Osha Roof Access Ladder Cage Requirements

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.

Osha roof access ladder cage requirements.

The top of the cage shall be a minimum of 42 inches 1 1 m above the top of the platform or the point of access at the top of the ladder with provision for access to the platform or other point of access. Horizontal bands must be fastened to the side rails of rail ladders or directly to the structure building or equipment. 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. 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.

For parapet ladders the access level is. 1926 1053 a 21 wells for fixed ladders shall conform to all of the following. Cages must extend 42 inches above the top of the landing. 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.

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. Osha s new ruling was designed in part to create more uniformity between the general industry and construction standards. Vertical bars must be on the inside of the horizontal bands and must be fastened to them. Cages must not extend less than 27 inches 68 cm or more than 30 inches 76 cm from.

This is the same height that osha requires for guardrails. 1910 23 d 4 i the roof if the parapet is cut to permit passage through the parapet. For fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet 7 3 m above a lower level 29 cfr 1910 28 b 9 i requires that each fixed ladder installed before november 19 2018 is equipped with a personal fall arrest system ladder safety system cage or well and each fixed ladder installed after this date is equipped with a personal fall arrest system or a ladder safety system. For starters prior to the new ruling the only real guidance on fixed ladders came from the construction standards osha more 1926 1053 a 18 required the use of cages wells ladder safety devices or self retracting lifelines for fixed ladders of 24 feet or more.

Several of the important changes are listed below. 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.