OSHA Ladder Safety Requirements: What 1926.1053 Demands, and the Enforcement Record
Ladders are simple equipment, and the records show that one simple rule drives most of the enforcement: a ladder has to extend three feet above the landing it serves. This is what 29 CFR 1926.1053 requires and what the data shows. Citation counts come from the full DOL OSHA enforcement dataset, counted by citation issuance year, federal and state-plan programs combined. Data queried June 30, 2026.
Key Findings
- 29 CFR 1926.1053, ladders in construction, has been cited 112,960 times across 112,810 inspections, with about $132 million in current penalties on record.
- OSHA ranks it third on its official Top 10 most cited standards for fiscal year 2025.
- A single provision dominates: the 3-foot extension rule, (b)(1), accounts for 58,054 citations, more than half the total, with $86.9 million in penalties.
- Annual citations: 2,724 in 2020, 3,471 in 2021, 3,637 in 2022, 3,931 in 2023, 3,734 in 2024, and 3,707 in 2025.
- The next most cited provisions cover using a ladder only for its designed purpose, (b)(4), and not standing on the top step of a stepladder, (b)(13).
What the ladder standard requires
1926.1053 covers how ladders are built and used on construction sites. These provisions are the ones cited most often:
- Extend 3 feet above the landing, (b)(1). A ladder used to reach an upper landing must extend at least 3 feet above it, or be secured at the top with a grasping device where that is not possible.
- Intended use, (b)(4). Ladders must be used only for the purpose they were designed for.
- Stepladder top step, (b)(13). The top or top step of a stepladder must not be used as a step.
- Damaged ladders, (b)(16). Portable ladders with structural defects must be tagged or marked "Do Not Use" and removed from service until repaired.
- Stable surface, (b)(6). Ladders must sit on a stable and level surface unless secured to prevent displacement.
- Clear of traffic, (b)(8). Ladders placed where they could be hit by work activity or traffic must be secured or barricaded.
The full regulatory text is published by the Office of the Federal Register at ecfr.gov (Title 29, Section 1926.1053), and by OSHA at osha.gov.
The most cited ladder provisions
Citations are recorded against specific paragraphs. One rule, the 3-foot extension, stands out from everything else in the ladder standard.
| Provision | Covers | Citations | Penalties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926.1053(b)(1) | Extend 3 feet above the landing | 58,054 | $86.9M |
| 1926.1053(b)(4) | Use only for intended purpose | 14,265 | $11.8M |
| 1926.1053(b)(13) | Top step of stepladder not used | 11,071 | $9.9M |
| 1926.1053(b)(16) | Damaged ladders removed from service | 7,182 | $4.3M |
| 1926.1053(b)(6) | Stable and level surface | 3,362 | $3.0M |
Counts are all years on record by citation issuance date. Penalties are current penalties on record, rounded to the nearest $100,000.
Citation trend, 2020 to 2025
| Year | Citations under 1926.1053 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,724 |
| 2021 | 3,471 |
| 2022 | 3,637 |
| 2023 | 3,931 |
| 2024 | 3,734 |
| 2025 | 3,707 |
Counts are by citation issuance year across federal and state-plan programs. The full record for this standard is on the 1926.1053 standard page, and the wider ranking is in our Top 10 most cited standards analysis.
Methodology and sources
Citation counts are from the U.S. DOL OSHA enforcement dataset (developer.dol.gov), counted by citation issuance date, federal and state-plan programs combined, delete-flagged records excluded. Penalty values are current penalties on record, not necessarily final after settlement, rounded to the nearest $100,000. Standard text and paragraph subjects: Office of the Federal Register, eCFR Title 29, 1926.1053, and OSHA, osha.gov. Most-cited ranking: OSHA, osha.gov/top10citedstandards, fiscal year 2025. No records are estimated. Data queried June 30, 2026.
29 CFR 1926.1053 sets the requirements for ladders in construction. The most cited duties are that a ladder used to reach an upper landing extends at least 3 feet above it, that ladders sit on a stable and level surface, that they are used only for their designed purpose, that the top step of a stepladder is not used as a step, and that damaged ladders are tagged and removed from service.
Under 1926.1053(b)(1), when a ladder is used to access an upper landing, its side rails must extend at least 3 feet above the landing surface. Where that is not possible, the ladder must be secured at the top and fitted with a grasping device such as a grab rail.
By a wide margin, 1926.1053(b)(1), the 3-foot extension rule, with 58,054 citations on record, more than half of all citations under the ladder standard.
In the federal enforcement records, 29 CFR 1926.1053 has been cited 112,960 times across 112,810 inspections, with about $132 million in current penalties on record. It was cited 3,707 times in 2025, and OSHA ranks it third on its Top 10 for fiscal year 2025.
Data Source and Methodology
Data synced dailyData on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement database, accessed via the DOL public data API. Records are updated daily. We strive for accuracy, but errors in data processing or establishment grouping are possible. Penalty amounts reflect the latest penalty amounts on record in the DOL database and may differ from initial assessments or final amounts after informal conference, settlement, or judicial review. Company pages group inspection records by normalized employer name, city, and state as reported in OSHA records. That grouping is deterministic and non-fuzzy, but it is not a universal legal-entity identifier. If you believe any record is inaccurate, please report it and we will investigate. This product uses the DOL Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the DOL. For official and authoritative records, visit osha.gov.