not made suitable merely because it fits through the door.

Use ladders only for the purpose for which they were designed. Do not tie short ladders together for extra length unless their design permits that arrangement. Do not use a ladder as a scaffold plank, bridge or support for an improvised platform. Single-rail ladders are prohibited. Combination ladders must be used only in their approved configurations.

Include the worker, clothing, tools, equipment and materials in the intended load. Consider forces applied during the work as well. Construction use may not exceed the ladder’s maximum intended load or manufacturer-rated capacity. General-industry portable ladders may not be loaded above their maximum intended load; select equipment with an adequate manufacturer rating for the whole task.

Construction portable-ladder design generally requires support for at least four times the maximum intended load, with a 3.3-times exception for specified extra-heavy-duty type 1A metal or plastic ladders. These are design criteria, not spare working capacity. Do not multiply a label’s working-load limit to decide what a worker may carry.

Rungs, steps and cleats must be parallel, level and uniformly spaced when ready for use. Ordinary ladder spacing and width rules have specific exceptions for certain types, so replacement parts and job-made ladders require an actual design review. Keep gripping surfaces safe and free of slipping hazards. Do not cover wood ladders with an opaque coating that hides defects; identification or warning labels are limited exceptions. A missing or unreadable rating needs resolution before selection.

Basis: 1926.1053(a), (b)(3)–(4), (b)(8)–(10); 1910.23(b), (c)(3)–(4)

3. Inspect and remove defective equipment

By the end: Apply the inspection timing and stop use when defects appear.

Construction: a competent person inspects ladders for visible defects periodically and after any occurrence that could affect safe use. A competent person can identify existing and predictable hazards and has authority to correct them promptly. The rule does not say every construction ladder must receive that inspection each shift. A user check before use is a sound site practice and should follow employer procedures, but it does not replace the required competent-person inspections.

General industry: inspect ladders before initial use in each work shift, and more frequently as necessary, to find visible defects that could cause injury. A recent sticker or inspection record is not a reason to ignore a bent rail, damaged foot or loose rung found now. Dropping a ladder or exposing it to unusual impact, chemicals or heat calls for reassessment under the applicable rule and manufacturer instructions.

Look at rails, steps, rungs, cleats, feet, locks, spreaders, fasteners and connections. On an extension ladder, include its rope, guides and locking arrangement. Check for cracks, splits, bends, corrosion, loose or missing parts, contamination and unstable support. Inspect fixed ladders and their attachment and protective systems as applicable. Do this from a safe position; inspection is not a reason to climb suspect equipment.

Construction: immediately mark or tag a portable ladder with structural defects and withdraw it from service until repaired. Remove a defective fixed ladder from service by tagging it, marking it so the defect is readily identified, or blocking access. Repairs must restore the original design criteria before return to use. Do not improvise a splint, cover a crack or transfer a good inspection tag from another ladder.

General industry: immediately tag a structurally defective or otherwise hazardous ladder Dangerous: Do Not Use, or similar wording, and remove it from service until repaired or replaced under 1910.22(d). Correct walking-working-surface hazards before reuse; if repair cannot be immediate, guard against use. A qualified person must perform or supervise repairs affecting structural integrity. The employer’s actual process must control withdrawal, repair and release, not just record a warning.

Basis: 1926.1053(b)(15)–(18); 1910.23(b)(9)–(10); 1910.22(d)

4. Set up portable ladders for stable access

By the end: Control placement, landing access, traffic and electrical exposure.

Use a stable, level surface unless the ladder is secured or stabilized to prevent displacement. Support both top rails equally unless a suitable single-support attachment is provided. Keep the top and bottom clear. Do not put a ladder on boxes, barrels or other unstable bases to gain height. Set up beyond door swing and traffic where possible; otherwise secure the ladder against displacement or use a barrier to keep traffic away.

Construction: set a non-self-supporting ladder with horizontal base setback about one-quarter of its working length measured along the ladder. For a 16-foot working length, the setback is about 4 feet. Wood job-made ladders with spliced side rails use a one-eighth working-length angle. General-industry OSHA Figure D-1 depicts the familiar 4:1 placement; follow the actual ladder’s safe angle and manufacturer instructions. A worker’s body size is not a substitute for checking the setup.

Construction: a portable ladder used to reach an upper landing needs side rails at least 3 feet above the landing. If the ladder’s length prevents that extension, secure its top to a rigid support that will not deflect and provide a grasping device such as a grabrail. The ladder extension may not deflect under load so that it slips off the support. This exception needs both secure support and a safe grasping device.

General industry: portable ladders used for upper-landing access must have side rails extending at least 3 feet above that landing. Do not import the construction short-ladder exception into this rule. Plan the step-off route and the landing’s own required protection before climbing. A ladder does not remove a roof-edge or floor-opening hazard after the worker steps off.

Construction: do not use ladders on slippery surfaces unless secured or provided with slip-resistant feet to prevent displacement. Feet are not a substitute for care in placing, lashing or holding a ladder used on a slippery surface. General industry: slippery-surface use requires the ladder to be secured and stabilized. Remove oil and other slipping hazards and follow stronger employer or manufacturer restrictions.

Use nonconductive side rails where the ladder or worker could contact exposed energized electrical equipment. This applies under both the construction ladder rule and general-industry electrical safe-work rule. Nonconductive rails do not authorize energized work or replace electrical clearance and deenergization controls. Plan for the full ladder length and every carried object. Stop and ask the responsible person if the electrical exposure is unresolved.

Basis: 1926.1053(b)(1), (b)(5)–(7), (b)(10)–(14); 1910.23(b), (c); 1910.333(c)(7)

5. Climb and work without losing balance

By the end: Use safe climbing and reposition before reaching too far.

Face the ladder while climbing up or down. Use at least one hand to grasp it while progressing. Do not carry a load that could cause loss of balance and a fall. Keeping three points of contact is a useful climbing practice; the federal clauses here specifically require facing the ladder, a hand grasp and control of loads. Apply employer and manufacturer instructions to the actual climb.

Plan a safe way to get tools and materials to the work. A suitable tool belt or controlled handling method may keep the hands available, but it must not create an excessive load, snag or a hazard to people below. Arrange any material transfer from a stable, protected position. Never climb with a load that prevents the required handhold or balance.

Keep your body and the work within a stable reach. Move the ladder when you cannot work without leaning or stretching past safe limits. Do not push or pull sideways in a way that can tip or displace it. If the task demands a posture or force the ladder cannot safely support, stop and use an appropriate work platform or method. Do not treat a helper at the base as a cure for an unsuitable task.

Never move, shift or extend an occupied portable ladder. Climb down, clear the area, adjust it according to its instructions and verify the setup before climbing again. Do not walk or hop a ladder sideways while standing on it. Do not ask another worker to move it with you aboard, even for a short distance.

Keep footwear and rungs free of contamination. Pause if wind, water, nearby movement or the work changes stability. Report damaged equipment and unsafe access rather than trying to finish the last minute of work. Use the employer’s emergency reporting procedure after a fall or other event; do not climb an unstable ladder to improvise a rescue.

Basis: 1926.1053(b)(11), (b)(20)–(22); 1910.23(b)(11)–(13), (c)(6)

6. Use stepladders and mobile ladder stands

By the end: Distinguish stable working positions from unsafe shortcuts.

Open a stepladder as intended and engage its metal spreader or locking device to hold the front and rear sections open. Do not lean a closed stepladder against a wall unless that ladder is specifically designed and approved for that mode. A combination ladder must be locked in its correct configuration. Check the manufacturer’s instructions before changing modes.

Do not stand on a stepladder’s cap or top step. Select a height that lets you do the work from a permitted step. Do not climb rear cross-bracing unless the ladder is designed and provided with steps for climbing both sections. A brace that looks like a rung is not automatically a step.

General industry has specific rules for mobile ladder stands and mobile ladder stand platforms in 1910.23(e). These wheeled units are not the same as mobile scaffolds. Their steps and platforms need slip-resistant surfaces and adequate strength, and mobile units need a device that impedes horizontal movement when occupied. Verify that the device is engaged or operating as designed before use.

General-industry mobile ladder stands and platforms must not be moved while an employee is on them. A conditional riding allowance for a mobile scaffold does not apply to these units. Step down, move the empty unit along a clear suitable route, then verify stability and movement control before use.

The maximum work-surface height of these units must not exceed four times the shortest base dimension unless additional support is provided to ensure stability. Required handrails, guardrails, midrails and toeboards depend on whether the unit is a stand or stand platform and its height. For example, stand platforms more than 10 feet high require guardrails and toeboards on exposed sides and ends. Have the employer check the actual configuration against 1910.23(e), rather than applying one rail dimension to every unit.

Basis: 1926.1053(a)(8), (b)(13), (b)(19); 1910.23(b)(8), (c)(8), (e)

7. Check fixed-ladder access and clearance

By the end: Recognize fixed-ladder transitions that need correction.

A fixed ladder is attached to a structure or equipment. It needs sound attachments, usable climbing space and a safe transition at each access point. The employer must identify the ladder type, height, condition and applicable rule. Do not treat a welded attachment or a cage as proof that the whole installation is suitable.

Both rule sets generally require at least 7 inches behind the rung centerline to the nearest permanent object; elevator-pit ladders have a 4½-inch exception. Required front climbing-side clearance is generally 30 inches. Where unavoidable obstructions reduce it, the specified reduction to 24 inches requires a deflection device. Verify the actual exception before using a confined or obstructed climb.

Uncaged fixed ladders generally need at least 15 inches of clear width on each side of the centerline. Rungs need proper spacing, slip control and sound connections. Sharp protrusions, pipework, stored materials and new cable routes can defeat clearance after installation. Report changes rather than twisting around the obstruction while climbing.

Side rails of through or side-step fixed ladders must extend 42 inches above the access level or landing served. For through ladders, the step-across distance is generally 7–12 inches from the rung centerline. General-industry side-step ladders have a 15–20-inch side-step distance requirement. Special through-ladder rail, rung and clearance arrangements also apply; have the responsible person verify the design instead of improvising a grab bar.

Check the transition, landing and opening protection, as well as the climb itself. A blocked hatch, damaged gate or unprotected landing is not corrected by a sound ladder below it. Follow the approved access method and required protection throughout the route. Do not assume a shorter climb is safe merely because it is below the fixed-ladder fall-system threshold.

Basis: 1926.1053(a)(13)–(19); 1910.23(d)

8. Match fixed-ladder fall protection to the rule

By the end: Distinguish construction requirements from general-industry installation dates.

Fixed-ladder fall protection differs between construction and general industry. Identify both the governing work rule and the actual ladder dimensions. Do not use the general-industry installation dates to remove a construction requirement, and do not use an older construction cage arrangement to approve a newly installed general-industry ladder.

Construction: a fixed ladder with a climb shorter than 24 feet still needs a cage, well, ladder safety device or self-retracting lifeline if its top is more than 24 feet above lower levels. Where the total climb equals or exceeds 24 feet, provide a ladder safety device; or a self-retracting lifeline with rest platforms at intervals no greater than 150 feet; or a cage or well with multiple offset sections no longer than 50 feet and landings at intervals no greater than 50 feet. These arrangements must satisfy their detailed design criteria.

General industry: for a fixed ladder extending more than 24 feet above a lower level, the installation date matters. A ladder installed before November 19, 2018 may have a personal fall arrest system, ladder safety system, cage or well during the transition period. A ladder installed on or after November 19, 2018 must have a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system. A cage alone does not satisfy the new-installation requirement.

General industry: when a ladder, cage, well or any portion of a section is replaced, install a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system in at least that affected section. On and after November 18, 2036, every covered fixed ladder must have a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system. The future date does not excuse a new or replaced ladder from its current requirement. A cage may remain if it does not interfere with the required system.

General industry: required systems must protect the entire vertical climbing distance, including ladder sections. Ladder sections with a personal fall arrest or ladder safety system need rest platforms at maximum intervals of 150 feet. Sections with cages or wells must be offset and have landings at maximum intervals of 50 feet. The employer must verify the actual installation and any additional limitations.

A ladder safety system is not simply a harness clipped to any convenient rung. Compatible equipment, suitable connections, installation, inspection and correct use must follow the applicable standard and manufacturer instructions. Workers using personal fall protection need qualified-person instruction under the general-industry training rule, or the applicable construction instruction. Have the employer provide actual system practice and emergency arrangements before exposure; this course does not authorize installation or rescue.

Basis: 1926.1053(a)(18)–(23); 1910.28(b)(9); 1910.29(i); 1910.30(a)

9. Use construction stairways safely

By the end: Recognize temporary-stair and landing requirements.

Construction stairs must be installed between 30 and 50 degrees from horizontal. Riser heights and tread depths must be uniform within each flight, with variation no greater than ¼ inch. Unexpected step differences create a trip even when every step looks strong. Have the responsible personnel correct the flight rather than warning workers to memorize the odd step.

Stairways that will not be a permanent part of the structure need landings at least 30 inches in the direction of travel and at least 22 inches wide at every 12 feet or less of vertical rise. A door or gate opening directly onto a stairway needs a platform whose effective width remains at least 20 inches when the door swings. Keep the landing usable, not just present on a drawing.

Eliminate slippery conditions before the stairway is used to reach another level. Keep stairs free of hazardous projections, such as protruding nails. Clear stored materials and cords that restrict the walking path. Lighting, housekeeping and coordination with other trades should support a clear, predictable route.

Metal pan stairs must not be used for ordinary foot traffic unless temporary treads or landings fill the pans with wood or other solid material at least to the top edge. Replace that fill when wear takes it below the top edge. The limited exception is traffic needed for actual stairway construction, not routine access for every trade.

Skeleton metal stairs without permanent treads or landings need secured temporary treads and landings before ordinary use. Temporary pieces must cover the full width and depth. Loose partial boards or an instruction to step only near one side do not supply a complete tread. Required rail and opening protection must also be installed; sound treads alone do not finish the stairway.

Basis: 1926.1052(a)

10. Recognize general-industry stair requirements

By the end: Check standard stairs and landings against the applicable installation rule.

General-industry stair rules cover standard, spiral, ship and alternating-tread stairs. They exclude stairs on scaffolds, stairs designed into machines or equipment, stairs on self-propelled motorized equipment, and articulated stairs used with floating-roof tanks. Exclusion from this particular section is not permission for unsafe access; the employer identifies the applicable standard for that equipment.

Standard stairs have an angle between 30 and 50 degrees and a minimum width of 22 inches between vertical barriers. Standard stairs installed on or after January 17, 2017 have maximum riser height of 9½ inches and minimum tread depth of 9½ inches. Older installations may meet the stated older-stair table or qualifying angle-based exception. Do not apply a new-installation dimension retroactively without checking that exception, or use the older exception for a new stair.

Riser height and tread depth must be uniform between landings. General stair headroom is at least 6 feet 8 inches measured from the tread’s leading edge to overhead obstruction, with a separate spiral-stair provision. Stairway landings and platforms must be at least the width of the stair and at least 30 inches deep in the direction of travel. A landing must provide a usable transition, not storage space that forces a narrow step-around.

Where doors or gates open directly onto a stairway, provide a platform. For platforms installed before January 17, 2017, the door swing must leave at least 20 inches of usable depth. For those installed on or after that date, it must leave at least 22 inches. Identify the installation date and check the door in its open position.

Each stairway must support at least five times its normal anticipated live load and never less than a 1,000-pound concentrated load applied at any point. This is a structural design requirement, not an invitation for workers to test the stair by overloading it. Structural repair requires qualified-person involvement under 1910.22. Report loose treads, corrosion, damaged rails or unusual movement and prevent exposure until corrected.

Basis: 1910.25; 1910.22

11. Distinguish handrails from stair rails

By the end: Match grasping support and edge protection to the industry rule.

A handrail gives a person a graspable support. A stair rail protects an open stair edge; its top is not always at an acceptable handrail height. Both functions may be needed. Keep rails smooth, graspable where required and free of snagging projections. Do not remove an intermediate member or rail for material access without a complete authorized protective arrangement.

Construction: stairways with four or more risers, or rising more than 30 inches, whichever is less, need at least one handrail and a stair rail along each unprotected side or edge. Stair rails installed after March 15, 1991 must be at least 36 inches high; older ones have a 30–34-inch range. Handrails are 30–37 inches high. A top rail serving both functions must be 36–37 inches high and satisfy the handrail conditions.

General industry: stairways with at least three treads and four risers need handrails and stair rails according to Table D-2, which accounts for width and enclosed or open sides. Enclosed stairs narrower than 44 inches need at least one handrail. Stairs 44–88 inches wide need a handrail on each enclosed side and a stair rail with handrail on each open side. Wider stairs also need an intermediate handrail. The employer must check the full table for the actual arrangement; ship and alternating-tread stairs require handrails on both sides.

General industry: handrails are 30–38 inches high. Stair rails installed before January 17, 2017 must be at least 30 inches high; those installed on or after that date must be at least 42 inches high. A top rail may also serve as a handrail only when it is 36–38 inches high and meets the other handrail criteria. A new 42-inch stair rail therefore needs a separate compliant handrail where a handrail is required.

Both systems require suitable intermediate protection and strength, not just a top rail at the right height. The applicable handrail or top-rail strength requirement is at least 200 pounds in a downward or outward direction. Openings between intermediate members generally may not exceed 19 inches. General-industry handrails need at least 2¼ inches of finger clearance; construction temporary handrails need at least 3 inches from surrounding objects. These are different provisions, so confirm the actual rule and complete design.

Landings also need protection. Construction unprotected stairway landings need guardrails meeting Subpart M. General-industry stairway landings with unprotected sides or edges 4 feet or more above a lower level need guardrail or stair-rail protection. Do not apply a portable-ladder exemption to the landing after stepping off. Report a loose rail, missing member or unprotected edge and have the route made safe before use.

Basis: 1926.1052(c); 1910.28(b)(11); 1910.29(f)

12. Complete workplace training and keep skills current

By the end: Identify trainer requirements, retraining and actual workplace evidence.

Construction employers must train each employee who uses ladders and stairways as necessary. Instruction must enable workers to recognize related hazards and follow procedures that minimize them. A competent person provides the applicable training: fall hazards, correct erection, maintenance and disassembly of fall protection, proper construction, use, placement and care of stairs and ladders, maximum intended loads and the relevant Subpart X rules.

General industry requires training in the proper care, inspection, storage and use of covered equipment before an employee uses it. For employees exposed to fall hazards who require training under 1910.30(a), a qualified person provides instruction before exposure. That instruction includes fall hazards, protective procedures, correct installation, inspection, operation, maintenance and disassembly, and correct personal fall-system hookup, anchoring and use. Do not treat an equipment overview as complete personal fall-system training.

Use language and a manner the worker understands. Arrange questions, demonstrations and teach-back using actual equipment and work conditions. A useful workplace check asks the employee to select equipment, inspect it, set it up, climb safely, handle materials and explain defect reporting. Practice must itself be safe; do not expose someone to an uncontrolled fall to test whether they can respond.

Construction retraining is provided as necessary so employees maintain understanding and knowledge. General-industry retraining is required when changes in the workplace or equipment make earlier training obsolete, or when knowledge or skill gaps show the employee no longer has the required understanding or skill. Do not wait for an annual date or an injury after a gap is recognized.

These sections do not prescribe a universal annual refresher, a fixed course duration or the Academy’s passing score. Online completion records the knowledge component. The employer must still verify actual instruction, equipment suitability and safe performance, and designate competent or qualified people based on their real capability and role. Keep useful records of dates, equipment, trainer, demonstrated skills, corrections and retraining under the employer’s applicable requirements.

Before work, know who receives hazard reports and how to summon emergency help. For work using personal fall protection, the employer must arrange the applicable emergency and rescue provisions and teach the actual procedure separately. Do not use an unsafe ladder, climb into an uncontrolled hazard or attempt an untrained rescue. Correct critical gaps and establish safe access before assigning the task.

Basis: 1926.1060; 1910.30; employer emergency procedures