Ladder citations are among the most common in construction because the rules are simple, visible from the street, and routinely ignored. The use requirements in 1926.1053(b) apply to all ladders, including job-made ones.
Extension above the landing. When portable ladders are used for access to an upper landing surface, the side rails must extend at least 3 feet above the landing; where that is not possible because of the ladder's length, the ladder must be secured at its top to a rigid support that will not deflect, and a grasping device such as a grabrail provided (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1)). The 3 feet exist so a worker stepping off has something to hold at waist height.
Setup. A non-self-supporting ladder is set so the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot is approximately one-quarter of the working length (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(5)(i)). Ladders are used only for the purpose for which they were designed (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(4)), only on stable and level surfaces unless secured to prevent accidental displacement (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(6)), and the area around the top and bottom is kept clear (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(9)).
Condition. Portable ladders with structural defects — broken or missing rungs, split rails, corroded components — must be immediately marked defective or tagged "Do Not Use" and withdrawn from service until repaired (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(16)). The top or top step of a stepladder is not a step (29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(13)).
When a ladder is required at all. A stairway or ladder must be provided at every personnel point of access where there is a break in elevation of 19 inches or more and no ramp, runway, sloped embankment, or personnel hoist is provided (29 CFR 1926.1051(a)). Employees who use ladders must be trained by a competent person to recognize the hazards and the procedures to minimize them (29 CFR 1926.1060(a)).