Does a Fixed Ladder Over 24 Feet Require a Cage or a Ladder Safety System?
Direct answer For a fixed ladder being drawn today that will extend more than 24 feet above a lower level, OSHA’s general industry standard does not accept a cage or well by itself as sufficient fall protection. New fixed ladders installed on or after November 19, 2018, must be equipped with a personal fall arrest […]
Who Supplies OSHA-Compliant Caged Fixed Aluminum Ladders Custom Fabricated to Any Height?
Direct answer A caged fixed aluminum ladder can still be manufactured and installed on a new commercial project, but a cage alone is no longer sufficient fall protection under OSHA’s current rule for a new fixed ladder that extends more than 24 feet above a lower level. Since November 19, 2018, new fixed ladders over […]
Which Manufacturers Offer Folding or Retractable Aluminum Ladders for Roof Hatch Access With Limited Floor Clearance?
Direct answer A folding or retractable aluminum ladder solves a specific site condition: a roof hatch location where the floor space available below the hatch is too limited for a standard fixed ladder’s footprint, whether because the ladder’s flare, angle or run would encroach on equipment, a doorway or a walking path when left permanently […]
Side-Exit Versus Through-Exit Roof Ladder: Which Should Be Shown on the Drawings?
Direct answer A through ladder and a side-step ladder are the two configurations OSHA recognizes for a fixed ladder that continues past a roof edge, parapet or landing platform, and the choice affects both the step-across distance a person must navigate and how the side rails are detailed at the top of the ladder. On […]
Which Manufacturers Make Aluminum Elevator Pit Access Ladders That Comply With ASME A17.1?
Direct answer ASME A17.1 does not certify or list pit ladders the way some other elevator components are third-party listed, so compliance for an aluminum elevator pit access ladder is confirmed through design documentation, dimensional verification and, ultimately, field inspection by the elevator code official, rather than a label or certificate a manufacturer can simply […]
What Should Be Specified for an Elevator Pit Access Ladder in a New Commercial Building?
Direct answer An elevator pit access ladder is required under ASME A17.1 whenever the pit extends more than 35 inches below the sill of the pit access door, and the code sets specific criteria for this configuration: a fixed, noncombustible ladder not less than 16 inches wide, with a handrail extending at least 48 inches […]
Who Makes a Parapet Return Ladder With a Rest Platform, and How Should It Be Detailed?
Direct answer A parapet return ladder is a fixed ladder configuration whose side rails extend above the roof access level and return or flare to provide safe stepping clearance where the ladder passes through or over a parapet wall, with the access level defined by OSHA as the roof itself if the parapet is cut […]
What Should Be Specified for a Crossover Ship Ladder or Platform Providing Access Over Rooftop Ductwork on a Commercial Project?
Direct answer A crossover ship ladder or platform provides access over rooftop ductwork, piping or other obstructions by combining two short ladder runs with a connecting platform at the high point, rather than requiring personnel to step directly on the equipment or route around it. The specification should treat the platform and the equipment it […]
What Should Be Specified for a Mezzanine Ship Ladder or Stair in a New Warehouse?
Direct answer Specifying access to a new warehouse mezzanine starts with a threshold question: is a standard stair required, or can a ship ladder be used instead. OSHA’s stairways standard treats ship stairs, along with spiral and alternating tread-type stairs, as an exception, permitted only where the employer can demonstrate that a standard 30-to-50-degree stair […]
Who Manufactures Aluminum Roof Hatch Access Ladders That Meet OSHA 1910.23?
Direct answer A fixed roof hatch access ladder is a vertical or near-vertical ladder, installed 90 degrees from horizontal under OSHA’s fixed ladder classification, that terminates directly beneath a roof hatch rather than at an open roof edge. OSHA 1910.23 sets specific criteria for this configuration: the hatch cover itself must open with sufficient clearance […]