Osha Roof Access Ladder Requirements

Cages must extend 42 inches above the top of the landing.

Osha roof access ladder requirements.

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. 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. Things you need to watch out for. 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.

1910 23 d 4 i the roof if the parapet is cut to permit passage through the parapet. This is the same height that osha requires for guardrails. All wood parts of fixed ladders shall meet the requirements of 1910 25 b. How far the d ring shifts and the harness stretches when it supports the full weight of a fallen worker including the weight of tool belts and other attached equipment or tools.

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. What about landing platforms. For parapet ladders the access level is. Here is the osha guide on fall protection.

Here are the basics of the requirements. 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. 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. 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.

A ladder that is less than 24 feet high does not require a fall arrest system of any sort. You can choose any pfas provided it meets the osha requirements in section 1926 502 d. 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. Under the new regulations a ladder over 24 feet high will require a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system.

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.