Under the new regulations a ladder over 24 feet high will require a personal fall arrest system or ladder safety system.
Osha roof hatch ladder requirements.
If you carefully examine the new ruling you ll note that osha 1910 28 b 9 requires general industry employers to provide fall protection on fixed ladders more than 24 above a lower level.
What about landing platforms.
Ladder rungs and steps in elevator shafts must be spaced not less than 6 inches 15 cm apart and not more than 16 5 inches 42 cm apart as measured along the ladder side rails.
And 1910 23 b 2 ii.
A ladder that is less than 24 feet high does not require a fall arrest system of any sort.
Roof hatch protection is addressed by osha standard 26 cfr 1910 23 entitled guarding floor and wall openings and holes full text of this standard is available online at www osha gov.
Individual rung step ladders except those used where their access openings are covered with manhole covers or hatches shall extend at least 42 inches 1 1 m above an access level or landing platform either by the continuation of the rung spacings as horizontal grab bars or by providing vertical grab bars that shall have the same lateral spacing as the vertical legs of the rungs.
This new requirement is important for a number of reasons.
Section 1910 27 c 7 and figure d 6 attached specify the relationship for a fixed ladder to an acceptable hatch cover but there is no specific requirement for grab bars.