10/20/2026
Ladder safety (October 20, 2026)
Most ladder falls don’t come from big heights. They come from a quick job where someone thought, “I’ll only be up there a second.”
Ladders are #5 on OSHA’s preliminary list of most-cited standards for FY2026, so they’re in the top five again this year. CPWR data shows ladders were the main source of 90 construction worker deaths in 2022. A serious OSHA citation can now cost up to $16,550 per violation, and up to $165,514 if it’s willful or repeated. That’s before you count lost time, schedule delays and workers’ comp claims.
The good news is that ladder falls are among the easiest incidents to prevent. Here’s what works on site:
Pick the right ladder for the job. Check the duty rating, the height, and use non-conductive ladders near electrical work.
Inspect it before every use. Look for cracked rails, loose rungs and missing feet. If it’s damaged, tag it and take it out of service.
Set it up correctly. Use a 4-to-1 angle, put it on firm and level ground, and extend it 3 feet above the landing.
Keep three points of contact. Carry tools in a belt or hoist them up. Don’t carry them in your hands while you climb.
Don’t stand on the top cap or the top step. If you need more reach, get a taller ladder or a lift.
Foremen, a two-minute ladder check at the morning huddle goes a long way.
What’s the most common ladder mistake you see on your jobsites?
Sources:
OSHA Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards, preliminary FY2026: https://www.osha.gov/top10citedstandards
CPWR Data Bulletin, March 2024 (90 ladder-related construction deaths in 2022):https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/DataBulletin-March2024.pdf
OSHA memo on 2026 civil penalty amounts (no inflation increase for 2026, so the 2025 maximums still apply): https://www.osha.gov/memos/2026-05-21/2026-annual-adjustments-osha-civil-penalties
.dl-horizontal dt {text-align:left;} table caption {padding:0;margin-bottom:5px;font-size:1.25rem !important;} table a.active {display: unset !important;} table thead a{color: !important;} May 21, 2026
