Ladder inspection checklist

Inspect a portable ladder before its first use each shift, tag out any defect and log the result. This free ladder inspection checklist records one portable ladder’s pre-use check, what happened if it failed, and a shift log for every ladder on the site.

What you can download

Available files: PDF. Each PDF includes the blank form first, a fictional completed example and instructions. The download is free; enter your email to receive a secure link valid for seven days. Product-news consent is optional.

The blank ladder inspection checklist is two A4 pages. The header records the ladder ID and type, its length and duty rating, its location, the date and shift, who inspected it and the supervisor. Page one lists eleven pre-use checks, each marked pass, fail or N/A with a note: labels and duty rating; side rails; rungs or steps; slippery contamination; slip-resistant feet; stepladder spreaders or locks; extension ladder rung locks, guides, pulley and rope; rivets, bolts and hinges; sharp edges and splinters; coatings on wooden ladders; and whether the ladder suits the task and load. A defect and tag-out table records the tag number, who was told, and whether the ladder was repaired or replaced. Page two is a shift inspection log for several ladders and a box for notes to the supervisor.

What OSHA requires for ladder inspection

OSHA’s walking-working surfaces rule for general industry, 29 CFR 1910.23, sets the two requirements this form is built around:

• Before each shift. Ladders are inspected before initial use in each work shift, and more frequently as necessary, to identify any visible defects that could cause employee injury (1910.23(b)(9)).
• Defects tagged out. Any ladder with structural or other defects is immediately tagged “Dangerous: Do Not Use” or with similar language and removed from service until it is repaired or replaced (1910.23(b)(10)).

The same section also covers how a ladder is built and used. Wooden ladders must not be coated with anything that may hide structural defects, ladder surfaces must be free of puncture and laceration hazards, and stepladders need a metal spreader or locking device that holds them open. Ladders are not loaded beyond their maximum intended load, which includes the person and everything they carry. Other jurisdictions have their own rules.

Before you climb

Inspection is the first half; set-up is the second. Under 1910.23(c), use a portable ladder only on a stable, level surface unless it is secured; open a stepladder fully with the spreader locked; do not stand on the cap or top step of a stepladder; make an access ladder extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing; and secure or barricade a ladder in a doorway, passageway or driveway. Face the ladder and keep at least one hand on it when climbing (1910.23(b)(11) and (b)(12)).

How to complete the checklist

1. Record the ladder, its length and duty rating, the location, the date and shift.
2. Work through the eleven checks against the ladder’s labels and the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Mark each check pass, fail or N/A. Give the reason for an N/A, for example “stepladder” against the extension ladder check.
4. If any check fails, stop. Tag the ladder out, remove it from use and record the tag number, the time and who you told.
5. Record whether the ladder will be repaired or replaced, and who returns it to use.
6. Add the result to the shift inspection log on page two.

Completed manufacturing example

In the fictional example, a fibreglass stepladder in the maintenance store is inspected at the start of the day shift. Nine checks pass, two are N/A because it is a fibreglass stepladder, and one fails: a crack about four inches long in the rear right side rail. The inspector tags it “Dangerous: Do Not Use” at 06:40, moves it to the quarantine rack and tells the supervisor. The ladder is not repairable, so it is destroyed and a replacement is issued.

The shift log on page two shows the same stepladder passing the previous day, then failing, with the replacement checked and issued. The supervisor’s note links the crack to a near miss the night before, when the ladder fell from its wall bracket, and records that the bracket was refitted.

Common ladder inspection mistakes

• Inspecting once a week. The requirement is before first use each shift, not on a weekly round.
• Putting a damaged ladder back on the rack. Without a tag and removal, the next person will use it.
• Painting a wooden ladder. Paint hides cracks; OSHA does not allow coatings that may obscure defects.
• Ignoring a fall or knock. A ladder that has been dropped or struck needs another look before use.

When to use this template

Use it for stepladders, extension ladders and other portable ladders used in plants, warehouses and workshops. It is a pre-use inspection record. It does not certify compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23 or any other rule; adapt it to your ladders, the manufacturer’s instructions and your site procedure.

Continue with the safety inspection form for a wider area walk, the risk assessment form for work at height, or the incident report form for a fall or near miss.

In Bulk, pre-use checks run as audits, corrective actions become tasks in the plant’s Safety project, and a near miss is reported as an incident with its own investigation. Explore Bulk safety and start a free trial to run it live, no card needed.