California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety › Subchapter 4 - Construction Safety Orders › Article 25 - Ladders › Section 1676 - Job-Made Ladders

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a)
					 Job-made ladders shall be constructed for intended use. If a ladder is to
					 provide the only means of access or exit from a working area for 25 or more
					 employees, or simultaneous two-way traffic is expected, a double cleat ladder
					 shall be installed.
NOTE: Cleats for job-made ladders are defined as
						crosspieces used by a person in ascending or descending a ladder. Cleats are
						also known as steps or rungs.
(b) Side rails, when of wood, shall be the
					 equivalent of dressed Douglas fir "selected lumber", free from sharp edges and
					 splinters, and shall not have knots, except for an occasional one less than
					 ½ -inch in diameter that appears only on the wide face and is at least
					 ½ -inch back from either edge.
If splicing of side rails is necessary to attain the
						required length, the splice shall develop the full strength of a continuous
						side rail of the same length.
(c) Cleats of wood shall be clear,
					 straight-grained and absolutely free from knots of any size that appear in the
					 narrow face. Knots appearing in the wide faces of cleats shall not exceed a
					 diameter of ¼ -inch. Cleats shall be uniformly spaced within ¼
					 -inch tolerance, and not farther apart than 12 inches measured from the tops of
					 cleats. The clear space in the plane of the cleats between the top of any cleat
					 and an obstruction above shall be at least 4 ½ inches.
EXCEPTION: The cleats of ladders used only by hod
						carriers and plaster tenders shall be uniformly spaced within ¼ -inch
						tolerance at not more than 9 inches measured from the tops of
						cleats.
(d) Double cleat
					 ladders shall not exceed 24 feet in length.
(e) Single cleat ladders shall not exceed 30
					 feet in length between supports (base and top landing). If ladders are to
					 connect different landings, or if the length required exceeds this maximum
					 length, two or more separate ladders shall be used, offset with a platform
					 between each ladder. Guardrails and toeboards shall be erected on the exposed
					 sides of the platforms.
(f) The
					 width of single cleat ladders shall be at least 15 inches, but not more than 20
					 inches, between rails at the top.
(g) Side rails shall be parallel or flared
					 top to bottom by not more than one-quarter of an inch for each 2 feet of
					 length.
(h) 2-inch by 4-inch lumber
					 shall be used for side rails of single cleat ladders up to 16 feet long: 3-inch
					 by 6-inch lumber shall be used for single cleat ladders from 16 to 30 feet in
					 length.
(i) 2-inch by 4-inch lumber
					 shall be used for side and middle rails of double cleat ladders up to 12 feet
					 in length: 2-inch by 6-inch lumber for double cleat ladders from 12 to 24 feet
					 in length.
(j) Cleats shall be
					 inset into the edges of the side rails one-half inch, or filler blocks shall be
					 used on the rails between the cleats. The cleats shall be secured to each rail
					 with three 10d common wire nails or other fasteners of equivalent strength.
					 Cleats shall be uniformly spaced, 12 inches top-to-top. Double-head nails shall
					 not be used for ladder construction.
(k) Every portable ladder shall be of such
					 material, size, and construction that it will safely carry the load to be
					 placed thereon. Ladders which are customarily used for special purposes, such
					 as those used for access to and additional support for overhead platforms,
					 ladder brackets, and ladder scaffolding, shall be of such design, material, and
					 construction that they will support all normal loads which may be imposed upon
					 them.
NOTE: It is recognized that the stresses in ladders are
						of a somewhat indeterminate nature and are difficult of analysis, but when the
						Division has determined that ladders may not safely carry the loads placed
						thereon, the Division may require that they be tested according to the
						following:
The material, size, and construction of every portable
						ladder to be such that when placed at an angle obtained by moving the foot of
						the ladder out of the perpendicular a distance equal to ¼ its length, it
						will support a vertical load of at least 200 pounds applied at the center of
						the middle step without imposing stresses in excess of the allowable working
						stresses of the material used in the ladder. The material, size, and
						construction of every fixed ladder to be such that it will support a vertical
						load of at least 200 pounds applied at the center of any step without imposing
						stresses in excess of the allowable safe working stresses of the materials used
						in the ladder.
1.
						Amendment of subsection (b) filed 11-14-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter
						(Register 75, No. 46).
2. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 3-19-79;
						effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 79, No. 12).
3.
						Amendment filed 1-14-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No.
						3).
4. Editorial correction of subsection (k) printing error
						(Register 86, No. 44).
5. Amendment of subsections (a)-(c) and
						repealer of subsection (l) filed 1-3-2000; operative 2-2-2000 (Register 2000,
						No. 1).
Note: Authority cited: Section
						  142.3, Labor
						  Code. Reference: Section
						  142.3, Labor
						  Code.