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29 CFR 1910.23: Ladders in general industry

Subpart D—Walking-Working Surfaces · official heading: Ladders

Since January 2017 this section covers ladders outside construction: rungs and steps spaced 10 to 14 inches apart, ladders inspected before first use in each work shift, and damaged ladders taken out of service. Before 2017, 1910.23 covered guarding floor and wall openings, which is what older citations under this number refer to.

8,432citations since 2015
6,412employers cited
82%serious, willful or repeat
$750median penalty per item

OSHA has cited 29 CFR 1910.23 8,432 times since 2015, against 6,412 employers. Penalties on these items add up to $16,593,349 at their current amounts.

Citations per year

The parts of the rule cited most

1910.23(c)(1) · 2,073 citations

(1) Rungs and steps of portable metal ladders are corrugated, knurled, dimpled, coated with skid-resistant material, or otherwise treated to minimize the possibility of slipping;

1910.23(b)(10) · 797 citations

(10) Any ladder with structural or other defects is immediately tagged “Dangerous: Do Not Use” or with similar language in accordance with § 1910.145 and removed from service until repaired in accordance with § 1910.22(d), or replaced;

1910.23(c)(11) · 515 citations

(11) Portable ladders used to gain access to an upper landing surface have side rails that extend at least 3 feet (0.9 m) above the upper landing surface (see Figure D-1 of this section);

1910.23(b)(8) · 488 citations

(8) Ladders are used only for the purposes for which they were designed;

1910.23(b)(9) · 440 citations

(9) Ladders are inspected before initial use in each work shift, and more frequently as necessary, to identify any visible defects that could cause employee injury;

1910.23(e)(1) · 387 citations

(e) Mobile ladder stands and mobile ladder stand platforms—(1) General requirements. The employer must ensure:

1910.23(a)(8) · 306 citations

(a) Application. The employer must ensure that each ladder used meets the requirements of this section. This section covers all ladders, except when the ladder is:

1910.23(c)(3) · 239 citations

(3) Ladders are not loaded beyond the maximum intended load;

Industries cited most

  • Manufacturing 2,683
  • Retail Trade 745
  • Construction 740
  • Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 732
  • Wholesale Trade 654
  • Transportation and Warehousing 415

States cited most

Recently cited employers